Apple is introducing new accessibility features to iPad and iPhone designed to meet the needs of diverse users. These include features like controlling your device with eye-tracking technology, creating custom shortcuts using your voice, and experiencing music with a haptic engine. The company made the announcement ahead of Thursday's Global Accessibility Awareness Day.
Apple already supports eye tracking in iOS and iPadOS, but required the use of an additional eye tracking device. This is the first time Apple has introduced the ability to control iPads and iPhones without the need for additional hardware or accessories. A new built-in eye tracking option allows users to navigate between apps using the front-facing camera. Leverage AI to understand what users are looking at and what gestures they want to perform, such as swipes and taps. There is also a feature called Dwell Control. This senses when the user's gaze pauses on an element and indicates that you want to select that element.
Another useful new feature, Vocal Shortcuts, improves Apple's voice-based controls. This allows you to assign different sounds and words to launch shortcuts or complete tasks. For example, Siri will launch your app even after the user says something as simple as “Ah!” The company has also developed Listen for Atypical Speech, which uses machine learning to recognize unique speech patterns. It is designed for users with conditions that affect speech, such as cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and stroke.
Other audio improvements Apple has made in the past include Personal Voice, launched last year to give users an automated voice that sounds just like them.
Music Haptics is a new feature for people with hearing loss that lets them experience millions of songs from Apple Music through a series of taps, textures, and vibrations. It will also be available as an API, so music app developers will soon be able to offer their users new and more accessible ways to experience audio.
Apple also announced new features to reduce motion sickness in cars. Instead of watching static content, which can cause motion sickness, users can turn on a “vehicle motion cue” setting. This feature places an animated dot on the edge of the screen that sways and moves in the direction of your movement.
CarPlay is also getting an update that includes a “voice control” feature. A “color filter” that displays large text in bold for color-blind users. “Sound recognition” that notifies deaf or hard of hearing users when a car horn or siren sounds.
Apple also revealed accessibility features coming to VisionOS. This allows for live captioning during FaceTime calls.