Motion sickness, also known as kinetosis, affects a significant portion of the population, with estimates suggesting one in three people experience discomfort while traveling in a vehicle. This often makes activities like reading in a car nearly impossible. Following Apple’s introduction of a feature to mitigate motion sickness on iPhones, Google is developing a similar solution for Android users.
Recent reports from Android Authority reveal a feature called “Motion Cues” within the Google Play Store beta. Discovered in Google Play Services v24.29.32 beta, this feature utilizes animated dots on the screen that mimic the vehicle’s movement. While not a complete cure, Motion Cues aims to alleviate the most severe symptoms of motion sickness. So, while you might still want to avoid reading “War and Peace” on a long car ride, using your phone should become more comfortable.
Motion Cues offers an automatic activation option while driving, complemented by a Quick Settings toggle for easy on/off control. Depending on your sensitivity to motion, leaving it constantly enabled might be beneficial.
The feature can be seen in action in the video embedded above, providing a visual representation of how it works.
Currently, there’s no official confirmation regarding the release date or even a guarantee of a full public launch for Motion Cues. However, the discovery of such a developed feature within beta code often suggests an imminent release. For now, it’s best to consider this as a potentially helpful function that might eventually benefit Android users.
Over the past decade, motion sickness has been the subject of extensive research. Notable advancements, such as the Apple Vision Pro’s design to minimize simulator sickness, demonstrate significant progress toward improved accessibility and user comfort in various technological applications.
