Accessibility labels on App Store, braille access among Apple's new features

New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) Technology giant Apple on Tuesday announced a host of accessibility features which include accessibility labels on the App Store, braille access, and reader to help users who are blind, deaf or have mobility issues.

The accessibility features, announced ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 15, are expected to be rolled out later this year, the company said.

The new Magnifier app for Mac, the new Braille Access feature is designed for people who are blind or have low vision to explore, learn, and interact; take notes and perform calculations, and also leverage the powerful camera system of Apple Vision Pro with new updates to visionOS.

The company also announced the launch of Accessibility Reader, a new systemwide reading mode designed with accessibility in mind, along with updates to Live Listen, background sounds, personal voice, and vehicle motion cues.

The features, which leverage the power of Apple silicon along with advances in on-device machine learning and artificial intelligence, will enable users with a new level of accessibility across the Apple ecosystem.

“At Apple, accessibility is part of our DNA,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, in a statement.

“Making technology for everyone is a priority for all of us, and we’re proud of the innovations we’re sharing this year. That includes tools to help people access crucial information, explore the world around them, and do what they love,” he added.

Further, for users with severe mobility disabilities, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS will add a new protocol to support Switch Control for Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) -- an emerging technology that allows users to control their device without physical movement.

Other features include Sound and Name Recognition, a new way for users who are deaf or hard of hearing to know when their name is being called; voice control introduces a new programming mode in Xcode for software developers with limited mobility.

With Share Accessibility settings, users can quickly and temporarily share their accessibility settings with another iPhone or iPad, enabling users to borrow a friend’s device or use a public kiosk in a setting like a cafe.

--IANS

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