Apple to launch new accessibility features supporting users with disabilities

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Guide dogs are dedicated to enhancing our service delivery and empowering our service users to embrace the opportunities that technology offers, enabling them to live life on their own terms Tommy Dean, Guide Dogs It comes as the company welcomed several guide dogs from the charity Guide Dogs to its store in Birmingham as part of Global Accessibility Awareness Day on Thursday. Tommy Dean, technology development lead at Guide Dogs, said: “In today’s digitally driven world, Apple devices offer users with vision impairments the freedom to live life on their own terms. “Guide dogs are dedicated to enhancing our service delivery and empowering our service users to embrace the opportunities that technology offers, enabling them to live life on their own terms.” As part of the launch, Apple and Guide Dogs delivered bespoke training to 13 vision rehabilitation specialists in iOS accessibility settings and features for individuals with vision loss on Thursday, after Guide Dogs delivered similar training to 85 staff members in March. “It’s great to be able to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day with the training with Apple that will allow our specialists to continue supporting people with a vision impairment to use technology with confidence to live the life they choose.” The Assistive Access feature helps to distil apps including Camera, Photos, Music, Calls and Messages to their essential features, so as to lighten the cognitive load and help users with cognitive disabilities.