Assistive Technology

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As we reported in December 2015, Apple was rumored to begin selling accessories related to accessibility in early 2016. Those rumors are now coming to fruition, At the time of posting, the Apple website lists a total of 15 accessories available for purchase.

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Apple marked International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December by launching a major redesign of the Accessibility portal on its website, released additional resources for users of the accessibility features of its products, and took part in a virtual interview at the Sight Tech Global conference.

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Apple is now offering hands-on accessibility training workshops at many of its retail stores.

As originally reported by Access iQ, Apple is now offering workshops for users of its assistive technology software at many Apple Store locations. Accessibility workshops include those for users with vision, hearing, and physical disabilities and cover both iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks.

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Apple has today launched a partnership with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) that will bring its accessible coding programme to blind and low vision students in the United Kingdom.

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Ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) on Thursday 19 May, Apple has previewed new accessibility features that will be coming to its platforms later this year.

Of particular note for blind and low vision users is Door Detection on supported iPhones and iPads, which will enable you to navigate the last few feet to your destination. Apple will also be expanding support for VoiceOver with over 20 new languages and locales.

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Ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 20, Apple has previewed a number of accessibility Features coming later this year for those with mobility, vision, hearing, or cognitive disabilities.

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At its annual Worldwide Developer's Conference this week, Apple previewed some of the new accessibility features coming to its iOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS platforms later this year. At this point, it's worth noting that this software is still in beta form, and not all features--particularly, the specifics of how they will be implemented--are finalized. With that said, below is what Apple has announced will be coming for users of accessibility features:

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Apple has today confirmed to us that the Touch Bar on the new MacBook Pro models is accessible to users of VoiceOver, Zoom, and Switch Control.

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Apple has today released iOS 10.2 to the public.

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Apple today released iOS 7.1.1, an update that brings bug fixes—including a fix for the Bluetooth keyboard issue many VoiceOver users have experienced.

According to Mac Rumors, iOS 7.1.1 contains Touch ID improvements, a fix for an issue that could impact keyboard performance--and a fix for a Bluetooth keyboard issue when VoiceOver is enabled.

iOS 7.1.1 is available via Over-the-Air update and through iTunes.

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In the latest versions of iOS and macOS, Apple introduced a new setting called “Accessibility Events” for users of assistive technology.

This new feature tells websites when an assistive technology, such as a screen reader, is being used by the site visitor, enabling developers to customize the behavior of the website accordingly. One example would be to ensure that any custom controls such as custom web sliders are accessible by users.

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As first reported by Blind Bargains, a member of Apple's Accessibility Team will be presenting a session at this year's American Council of the Blind (ACB) Conference and Convention.

The session, entitled "Accessibility and Apple," will take place on July 7, 2015, from 4:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. According to a statement provided to AppleVis, the session will focus on how the accessibility features in Apple's products (including the Apple Watch) can assist in and transform one's life:

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Apple has recently updated its Apple Watch Technology page, indicating that the Apple Watch will have VoiceOver, Zoom, and Dynamic Type support built-in.

Under the heading "A more personal experience. For every person," Apple states the following:

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When it comes to adding to the list of the benefits of owning an iDevice, some don't hesitate to mention excellent tech support. That's intriguing enough, but the proof of the proverbial putting is in the actual eating. As some of you might remember, a while ago I posted a review for the unusable New Oxford American Dictionary. Simply put, I love dictionaries and always want to try new and comprehensive ones as they come my way.

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Welcome to the February 2018 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which aims to highlight what's new and noteworthy on the AppleVis website. Below, you'll find a selection of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to the latest news and podcasts. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.

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Welcome to the May 2017 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which aims to highlight what's new and noteworthy on the AppleVis website. Below, you'll find a selection of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to the latest news and podcasts. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.

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Welcome to the May 2020 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which highlights what's new and noteworthy on the AppleVis website. Below, you'll find a selection of the best content posted to AppleVis by members of the community - from new app entries, to app updates, to the latest news and podcasts. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.

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Welcome to the February 2015 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our new monthly series which aims to highlight what’s new and noteworthy in the accessible app landscape. Below, you’ll find a recap of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to podcasts and blogs. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.

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Welcome to the March 2015 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which aims to highlight what’s new and noteworthy in the accessible app landscape. Below, you’ll find a recap of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to podcasts and blogs. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.