[Nfbktad] A Preview of New Accessibility Features Set to Come Later this Year in iOS 11

Todd scorpio62 at windstream.net
Thu Jun 8 01:47:57 UTC 2017


Good comments, Rick!

 

 

Todd

From: NFBKTAD [mailto:nfbktad-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rick Roderick via NFBKTAD
Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2017 9:36 PM
To: 'NFB of Kentucky, Technology Assistance Division'
Cc: Rick Roderick
Subject: Re: [Nfbktad] A Preview of New Accessibility Features Set to Come Later this Year in iOS 11

 

These sound good, but one of the things I would like to be able to do I use Siri during a phone call. For example, if the phone rang, I could press the button and say, “Answer.” If I wanted to call, I could say “Hang up.” Siri could also be used to dial an extension for a conference call.

 

From: NFBKTAD [mailto:nfbktad-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kevin Pearl via NFBKTAD
Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2017 3:44 PM
To: NFBK TAD <nfbktad at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Kevin Pearl <kvnprl at twc.com>
Subject: [Nfbktad] A Preview of New Accessibility Features Set to Come Later this Year in iOS 11

 

Via AppleVis:

 

At its annual  <http://www.apple.com/developer/wwdc> Worldwide Developer's Conference this week, Apple previewed some of the new 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 told us will be coming for users of accessibility features:


iOS


*	Enhanced Dynamic Type: Text now grows to larger sizes especially designed for users with low vision, and app UIs adapt to accommodate those sizes.
*	Redesigned Invert Colors: While using Invert Colors, media content and images won't invert with the rest of the screen making them easier to view
*	VoiceOver descriptions for images: With images, three finger tap to have VoiceOver describe what's there. VoiceOver can detect text that's embedded in an image, even if it hasn't been annotated. Or it can also tell you whether a photo contains a tree, a dog, or four faces with smiles.
*	Expanded Braille Editing: Using a Braille display with Apple devices--now including Apple TV--is easier than ever. Your display shows you the text you're editing in context, and your edits are seamlessly converted between Braille and printed text. You can also customize the actions that your Braille display performs on your Apple device by programming new keyboard commands.
*	Spoken/Brailled Captions for videos: Delivers closed caption content orally or in Braille to provide additional context for VoiceOver users
*	Improved PDF support including access to forms: Tagged PDFs now receive support for reading detailed information such as tables and lists
*	Type to Siri for Accessibility: Supports basic search queries for those who prefer to type to interact with their device
*	Highlight Colors in Speak Selection and Speak Screen: You can now customize the colors that your iOS device uses when highlighting text with Speak Selection and Speak Screen.
*	Switch Control typing: It's easier than ever to type with Switch Control. Get access to more predictions, so that you can scan and type whole words at a time.
*	Additional closed captioning style: Video captions now include the option of a new larger, outlined style for subtitles and captions.
*	Additional audit capabilities in Xcode’s Accessibility Inspector: Apple’s powerful Accessibility auditing tool, the Accessibility Inspector built into Xcode, now has capabilities to help developers find Large Text bugs in iOS applications.

Additionally, users will now be able to add and organise some of what's displayed in Control Center. Among the items which you will be able to add are:

*	Accessibility Shortcut
*	Guided Access
*	Magnifier
*	Text Size

The Siri voice has been enhanced to sound more "natural". At this time we do not know if any VoiceOver TTS voices have also been improved; or if there are new voice options.


watchOS


*	Ability to adjust the click speed of the side button, so if you have motor impairments you have more time to bring up Apple Pay and other double and triple click functions.
*	Improvements in Large Text support on the Apple Watch-related iOS apps.


tvOS


*	Support for Braille Displays: Connected Braille displays deliver text of what’s on screen (button labels, movie titles, etc.) that you are currently hovering over. As you move focus, VoiceOver speaks and Braille displays print the text. In addition, Braille display buttons map to VoiceOver commands and support basic navigation around the Apple TV UI.
*	Support for VoiceOver keyboard commands: Bluetooth connected keyboards will allow you to issue VoiceOver commands for more efficient browsing/navigation.
*	Switch Control Menu for Media Playback: Switch Control users now have access to a playback control panel to pause, play, fast forward, rewind, and skip while media is playing.
*	Additional closed captioning style: Video captions now include the option of a new larger, outlined style for subtitles and captions.


macOS


*	Improved zoom features: New zoom options make zooming in on your content a better experience. Quickly zoom in and out with a new zoom toggle by pressing Ctrl + Option keys. Detach the screen when zooming in and see contextual tool tips using the Ctrl + Command keys. Zoom improves the ability to speak text under your mouse, and flashes the screen when a notification appears that’s not currently visible.
*	Accessibility Keyboard: macOS can now be used entirely without a physical keyboard. The new Accessibility Keyboard is a customizable, onscreen keyboard that gives users with mobility impairments advanced typing and navigation capabilities.
*	Type to Siri for Accessibility: Those who prefer to communicate by typing have the option to interact with Siri by typing requests and questions.
*	Improved Grade2 Braille editing: Improved Grade2 Braille entry and editing creates a more seamless Braille experience for VoiceOver users. For example, you’ll be able to see the context of what you’re typing on the Braille display. Also as you edit in Grade2 Braille, text won’t get translated back into Grade1 Braille.
*	Enhanced multilingual VoiceOver support: VoiceOver automatically switches to the correct voice when reading in a different language. For example, VoiceOver has a Japanese voice when you visit ja.wikipedia.org from a Mac with English as the primary language.
*	Improved PDF support including access to forms: Tagged PDFs now receive support for reading detailed information such as tables and lists.
*	VoiceOver descriptions for images: With a simple key command, VoiceOver can describe text appearing in the image, even if it hasn't been annotated. And it can tell you whether a photo contains a tree, a dog, or four faces with smiles.
*	Improved web and Mail message navigation: Improved conformance with HTML 5 accessibility standards leads to more consistent navigation of webpages in Safari. There’s also better VoiceOver support for navigating tables in richly formatted email messages.
*	Additional closed captioning style: Video captions now include the option of a new larger, outlined style for subtitles and captions. The new video captions appear in iTunes, iMovie, Safari, and QuickTime.


Looking Ahead


It is expected that all of these forthcoming software releases will enter public beta before the end of June , and be released to the public in the fall.

For those of you who will be participating in either the developer or public beta programs, we cannot stress enough how important it is that you report to Apple any bugs that you encounter. Doing so will help to ensure that the final releases for each of these platforms will be as stable, polished and accessible as possible.

We know that Apple's Accessibility Team will be particularly keen for you to explore the new features mentioned above, so do please give these a thorough testing and report any problems that you encounter.

We should also stress that we are only at the beginning of the beta cycle, so it's entirely possible that some of the new features mentioned above may change or evolve between now and the final release of the software. We can also be certain that the Accessibility Team will be working on additional enhancements, improvements and fixes.

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