Vibration API (Second Edition)

[marcoscaceres]

Hello TAG,

I am requesting that the TAG consider the following specification:

• Vibration API (Second Edition)

be considered by the TAG for:

• [x] obsolete (of a W3C Recommendation)

Rationale for why the above action should be taken:

The W3C Vibration API is falsely claiming to be implemented by Firefox, as indicated in the implementation report. In reality, Firefox only has the stubs in place to pretend it supports vibration for web compatibility reasons. Mozilla disabled haptics years ago due to concerns over user annoyance. Furthermore, the specification hasn't received interest from any other implementer in years. Therefore, the TAG should consider obsoleting it as it's a W3C Recommendation on false pretenses.

Additional reasons for obsoleting the Vibration API include:

• Privacy Concerns: The Vibration API can potentially be used in conjunction with other APIs to track or fingerprint devices. For instance, by generating specific vibration patterns and monitoring the timing and response of those vibrations through sensors or other feedback mechanisms, malicious actors could create a unique identifier for a device. This risk is heightened when combined with other data points, leading to more accurate device or user tracking. The specification itself already acknowledges these privacy concerns, but they remain unresolved in practice.

• User Experience: Haptic feedback from vibration can be perceived as intrusive and annoying by users, which is why some browsers have disabled or limited its use.

• Technological Redundancy: Modern devices and platforms offer more advanced and flexible haptic feedback mechanisms that are not reliant on the web's Vibration API.

• Lack of Adoption by Implementers: The specification hasn't received interest from any other implementer in years, indicating that it does not meet a strong demand for this to be part of the web platform.

This specification was produced by the Devices and Sensors Working Group.

The following implementations of this specification are known:

• Firefox (stubs only, not functional)
• Chrome

[marcoscaceres]

Corrected above to "obsolete/obsoleting" instead of rescind. My mistake.

[plehegar]

[[ The process of rescinding, obsoleting, superseding, or restoring a Recommendation can be initiated either by a request from the Team or via a request from any of the following:

• The Working Group who produced, or is chartered to maintain, the Recommendation
• The TAG, if there is no such Working Group ]] W3C Process, section 6.3.13.4

Since we do have an active Working Group, such request is misplaced.

[marcoscaceres]

Moved discussion to https://github.com/w3c/vibration/issues/33