There is very little time left before WWDC 2023 and the presentation of new Apple operating systems, and users are trying to capture as much information as possible about the innovations of future operating systems. But, apparently, in Cupertino they decided that it makes no sense to live with rumors, and they themselves announced a number of features that will appear in future versions of iOS during this year. And all of them are associated with universal access. We have repeatedly said that the iPhone is the best smartphone for people with disabilities , providing access to all the benefits of the digital world. And thanks to this announcement, we received another confirmation that Apple is trying to give anyone the opportunity to use their products.
So, now an enlarged interface mode will become available , which will allow you to interact with the elements on the screen with greater convenience. And those iPhone owners who cannot speak convert text to voice in a couple of touches . Already impressed? Let’s take a look at all the features that Apple has announced for the iPhone together, and figure out in what situations they can be useful.
How to increase icon size on iPhone
Many iPhone users are probably aware of the AssistiveTouch function , which adds an additional button to the smartphone screen. It can replace many controls, including all physical buttons. In the future , Assistive Access will also appear on the iPhone . This is exactly the grannyphone mode, which we have already talked about. After its launch, only the five most important applications, according to Apple, will remain on the screen:
- Music;
- Challenges;
- Messages;
- Camera;
- Photo.
At the same time, all controls are enlarged, and the screen grid, instead of four icons wide, includes only three. It will be possible to change the way the application menu is displayed on the list. In the settings, you can even disable unnecessary elements from the keyboard. For example, if a person prefers only voice input or emoji, then only these will be displayed. A very cool feature when you need to remove everything superfluous from your smartphone, leaving only the main basic functions. I hope it will be possible to add some third-party applications to the allowed ones. Still, access to some messengers should be in any mode. The main thing is that developers adapt them for Assistive Access.
Text-to-speech mode
Unfortunately, due to various diseases, not all users can talk. Thanks to smartphones, they have much more opportunities for communication, but even this is sometimes not enough. And Apple decided to give people another tool to communicate. Using the Live Speech function, the owner of the iPhone will be able to enter any text he needs, and the smartphone will voice it. And it doesn’t matter how you communicate. Live Speech will work even during phone calls.
For the convenience of users, some frequent phrases are saved. Therefore, it will be possible to generate individual inserts very quickly. The input text will be voiced online, so you can forget about any delays. But that wasn’t even surprising. Part of the Live Speech feature will be Personal Voice . Its essence lies in the fact that you can create an almost complete analogue of your own voice.
This is true for those users who risk losing it completely. Thus, it will be possible to generate phrases, words and just communicate in a voice very close to your own. Apple gives a real opportunity for a more or less normal life. It is clear that, especially at first, small machine notes will be heard in this. But is it important if a person gets the opportunity to lead the life to which he is accustomed?
Magnifier mode on iPhone
The iPhone has had a great feature called “Magnifier” for a long time . It allows you to zoom in on objects in front of the camera and view them comfortably. In iOS 17, it will be pumped with additional features. Now it is enough to point at the desired object with your finger, and the iPhone will sound what is written on it. This is true for household appliances, on which the buttons are often signed very small. In this regard, the iPhone will help you deal with everything and will not allow you to strain your eyes once again.
And these are just the biggest and most notable innovations coming to iOS 17 accessibility . Additionally, Apple announced the following features:
- When using Switch Control, any switch can be turned into a virtual game controller;
- On the Mac, text size can be adjusted in Finder , Messages, Mail, Calendar, and Notes;
- Disable GIFs and other animations in Messages and Safari;
- Set the speaking speed with Siri when using VoiceOver.
Of course, calling all these innovations central to iOS 17 and macOS 14 will not raise a hand. But that doesn’t make them any less important. Apple does a lot to give everyone the same experience when using its devices, and this cannot leave people indifferent. I really wish that Android smartphone manufacturers would finally take the time and resources and copy the accessibility features from the iPhone . This will allow many users with disabilities to feel at least a little better and start communicating with other people.
