Apple announced they would be adding several accessibility features that will help improve cognitive, vision, hearing, and mobility issues on their products. One of the most prominent features Apple will be adding to its new list of features is a personal voice that will help those that have lost their voice to generate another that sounds like them.
With this feature, those using Apple products such as the iPhone can type what they want to say and have their Personal Voice read it to another person. This can be useful when sending a voice message on social media platforms. To use this Personal Voice feature, Apple users will first read a set of text prompts aloud for 15 minutes of audio on the iPhone or iPad.
The tech giant has always been consistent in delivering crisp features to users. Apple's most recent updates have been packed with a plethora of new functionalities. The company released a press release announcing the release of these new accessibility features.
"Apple today previewed software features for cognitive, vision, hearing, and mobility accessibility, along with innovative tools for individuals who are nonspeaking or at risk of losing their ability to speak. These updates draw on advances in hardware and software, include on-device machine learning to ensure user privacy, and expand on Apple’s long-standing commitment to making products for everyone," Apple announced on their website.
The phone-maker company also revealed that the major reason they were launching their feature was to help their users with cognitive challenges.
With the Assistive Access feature on Apple devices, those that can't speak can use their keyboard to type words. Those who are very close to losing their voice can also create a duplicate of their voice to communicate with others.
All these features of the iPhone voice changer and replicator will help a number of users that have lost their voice. Users who are blind are not left out of the new Apple tricks and features. Apple also said they would be rolling out a Detection Mode feature that will help users who have lost their sight or are close to losing their sight to interact with their home appliances.
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According to the company's CEO, Tim Cook, the tech giant is highly pleased with creating products that do not discriminate. He said the company was proud to release features to help disabled people.
"At Apple, we’ve always believed that the best technology is technology built for everyone. Today, we’re excited to share incredible new features that build on our long history of making technology accessible so that everyone has the opportunity to create, communicate, and do what they love," Tim Cook said.
On the other hand, Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s senior director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives, said the accessibility features are part of Apple's objectives to help ease communication for their users.
She reiterated that the company is always committed to creating groundbreaking products. "Accessibility is part of everything we do at Apple. These groundbreaking features were designed with feedback from members of disability communities every step of the way, to support a diverse set of users and help people connect in new ways," Sarah Herrlinger said.
Philip Green, board member and ALS advocate at the Team Gleason nonprofit, who has experienced significant changes to his voice since receiving his ALS diagnosis in 2018, termed the new features from Apple as "extraordinary.