iOS wellness and therapy apps are getting their turn. As technology keeps improving on smartphones and app makers stretch the limits of creativity, our phones are becoming more than mere call and text devices—they’re becoming individual wellness devices. Two apps that lead the pack in this new category are iMassage U Vibrating Massager and the EMDR app. Both showcase the promise—and the complications—of making health and wellness part of our portable technology.
iMassage U: A Timeless Classic Gets a Comforting Overhaul
Leading off is iMassage U, one of the oldest favorites for people who like adjustable patterns of vibration for relaxation or muscle relaxation. The app just got a major overhaul with version 7.0, and the reaction has been mixed. Some users are not happy with the updates. One long-time user expressed their dismay, explaining that the “great vibe patterns are lost and the vibration and sensation of the phone’s vibration is soft and lacking in direction.” In their opinion, the update is less an upgrade and more of a move toward game controller behavior, without the same satisfying tactile feedback. Their solution? Restore the old version, or even divide the app into two versions to serve each user’s purposes.
The development team views it differently. They love what is under the hood in version 7.0. The update fully utilizes the iPhone’s Taptic Engine—a feature on most devices since the iPhone 6s—providing new vibration patterns such as wave, pulse, earthquake, and inflate. They are designed to be more powerful and dynamic than normal vibration settings. There is also a new ‘Boost’ mode that pairs the vibration motor with the Taptic Engine for an even stronger effect. For those who want even greater variety, the app now also accommodates connected game controllers as vibration devices. Developers are inviting users to try out the new features and have promised regular updates based on feedback.
EMDR: A Digital Companion for Trauma Therapy
The mentally healthy parts are being taken up by therapists who make use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, an already known method to cure the effects of trauma. The app is a digital extension of a well-known, albeit in-person therapy that could be used to cure someone by someone remotely. No doubt there are some limitations. One of the EMDR therapists noted an important point: the app already has only three speed settings, which made it hard to adapt sessions accordingly. Although they liked the overall design and promise of the app, they emphasized more adaptive speed control options for the app to be fully effective in clinical practice.
What makes this app unique, however, is the responsiveness of the developer. Once they had the feedback, the developer contacted them directly, listened attentively, and showed a clear commitment to improving the app. The therapist was impressed—not only with the developer’s desire to fix the app, but also with their decision to make it available at no cost to those who have been impacted by the war in Ukraine. That humanitarian approach also adds depth to the mission of the app. The therapist was very optimistic about its future evolution as a remote therapy tool.
Why Feedback Matters More Than Ever
These two tales illustrate one point: when it comes to wellness and mental health apps, user input isn’t merely useful—it’s necessary. When developers tune in and respond, they can make good apps into great apps. When they don’t, even devoted users will begin to feel like they’re in the dust.
As iPhones get smarter, the divide between technology and personal wellness disappears further. Whether it’s leveraging the Taptic Engine to create more immersive massage sessions or creating digital solutions to aid in the recovery of trauma, this increasing overlap of hardware, wellness, and mental health gets stronger and more intimate each day.
