Apple plans to introduce a new set of accessibility tools to its devices to aid those with disabilities, including a door detection tool, which uses sensors in an iPhone or iPad to help those with sight problems find their way when arriving at a new location.
The suite of new innovative software features will be introduced later this year, to assist users with disabilities to navigate, connect, and get the most out of Apple products, the technology giant said in a statement yesterday.
These powerful updates combine the company’s latest technologies to deliver unique and customizable tools for users, and build on Apple’s long-standing commitment to making products that work for everyone.
The door detection tool will be available to users with newer models of the iPhone and iPad Pro which host Apple’s Lidar scanner, which will be used alongside the device camera to spot doors when a user arrives at a new location.
The scanner will also describe its attributes to enable the user know how to open it, and also read signs and symbols around the door and provide further information about a building or office number, to help the blind or those with low vision.
Apple said it would be coming to the Pro or Pro Max model of the iPhone 12 or 13 and newer versions of the iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch model.
Furthermore, there is also a new accessibility tool for the Apple Watch, with a new pairing tool to enable users to control the smartwatch from a connected iPhone, which will also allow people with physical and motor disabilities to control their Watch using voice commands and other actions.
Similarly, its virtual assistant, Siri Pause Time, will allow users with speech disabilities to adjust how long Siri waits before responding to a request.
We’re excited to introduce these new features, which combine innovation and creativity from teams across Apple to give users more options to use our products in ways that best suit their needs and lives.
High-end timepieces
Apple also plans to introduce live captions across the iPhone, iPad and Mac for deaf and hard of hearing users, enabling them to see real-time captions on any audio content across video calling, streaming content and video on social media, with the captions generated on-device to protect privacy.
Commenting on the devices, the company’s Senior Director, Accessibility Policy and Initiatives, Sarah Herrlinger, said: “Apple embeds accessibility into every aspect of our work, and we are committed to designing the best products and services for everyone.
“We’re excited to introduce these new features, which combine innovation and creativity from teams across Apple to give users more options to use our products in ways that best suit their needs and lives.”
Apple assured that many other features would also be introduced later this year, including a buddy controller feature, which will enable users to ask a friend or carer to help them play a game by letting players combine two controllers to drive the input for a single player.
