Apple Integrates Thought-Controlled iPhone Access via Synchron’s Brain Tech

Apple has officially recognized neural interfaces as a native input method for iPhones, iPads, and Vision Pro headsets through a partnership with Synchron, a Bill Gates- and Jeff Bezos-backed neurotech startup, New Atlas reported.

The collaboration enables users with severe mobility limitations to control devices via brain signals detected by Synchron’s minimally invasive “Stentrode” implant—a mesh of electrodes threaded through blood vessels to the brain, avoiding open-skull surgery.

The system translates motor signals into commands via a wearable transmitter and wireless processor. In a 2024 trial, an ALS patient successfully used Synchron’s tech to operate an Apple Vision Pro for texting, gaming, and streaming. Apple’s new BCI Human Interface Device (BCI HID) profile formalizes this integration, marking a leap in accessibility.

Synchron plans clinical trials later this year, targeting 100 million people globally with paralysis or similar conditions. “BCI is a next-gen interface layer,” said Synchron CEO Dr. Tom Oxley, highlighting Apple’s commitment to inclusive design.