Eye tracking is a big new thing in 2024. It is fundamental to the operation of Apple’s Vision Pro, allowing a range of different experiences using the headset.
Chinese tech company Honor has jumped on the trend by adding eye tracking to the Magic 6 Pro, its new flagship smartphone. It relies on a 3D time-of-flight (ToF) sensor alongside the usual selfie camera, with both arranged in an iPhone-like layout that mimics the dynamic island.
Eye tracking isn’t available on the Magic 6 Pro at launch, but it’s coming very soon. And I was able to try it out in advance at the MWC technology fair in Barcelona.
You’ll need to configure it to work specifically for your eyes, but it’s as simple as looking at a few different numbers on the screen for a few seconds. However, you’ll need to keep it aligned with your face – quite awkwardly – for things to work.
The first thing that struck me was how limited the technology currently is. Eye tracking can only be used to directly interact with notifications, although this includes answering calls.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Once you are in the affected application, there is no functionality. It was especially frustrating when a timer ended, meaning I could open the Clock app and still not stop it from ringing.
However, as long as I focus on a very specific part of the notification tracking, the eye tracking works well. It can be impressively accurate and waiting a few seconds helps prevent accidental triggering.
And I’ll be shocked if this isn’t just the start of eye tracking on Honor devices. The company will surely want to expand its application, both to different forms of interaction with smartphones and to other hardware.
This begs the question: Will Honor expand into VR headsets, either to compete with the Apple Vision Pro or more affordable devices such as the Meta Quest 3?
The answer appears to be no, based on comments from Honor CEO George Zhao. In a group interview at the MWC tech show in Barcelona, Zhao expressed his disappointment with the VR headsets already available:
“To be frank, I still can’t find any [VR] product meeting my requirements. They don’t achieve my goal, I would say. Same for the Vision Pro.
“I know there’s the eye tracking interaction, but still from an efficiency and interaction standpoint, they can improve a lot.”
Zhao didn’t deny that Honor was working on a VR headset, but it seems very unlikely that we’ll see anything in the near future. If the $3,499 Apple Vision Pro still isn’t enough, why would a company that prides itself on value for money want to part ways with a rival?
It seems Honor wants to explore the technology behind VR headsets, like eye tracking, without releasing a dedicated device. Don’t rule it out in the longer term, though – Zhao is a fan of the concept:
“I think it is [VR] will be the future… I really love this future, but we will always work hard to meet all your requirements.
