California: Apple has partnered with brain-computer interface (BCI) company Synchron to explore technology allowing users to control iPhones and other devices using only their thoughts.
At the core of this collaboration is Synchron’s Stentrode, a minimally invasive brain implant that sits in a vein near the brain’s motor cortex.
Equipped with electrodes that read brain signals, the device enables a user’s thoughts to be translated into digital commands allowing them to explore screens, open apps, and interact with devices by thought alone.
The development has already moved into the testing stages. According to reports, one of the early testers is Mark Jackson, a Pittsburgh resident living with ALS.
Jackson has a Synchron implant and has successfully used it in conjunction with Apple Vision Pro, Apple’s mixed-reality headset. In one demonstration, he navigated a virtual mountain landscape and described feeling his legs shake from vertigo highlighting the immersive power of the technology.
Thoughts are now an input device.
Today, @Apple announced its new BCI Human Interface Device (#HID) protocol—and Synchron is proud to be the first brain-computer interface company to achieve native integration with iPhone, iPad, and Apple Vision Pro.
That means:
🧠 No touch.… pic.twitter.com/7prNC3uoau
— Synchron (@synchroninc) May 13, 2025
Although the interface doesn’t yet match the speed and precision of touchscreens or traditional input devices, experts believe it holds transformative potential, particularly for people with severe mobility or communication challenges.
Synchron claims to be the first BCI company to achieve native integration with a new BCI Human Interface Device (HID) profile, a major milestone in translating brain activity into actionable commands on mainstream digital platforms.
Apple is also continuing its focus on accessibility with iOS 19, which includes enhancements to its Personal Voice feature for users with speech impairments. The BCI race is heating up, with Elon Musk’s Neuralink also developing similar technologies.
