Haptics & Audio Feedback

Comprehensive guide to implementing haptic feedback on iOS. Every Apple Design Award winner uses excellent haptic feedback - Camera, Maps, Weather all use haptics masterfully to create delightful, responsive experiences.

Overview

Haptic feedback provides tactile confirmation of user actions and system events. When designed thoughtfully using the Causality-Harmony-Utility framework, axiom-haptics transform interfaces from functional to delightful.

This skill covers both simple haptics (UIFeedbackGenerator) and advanced custom patterns (Core Haptics), with real-world examples and audio-haptic synchronization techniques.

When to Use This Skill

• Adding haptic feedback to user interactions
• Choosing between UIFeedbackGenerator and Core Haptics
• Designing audio-haptic experiences that feel unified
• Creating custom haptic patterns with AHAP files
• Synchronizing haptics with animations and audio
• Debugging haptic issues (simulator vs device)
• Optimizing haptic performance and battery impact

System Requirements

• iOS 10+ for UIFeedbackGenerator
• iOS 13+ for Core Haptics (CHHapticEngine)
• iPhone 8+ for Core Haptics hardware support
• Physical device required - haptics cannot be felt in Simulator

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Part 1: Design Principles (WWDC 2021/10278)

Apple's audio and haptic design teams established three core principles for multimodal feedback:

Causality - Make it obvious what caused the feedback

Problem: User can't tell what triggered the haptic Solution: Haptic timing must match the visual/interaction moment

Example from WWDC:

• ✅ Ball hits wall → haptic fires at collision moment
• ❌ Ball hits wall → haptic fires 100ms later (confusing)

Code pattern:

// ✅ Immediate feedback on touch
@objc func buttonTapped() {
    let generator = UIImpactFeedbackGenerator(style: .medium)
    generator.impactOccurred()  // Fire immediately
    performAction()
}

// ❌ Delayed feedback loses causality
@objc func buttonTapped() {
    performAction()
    DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + 0.2) {
        let generator = UIImpactFeedbackGenerator(style: .medium)
        generator.impactOccurred()  // Too late!
    }
}

Harmony - Senses work best when coherent

Problem: Visual, audio, and haptic don't match Solution: All three senses should feel like a unified experience

Example from WWDC:

• Small ball → light haptic + high-pitched sound
• Large ball → heavy haptic + low-pitched sound
• Shield transformation → continuous haptic + progressive audio

Key insight: A large object should feel heavy, sound low and resonant, and look substantial. All three senses reinforce the same experience.

Utility - Provide clear value

Problem: Haptics used everywhere "just because we can" Solution: Reserve haptics for significant moments that benefit the user

When to use haptics:

• ✅ Confirming an important action (payment completed)
• ✅ Alerting to critical events (low battery)
• ✅ Providing continuous feedback (scrubbing slider)
• ✅ Enhancing delight (app launch flourish)

When NOT to use haptics:

• ❌ Every single tap (overwhelming)
• ❌ Scrolling through long lists (battery drain)
• ❌ Background events user can't see (confusing)
• ❌ Decorative animations (no value)

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Part 2: UIFeedbackGenerator (Simple Haptics)

For most apps, UIFeedbackGenerator provides 3 simple haptic types without custom patterns.

UIImpactFeedbackGenerator

Physical collision or impact sensation.

Styles (ordered light → heavy):

• .light - Small, delicate tap
• .medium - Standard tap (most common)
• .heavy - Strong, solid impact
• .rigid - Firm, precise tap
• .soft - Gentle, cushioned tap

Usage pattern:

class MyViewController: UIViewController {
    let impactGenerator = UIImpactFeedbackGenerator(style: .medium)

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        // Prepare reduces latency for next impact
        impactGenerator.prepare()
    }

    @objc func userDidTap() {
        impactGenerator.impactOccurred()
    }
}

Intensity variation (iOS 13+):

// intensity: 0.0 (lightest) to 1.0 (strongest)
impactGenerator.impactOccurred(intensity: 0.5)

Common use cases:

• Button taps (.medium)
• Toggle switches (.light)
• Deleting items (.heavy)
• Confirming selections (.rigid)

UISelectionFeedbackGenerator

Discrete selection changes (picker wheels, segmented controls).

Usage:

class PickerViewController: UIViewController {
    let selectionGenerator = UISelectionFeedbackGenerator()

    func pickerView(_ picker: UIPickerView, didSelectRow row: Int,
                    inComponent component: Int) {
        selectionGenerator.selectionChanged()
    }
}

Feels like: Clicking a physical wheel with detents

Common use cases:

• Picker wheels
• Segmented controls
• Page indicators
• Step-through interfaces

UINotificationFeedbackGenerator

System-level success/warning/error feedback.

Types:

• .success - Task completed successfully
• .warning - Attention needed, but not critical
• .error - Critical error occurred

Usage:

let notificationGenerator = UINotificationFeedbackGenerator()

func submitForm() {
    // Validate form
    if isValid {
        notificationGenerator.notificationOccurred(.success)
        saveData()
    } else {
        notificationGenerator.notificationOccurred(.error)
        showValidationErrors()
    }
}

Best practice: Match haptic type to user outcome

• ✅ Payment succeeds → .success
• ✅ Form validation fails → .error
• ✅ Approaching storage limit → .warning

Performance: prepare()

Call prepare() before the haptic to reduce latency:

// ✅ Good - prepare before user action
@IBAction func buttonTouchDown(_ sender: UIButton) {
    impactGenerator.prepare()  // User's finger is down
}

@IBAction func buttonTouchUpInside(_ sender: UIButton) {
    impactGenerator.impactOccurred()  // Immediate haptic
}

// ❌ Bad - unprepared haptic may lag
@IBAction func buttonTapped(_ sender: UIButton) {
    let generator = UIImpactFeedbackGenerator()
    generator.impactOccurred()  // May have 10-20ms delay
}

Prepare timing: System keeps engine ready for ~1 second after prepare().

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Part 3: Core Haptics (Custom Haptics)

For apps needing custom patterns, Core Haptics provides full control over haptic waveforms.

Four Fundamental Elements

1. Engine (CHHapticEngine) - Link to the phone's actuator
2. Player (CHHapticPatternPlayer) - Playback control
3. Pattern (CHHapticPattern) - Collection of events over time
4. Events (CHHapticEvent) - Building blocks specifying the experience

CHHapticEngine Lifecycle

import CoreHaptics

class HapticManager {
    var engine: CHHapticEngine?

    func initializeHaptics() {
        // Check device support
        guard CHHapticEngine.capabilitiesForHardware().supportsHaptics else {
            print("Device doesn't support haptics")
            return
        }

        do {
            // Create engine
            engine = try CHHapticEngine()

            // Handle interruptions (calls, Siri, etc.)
            engine?.stoppedHandler = { reason in
                print("Engine stopped: \(reason)")
                self.restartEngine()
            }

            // Handle reset (audio session changes)
            engine?.resetHandler = {
                print("Engine reset")
                self.restartEngine()