Thursday, May 25, 2023 12:09 pm4 Comments

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Apple believes accessibility is a human right. Innovative features like Door Detection, Sound Recognition, Voice Control, and more are designed to let you use your Apple devices in ways that work best for you.

Still from Apple’s “The Greatest” short film

Apple works in deep collaboration with community groups representing a broad spectrum of users with disabilities to develop accessibility features that make a real impact on people’s lives. Coming later this year, users with cognitive disabilities can use iPhone and iPad with greater ease and independence with Assistive Access; nonspeaking individuals can type to speak during calls and conversations with Live Speech; and those at risk of losing their ability to speak can use Personal Voice to create a synthesized voice that sounds like them for connecting with family and friends. For users who are blind or have low vision, Detection Mode in Magnifier offers Point and Speak, which identifies text users point toward and reads it out loud to help them interact with physical objects such as household appliances.

Keely Cat-Wells for Forbes:

As someone who became disabled later in life, I’ve come to understand that I can be proud of being disabled while acknowledging the complex challenges that come with it. Not everyone understands this subtle distinction — least of all in the world of creative advertising — but Apple’s powerful short film, “The Greatest,” is different. The 2-minute long spot, which has now been out just over six months, has racked up almost 20 million views on YouTube and been recognized as one of the top campaigns of 2022 by AdAge and Adweek, alike. But it’s not stopping there.

“The Greatest” immediately resonated with me, as it not only showcases the company’s innovative accessibility features but also highlights the stories of an all-disabled cast, representing the authentic experiences of disabled individuals throughout what is not much more than an average day for each of them. Released ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities in December, today the film has transcended critical acclaim and begun picking upprestigious awards. In February, “The Greatest” director Kim Gehrig took home the top honor for best commercial at the DGA Awards and last week, “The Greatest” received Best of Show at The One Show awards in New York City.

Tor Myhren, Apple’s Vice President of Marketing Communications, accepted the award at Friday’s awards event in New York City beside cast member Kashmiere Culberson. “Accessibility is a huge part of innovation at Apple,” Myhren shared afterward in a statement, “It’s built into our products and services, and we are committed to reflecting this core value in our work. This film is a celebration of remarkable people using our products in remarkable ways and underscores our belief that accessibility is a human right.”

It means a lot to hear such a statement from Apple’s chief creative, and his comments point to a deeper truth. If brands are going to market disability, they should be able to back it up. Accessibility is at the core of Apple’s ethos, and the company integrates accessible design principles into every one of its products from the outset.

See also: Apple introduces new software features for cognitive, speech, and vision accessibility – May 16, 2023

MacDailyNews Take: Go to Settings > Accessibility on your Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV and explore Apple’s many accessibility tools – there’s something in there for everybody!

Apple’s accessibility features are simply unmatched. They’re light years ahead of would-be rivals. — MacDailyNews, May 14, 2018

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[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]