iOS 18 has recently been released, and with that release comes even more built-in accessibility features. Today we are going to look at those new tools, along with some new updates that were released to improve upon pre-existing tools. Let’s take a look!

New Features

New Speech Options – Originally designed for individuals with a variety of speech challenges, the Atypical Speech feature allows users to customize voice commands to perform a variety of hands-free actions. Designed to account for the challenges of speaking with a speech-based disability, this tool also uses AI to improve upon typical speech recognition in order to maximize the effectiveness of speech-to-text.

Music Haptics – This iPhone only feature generates taps, textures, and vibrations to improve upon the music-listening experience of people who are deaf or hard of hearing. This feature also has potential to be used in conjunction with a wide variety of apps, notifications, etc., and we expect to see this tool being used even more in future updates.

Eye Tracking – Originally designed for the Apple Vision Pro, this tool is now available for iPhone and iPad. The set-up process is quick, and after a couple minutes of configuration users will be able to control their phone using only their eyes. This tool integrates directly with the AssistiveTouch menu, and while the built in gestures allow you to quickly get started, there are plenty of options that will allow you to truly customize your experience.

Car Play Accessibility – CarPlay has been around for a while, but there have been some major improvements to the accessibility side of this tool. With the addition of Sound Recognition, users will be alerted to a variety of auditory cues such as honking or sirens, which is a very useful addition to drivers who are deaf or hard of hearing. This tool also has a variety of new accessibility options available including color filters, bold text, large text, and more.

Updates

As well as the brand-new features mentioned above, there is also a variety of new accessibility updates to improve pre-existing tools.

VoiceOver – Volume control, keyboard shortcuts, and Voice Rotor

Magnifier – New reader mode

Braille – Faster Braille input, more language support and options

Switch Control – New feature enables switch control via iPhone or iPad camera

Hover Typing – This feature is designed for individuals with low. Hover typing displays larger text as well as preferred fonts and colors while typing

To learn even more about the new update for iOS, click here.

This post originally appeared on the AT Help Desk website.

Tags: apps, assistive technology, AT HelpDesk, Atlantic Regional Office