Motion sickness while using Android phones could be a thing of the past — here’s why

2 weeks ago 5
Woman looking at her phone in the car
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

A recent APK has given us our first look at how the Android Motion Cue feature will look before its possible release.

Using a phone in the car always comes with the threat of motion sickness, it's just a part of traveling. However, phone manufacturers have been working on ways to minimize, if not completely resolve, this problem. Apple introduced Vehicle Motion Cues in iOS 18, and Google was spotted working on a similar feature. Now it seems we have our first look at exactly what this will look like when it finally releases.

Google Play Services - Motion Cues feature demo - YouTube Google Play Services - Motion Cues feature demo - YouTube

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The feature was found in the APK performed by Android Authority, who were able to get a demo to function on one of their devices and released the above video showing off how the feature looks. According to the video, when the feature is activated, dots appear on the screen that mimic the direction of your vehicle's movement. This movement aims to help lessen the sensory conflict between your eyes and the motion felt by your inner ear, thus reducing motion sickness.

Motion cue menu on Android devices

(Image credit: Android Authority)

Unfortunately, the feature is not currently available within Play Services, and there's no mention of when it might be released. However, considering the state of completion that we can see in the video, which was taken in the current Google Play Services v24.29.32 beta, it likely isn't far off. It's also worth noting that Google will want the feature available as soon as possible to help compete with Apple's release.

This isn't the only big change coming for Android phones, as Android 16 is currently in the works and could be released shockingly soon. Meanwhile, Samsung users are preparing for the next Galaxy Unpacked in January, which will see the release of the Galaxy S25 and, according to leaks, the official unveiling of One UI 7. Finally, it seems that Google is working to improve the user experience on Google Maps with one major upgrade to make traveling much easier.

As with any APK, there's no guarantee that these features will arrive, and there are other ways to avoid getting motion sickness. The main thing is to take breaks from looking at the screen while traveling. However, this feature would make life just a little easier when using some of the best Android phones while on the move.

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Josh is a staff writer for Tom's Guide and is based in the UK. He has worked for several publications but now works primarily on mobile phones. Outside of phones, he has a passion for video games, novels, and Warhammer. 

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