Apple announces new accessibility features including eye tracking without additional accessories, haptic music listening, and voice shortcuts
On May 15, 2024, Apple announced new accessibility features that will be released in 2024, including eye tracking, Music Haptics, voice shortcuts, and vehicle motion cues.
Apple announces new accessibility features, including Eye Tracking - Apple
◆Eye tracking
Eye tracking using artificial intelligence allows users to operate their iPad or iPhone using only their eyes. Eye tracking uses the front camera so no additional hardware or accessories are required, and setup and adjustment can be completed in seconds. Leveraging on-device machine learning, eye tracking can be used without sending data externally.
Eye tracking makes it possible to move focus between app elements and perform gestures such as physical buttons and swipes using just your eyes.
◆Music Haptics
'Music Haptics' will be added to the iPhone as a new way for hearing-impaired users to experience music. When Music Haptics is turned on, the iPhone's Taptic Engine 'plays' sophisticated vibrations in sync with the music. It can be used with millions of songs on Apple Music, and developers can also use it via API when playing music in their apps.
◆Voice shortcuts
On iPhone and iPad, you can set up custom utterances that Siri can understand, allowing you to 'launch shortcuts and perform complex operations by speaking specific words.'
In addition, a new voice-related feature called 'Listen to non-standard speech' will be added. Enabling 'Listen to non-standard speech' will provide a new level of customization and control to users with limited speech abilities, such as those with cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or stroke.
◆Vehicle Motion Cues
When vehicle motion cues are enabled, several dots are displayed on the edge of the screen, and the dots move according to the movement of the vehicle to reduce motion sickness. Vehicle motion cues can be enabled or disabled in the Control Center, or set to appear automatically.
◆Various accessibility features added to CarPlay
In addition to a 'voice control' feature that will allow you to operate CarPlay using only your voice, CarPlay will also be updated with a 'sound recognition' feature for the hearing impaired that will notify you of car horns and sirens, and a 'color filter' feature that will make the interface easier to use for color-blind users by adjusting the boldness and size of text.
Accessibility features now available on visionOS
Accessibility features are coming to visionOS, the operating system for Apple Vision Pro, the spatial computer that seamlessly blends digital content with the real world, helping you stay connected to it and the people around you.
In addition to a live caption feature that transcribes conversations with people in front of you and audio from apps, other features that are planned to be added include the ability to move captions using window bars while playing Apple Immersive Video, the ability to use hearing devices and cochlear hearing processors for iPhone, and ``reduced transparency,'' ``smart inversion,'' and ``dim flashing lights'' for users with low vision or who want to avoid frequent flashing on the screen.
The features announced by Apple this time are scheduled to be added 'in late 2024.'
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