iOS 14 recording indicator is potentially hazardous for my app's users

Originator:dave
Number:rdar://FB8053625 Date Originated:July 18, 2020
Status:Open Resolved:
Product:Camera Product Version:AVFoundation
Classification:Incorrect/Unexpected Behavior Reproducible:Always
 
We make an iOS app that uses the camera to monitor the backup drivers in prototype autonomous vehicles, to ensure they're focused on the road. The app runs on an iPhone sitting on the vehicle dashboard, and simply shows a clock on a black screen to minimize driver distraction.

The new iOS 14 recording indicator has proven to clearly be an additional distraction for drivers. We've run comparisons on iOS 13 vs iOS 14, and our data makes it clear that drivers get distracted by the recording indicator, *even when they're told about it ahead of time or have driven with it multiple times.* Because of the new recording indicator, our app has gone from reducing to increasing driver distraction.

I sincerely appreciate all the new steps Apple has taken to improve privacy, however we're in desperate need of an entitlement or something to disable the recording indicator. This is strictly an internal app that only runs on company-owned iPhones in kiosk mode; all employees know they're being recorded while driving, and every single one of them has signed a recording waiver.

Comments

Interesting, have you considered turning the phone around and using the back camera to record?

By indiekiduk at Aug. 19, 2020, 9:35 a.m. (reply...)

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