Accessibility updates in Ventura and iOS 16

New/upcoming accessibility features for workers in macOS Ventura

While Apple has also released new features for users using their devices for play and home tasks, here are some exciting innovations just released for workers in Ventura.

Background sounds for Mac

Those with autism, ADD, anxiety, or a number of other conditions that make unwanted environmental noises distracting can now play calming sounds (such as ocean waves or falling rain) to remain focused and on-task.

Voice Control call hang up

You can now end FaceTime calls with Voice Control. Just say “hang up” when Voice Control is turned on.

New languages and voices for VoiceOver and Spoken Content

Accessibility should be for everyone! VoiceOver and Spoken Content are now available in over 20 additional languages and locales, including:

• Bangla
• Bulgarian
• Catalan
• Ukrainian
• Vietnamese

Text checker for VoiceOver

Find things like duplicate spaces and incorrectly capitalized letters in documents and emails created using VoiceOver.

Type to Speak with Live Captions on Mac

Those with verbal communication issues can now type out responses with any video conferencing app on Mac, which will be spoken aloud in real-time. Just ensure that live captions are enabled.

Voice Control spelling mode

Users can now dictate names, addresses, or other custom spellings letter-by-letter.

Upcoming new accessibility features macOS that users can access now in beta

Live Captions

Automatic, real-time captions are now available for deaf or hard-of-hearing users. This allows them to follow conversations, audio, and video more easily. And in FaceTime, automatically-transcribed dialogue has speaker attribution, which helps in following group discussions.

New/upcoming accessibility features in the iOS 16 release

Shared iOS and Ventura features

Of course, any accessibility feature mentioned above for services that are on both macOS and iOS are available on i0S 16, including:

• Live captions and FaceTime live captions, in beta
• Voice control hang-up
• Voice control spelling mode
• New languages and voices for VoiceOver and Spoken Content

iOS 16-specific new accessibility features

Apple Watch mirroring

Apple Watch now offers full iPhone controls using Switch Control, Voice Control, or other iPhone assistive features.

Magnifier

Detection Mode now offers rich descriptions of your surroundings including Door Detection (which locates a door, reads signs or around it, and gets door-opening instructions), People Detection, and Image Descriptions.

Books

Users can now bold text, adjust lines and character, and control word spacing.

Starting point detection with VoiceOver in Maps

Now, users receive automatic sound and haptic feedback defining the starting point for walking/rolling directions in Maps.

Additional customization options for Sound Recognition

Users can train their iPhone to listen to sounds that are specific to the environment, such as a doorbell, beeping sounds indicating finished printer jobs or electrical appliances in the company kitchen and more.

Accessibility innovations for Siri on iOS

Siri has added some new accessibility features, as well. Siri Announce Notifications for hearing devices allows those using hearing device integrations to hear Siri announcements, and Siri can also announce iPhone notifications on Made for iPhone hearing devices. Users can now also adjust how long Siri waits for them to finish speaking before responding, and can switch auto-answer on and off as well as allow users to hang up calls with a voice command.

What does accessibility innovation mean for your organization?

Thanks to these new and already existing accessibility features, you can feel more confident in offering accessibility accommodations to workers with disabilities, and expect more as Apple continues to innovate in this area.