With iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma, Apple debuted a feature that allowed users to enhance their video calls with 3D effects triggered by hand gestures.
Apple’s FaceTime app and other video conferencing applications would see visual effects such as fireworks or confetti by making specific hand signs, such as two thumbs up for example.
But since this feature is on by default, it has resulted in some awkward moments during serious work meetings or other video sessions that do not require celebration effects, for example.
Apple has listened and is set to release a new API alongside the upcoming iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 updates, reports MacRumors and its contributor Aaron Perris. This API will enable developers of video conferencing apps to disable the gesture-based reactions within their applications by default. It’s unknown if Apple will also bring this API to macOS 14.4.
For now, users can disable the Effects feature during a FaceTime call by swiping down to Control Center, then tapping ‘Effects’ and then ‘Reactions’ to disable the latter. This feature should have been turned off by default from the very beginning.
Yesterday, Apple released iOS 17.3.1 for iPhone and iPad, alongside macOS 14.3.1 and watchOS 10.3.1. Developers saw iOS 17.4 beta 2 and more earlier this week.
