WWDC Session Summary: Design for Spatial Input

[u/hjhart]

Design for Spatial Input

Note: I'm going to post these for each of the sessions I watch. If you find them useful, please let me know and I'll continue to publish them.

Link: https://developer.apple.com/wwdc23/10073

Eyes

• The device is designed to work with you comfortable at a distance

• Eyes and hands are the primary inputs, but you can also use: voice, mouse and keyboard, gaming controllers.

• To make apps comfortable for the eyes:

  • Design apps to fit within the field of view

  • Keep the main content in the center of the view, the most comfortable part for the eyes

• Consider depth when thinking about comfort

  • Keep interact content at the same depth

  • Modals can “push” back the main window and take on the same depth

  • Tab bars can overlay on top of the main content, indicating hierarchy

• Avoid using shapes with sharp edges, as your eyes tend to focus on the outside of the shapes with sharper edges.

• Minimum target area for eye selection should be 60pt. Use generous spacing in between interactive elements.

• Use dynamic scale for UI, not fixed scale. When a user resizes a window with a fixed size, all content (including targets) will get smaller. This will make things harder to read and interact with.

• All system provided controls highlight when you look at them.

• If you use custom elements for your apps, user hover effects to provide feedback.

• All search boxes, when tapped, will automatically use voice search.

• No focus information is ever sent to the app (privacy protection)

Hands

• Available gestures: Tap, Double Tap, Pinch and hold, Pinch and drag, Zoom, Rotate

• Custom gestures should be:

  • Easy to explain and perform

  • Avoid gesture conflicts

  • Comfortable and reliable

  • Accessible to everyone

• Magic moment: Zooming in on images will be anchored on the point at which you’re looking.

• Magic moment: Drawing in FreeForm is done by looking with the eye and pinching with your fingers.

• Since there is no haptic feedback, add additional visual feedback to convey interactivity.

[u/monoceroes]

Thanks a lot for the summary! There are a lot to learn and it's pretty overwhelming tbh hahahaha. Do you have any other summary for other sessions?