Apple Is Working on Accessibility Tools For People With Disabilities

Apple intends to make accessibility tools available to people with disabilities.

In honor of World Accessibility Day on Thursday, Apple introduced innovative software advancements that give consumers with disabilities new ways to explore, interact, and get the most out of Apple devices (May 19).

At Apple, we design for accessibility from the ground up and we’re constantly innovating on behalf of our users. The cutting-edge features we are sharing today will offer new ways for people with disabilities to navigate, connect, and so much more. https://t.co/Zrhcng95QA

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) May 17, 2022

Door Detection

Thanks to developments in technology, software, and machine learning, people who are blind or have poor vision can use Door Detection on their iPhone or iPad to navigate the final few feet to their destination.

Apple Watch Mirroring lets people with physical or motor disabilities to control their Apple Watch from their iPhone using assistive features like Voice Operate and Switch Control.

Door Detection can also scan nearby signs and symbols, such as the room number in an office or the presence of an accessible entry mark.

Live subtitles are available for users who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Users who are deaf or hard of hearing can utilize Live Captions on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

Apple has also revealed that its industry-leading screen reader VoiceOver will now support over 20 new languages and regions.

These enhancements will be released as part of Apple platform software releases later this year.

Apple’s senior director of Accessibility Policy and Initiatives, Sarah Herrlinger, stated, “Apple embeds accessibility into every area of our work, and we are committed to designing the finest products and services for everyone.”

“We’re delighted to announce these new capabilities, which bring together the best of Apple’s ingenuity and creativity to provide consumers more opportunities to use our devices in ways that best suit their needs and lives.”

Apple will add stories by and about people with disabilities to the Apple Books app on Thursday, highlighting pertinent topics. Apple Books will introduce more themes and customization choices, such as bolding text and changing lines, characters, and word space, to make reading more accessible.

Additional Features

-With Buddy Controller, users can enlist the help of a caregiver or a friend to play a game. Buddy Controller combines any two game controllers into one, allowing multiple controllers to drive the input for a single player.

Voice Control Spelling Mode allows users with speech difficulties to dictate bespoke spellings using letter-by-letter input.

-Sound Recognition can be customized to detect noises specific to a person’s environment, such as the alarm, doorbell, or appliances in their home.