Apple just announced a bunch of new accessibility features but carefully hidden inside—at least—some of them is a “sneak-peek” into its soon-to-unravel AI plans. One of the features, called Eye Tracking, uses artificial intelligence to let users control their iPhone and iPad using only their eyes.
It’s designed especially for people with physical disabilities but the AI bit is interesting to say the least. Setting up Eye Tracking is quick and easy – users just need to use the front-facing camera for a few seconds to calibrate it. Apple says all the data used for setup and control stays safe on the device and isn’t shared with company.
This feature works with apps on both iPadOS and iOS, and it doesn’t need any extra hardware or accessories, Apple adds. With Eye Tracking, users can move around in apps and activate different parts using Dwell Control. They can do things like pressing buttons, swiping, and using gestures, all just by moving their eyes.
Another feature called Listen for Atypical Speech uses on-device machine learning to help Siri understand a wider range of voices. While with Vocal Shortcuts, users can teach Siri to understand specific words or phrases to do things quickly such as opening an app or shortcut. These features are designed for people who might have trouble speaking clearly due to conditions like cerebral palsy or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
A few of the other accessibility features announced today include Music Haptics for allowing people who are deaf or hard of hearing feel the beat of music through vibrations on their iPhone and Vehicle Motion Cues which can make using your iPhone or iPad in a moving car less strenuous if you’re prone to motion sickness. Apple is also bringing systemwide Live Captions to visionOS, software that powers the Apple Vision Pro.
“These features combine the power of Apple hardware and software, harnessing Apple silicon, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to further Apple’s decades-long commitment to designing products for everyone,” Apple said in a press release adding that they will be available “later this year” most likely with the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 fall updates.
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