Thursday May 19 is the World Accessibility Awareness Day. Coinciding with this event, Apple has shared details on various accessibility features for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac coming later this year.
The company says the new options are designed to help users with disabilities “navigate, connect and get the most out of Apple products” and take advantage of advances in their hardware and software, as well as AI.
The main function is Door Detection, a new option that allows the device to detect doors.
Apple says the new feature will be helpful for users who are blind or have low vision. You can detect the doors with the iPhone and iPad, which will allow you to go to the door more easily.
Now, users can fully control their Apple Watch from their iPhone thanks to Apple Watch Mirroring. The system appears to completely mirror the Apple Watch screen to the iPhone. This should make it easier for users to interact with their Apple Watch, which has a much smaller screen.
Other updates include a increased compatibility with Apple’s screen reader, VoiceOver. The feature will now offer 20 new languages and localizations, giving users who rely on languages other than English more utility of choice. Apple also introduces Live captions on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Soon users will be able to take advantage of the BuddyController, that allows you to ask a caregiver or friend to help you play a game.
Another new accessibility feature for iOS, macOS, and iPadOS is the Siri Pause Time. This feature allows you to adjust how long Siri waits before responding to a request the person has made.
The Voice Control Spelling Mode will give the option to dictate custom spellings with a letter-by-letter input.
Apple is also updating the Sound Recognition to help determine when home alarms, doorbells and appliances sound. Lastly, the Apple Books app will let you customize your text options and adjust lines, characters, and word spacing. This should make reading with Apple Books even more accessible.
