Draft:AssistiveTouch

=== Floating menu interface ===

When AssistiveTouch is enabled, a movable circular button appears on the screen, which can be dragged to any edge. Tapping this button opens a menu of customizable controls such as Home, Siri, Volume, Lock Screen, and more.

File:AssistiveTouch Main Menu.jpg

=== Access to hardware functions ===

AssistiveTouch replicates hardware-based operations using software controls on its menu to perform actions like returning to the Home screen, activating Siri, taking screenshots, locking the screen, adjusting the volume, and activating the Shake function for undo actions. These features are particularly useful for users who may not be able to press physical buttons or perform gesture-based shortcuts.

{{cite conference

|last1 = Ahmed

|first1 = Faisal

|last2 = Islam

|first2 = Muhammad

|last3 = Borodin

|first3 = Yevgen

|last4 = Ramakrishnan

|first4 = Iv

|date = 2010

|title = Assistive web browsing with touch interfaces

|url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221652296

|publisher = ASSETS' 10

}}

File:AssistiveTouch Gesture Menu.jpg

=== Gesture and multi-touch replacement ===

AssistiveTouch provides a method for users to input multi-finger gestures by enabling a gesture abstraction interface that allows a single point of contact to trigger a system-generated multi-point gesture. Users can select a gesture profile corresponding to 2, 3, 4, or 5 fingers. When a gesture profile is active, any path drawn with one finger is interpreted by the system as if it originated from multiple virtual touchpoints, spaced evenly and moving in parallel. This abstraction enables users to perform gestures such as two-finger scrolling, three-finger swiping, and predefined actions like pinch and rotate. However, AssistiveTouch relies on preset gesture templates and does not fully replicate the flexibility of simultaneous multi-point touch inputs.

AssistiveTouch can be used in parallel with other accessibility features such as Zoom, which relies on path-based three-finger gestures like tap and drag for screen magnification. When both features are enabled, gesture conflicts may arise, particularly with overlapping patterns. The system determines gesture priority based on timing windows and input context, and users can mitigate conflicts by customizing input activation zones or shortcuts in the Accessibility.

=== Customization ===

File:AssistiveTouch Customize Top Level Menu iOS.jpg

AssistiveTouch offers significant customization options:

Users can customize the top-level AssistiveTouch menu by adding frequently used actions, rearranging existing items, and assigning specific functions to single-tap, double-tap, or long-press gestures. For example, a single tap might be configured to open the AssistiveTouch menu, a double-tap could trigger the Notification Center, and a long press might activate Siri. On devices that support Haptic Touch or Force Touch, additional inputs can be mapped according to pressure sensitivity or haptic feedback.

Custom gestures can also be recorded and reused. The system captures the user’s input path, such as a swipe or circular motion, and stores it as a reusable command, which can then be triggered from the menu.

{{cite book

|last = Myers

|first = Brad A.

|title = Pick, Click, Flick!: Interaction Techniques |year = 2024

|url = https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3617448

|publisher = ACM Books

|page = 366|doi = 10.1145/3617448

|isbn = 979-8-4007-0949-4

}}

=== Pointer device support ===

File:AssistiveTouch Bluetooth Mouse Drag and Drop.gif

AssistiveTouch also supports external pointer devices, such as Bluetooth mice or trackpads. When connected, users can enable features such as dwell control, adjust the pointer size, change the color of the pointer, and fine-tune its movement speed.

{{cite web

|title = Connect a Bluetooth mouse or trackpad to your iPad

|url = https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211009

|website = Apple Support

|publisher= Apple Inc.

|date = 2024

}}

AssistiveTouch can be activated through several means, including the system’s accessibility settings, voice commands via Siri, and customizable shortcuts. These multiple access points allow for flexibility based on the user’s physical capabilities.

Once enabled, the AssistiveTouch button remains on-screen and provides consistent access to assistive controls regardless of the application in use.

AssistiveTouch is one of many accessibility tools embedded into operating systems to allow smoother interaction with touchscreen devices. On Android devices, a comparable feature is the Android Accessibility Menu,

{{cite web

|title = Use the Accessibility Menu

|url = https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/9078941?hl=en

|website = Google Support

|publisher = Google Inc.

}}

which was added in Android 9. It is an on-screen menu activated by swiping up with two fingers and selecting Accessibility, after toggling the shortcut in settings. The menu includes options to take screenshots, lock the screen, and adjust volume.

Samsung offers a floating icon known as the Assistant Menu,

{{cite web

|title = Assistant menu

|url = https://www.samsung.com/levant/sustainability/accessibility/mobile/assistant-menu/

|website = Samsung

|publisher = Samsung Electronics

}}

similar to AssistiveTouch, which provides shortcuts to hardware buttons and other functionalities. It also includes a cursor that simulates mouse control.

Third-party apps have also mimicked the functionality of an on-screen accessibility menu. For example, EasyTouch

{{cite web

|title = EasyTouch Classic

|url = https://easytouch-classic.en.uptodown.com/android

|website = Uptodown

}}

and Floating Toolbox

{{cite web

|last = Dawson

|first = Tom

|date = 2015

|title = Sponsored App Review: Floating Toolbox

|url = https://www.androidheadlines.com/2015/02/sponsored-app-review-floating-toolbox.html

|website = Android Headlines

}}

on the Google Play Store offer floating menus with customizable shortcuts or quick app access.

Between iOS and Android, iOS is notable for having its accessibility features, including AssistiveTouch, integrated directly into the system.

On the other hand, Android offers more diverse third-party accessibility tools that users can download.

AssistiveTouch has been generally well-received as an accessibility initiative, garnering positive feedback for its use of motion sensors and gesture recognition.

Maya Sellon, an inclusive design researcher, praised AssistiveTouch for offering an intuitive and hands-free way to use the Apple Watch.

{{cite web

|last = Sellon

|first = Maya

|date = 2024

|title = iOS Accessibility Review: Enhancing Mobility with AssistiveTouch on Apple Watch

|url = https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ios-accessibility-review-enhancing-mobility-apple-watch-maya-sellon-nfkzc

|website = LinkedIn

}}

In her review, she noted how the feature could map actions to custom gestures, which expands basic Apple features like Siri and Apple Pay for users with motor disabilities. However, she also pointed out limitations: some gestures required physical strain to perform and necessitated a tight watch fit, both of which could be uncomfortable for some users.

Tech review sites like The Verge have highlighted the potential of AssistiveTouch beyond accessibility, noting its usefulness in hands-free scenarios such as while cooking.

{{cite web

|last = Song

|first = Victoria

|date = 2023

|title = How to control your Apple Watch hands-free with Assistive Touch

|url = https://www.theverge.com/22778189/apple-watch-assistive-touch-accessibility

|website = The Verge

}}

However, some academics have raised concerns about the feature’s limitations. Like Sellon's research, studies have emphasized the physical demands of the required gestures, which may be unrealistic for users with conditions like cerebral palsy.

{{cite journal

|last1 = Gupta

|first1 = Ayasya

|date = 2024

|title = Inclusive Design for Accessibility: A Case Study of Apple's Accessibility Features

|url = https://ijnrd.org/papers/IJNRD2409155.pdf

|journal = International Journal of Novel Research and Development

|volume = 9

|issue = 9

|pages =

|doi =

|access-date =

}}

These critiques have called for more adaptable input options that support a wider range of motor abilities.

Following AssistiveTouch’s launch, Apple has continued developing gesture-based controls. In watchOS 10, the company introduced a double-tap feature on the Apple Watch, which enables simple actions like playing or pausing music, answering or ending calls, and managing alarms or timers with a gesture.

{{cite web

|date = 2025

|title = Apple Watch double tap gesture now available with watchOS 10.1

|url = https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2023/10/apple-watch-double-tap-gesture-now-available-with-watchos-10-1/

|website = Newsroom

|publisher = Apple Inc.

}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://support.apple.com/en-us/111794 Use AssistiveTouch on your iPhone or iPad] – Apple’s official support guide for AssistiveTouch.
• [https://developer.apple.com/accessibility/ios/ Accessibility Programming Guide for iOS] – Apple Developer documentation on building accessible apps and integrating accessibility features.