iPhone maker Apple has unveiled a set of new software features combined with the hardware capabilities on some of its high-end devices to help users with certain physical disabilities. These features include Door Detection on the iPhone and the iPad; live captions on iPhone, iPad and Mac, and more. These features, Apple said, will be available later this year through software updates on Apple devices.
What is Door Detection and how does it work?
Apple said in a statement that this feature can help users, who are blind or have low vision, locate a door upon arriving at a new destination, understand how far they are from it, and describe door attributes — including if it is open or closed, and when it’s closed, whether it can be opened by pushing, turning a knob, or pulling a handle. Door Detection can also read signs and symbols around the door, like the room number at an office, or the presence of an accessible entrance symbol, the company claimed. This feature uses LiDAR, camera, and on-device machine learning, and will be available on iPhone and iPad models with the LiDAR Scanner.
Our teams merged technologies like our advanced camera system, LiDAR Scanner, and machine learning to create accessibility features like Door Detection. We hope these powerful new features will make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. pic.twitter.com/EEy590eK06
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) May 17, 2022
What are live captions?
With this feature, users in the deaf or hard of hearing community can follow any audio content on their iPhones, iPads and Macs through real-time captioning. This includes use cases such as a phone call, a FaceTime call, a video-conferencing or a social media app, in addition to streaming media content or even having a conversation with someone next to them. The company said that when Live Captions are used for calls on Mac, users have the option to type a response and have it spoken aloud in real time to others who are part of the conversation. “And because Live Captions are generated on device, user information stays private and secure,” it added.
What are some of the other features?
Some of the other features include Apple adding a way for people with motor disabilities to mirror some of the Apple Watch apps to the iPhone and hand gestures for people with amputations to do certain actions like taking a picture, answering a phone call, etc with a gesture like a ‘double pinch’.
Are there any concerns around the introduction of these features?
According to a TechCrunch report, some of these features and services that Apple will introduce are already being provided by third-party providers and apps. And bringing these services as in-built features on Apple devices could “clip the wings of independent service providers of similar services” — something that may potentially hamper competition and the resultant increase in quality. Furthermore, functionalities like Door Detection will be available only on a limited number of high-end Apple devices with a LiDAR scanner including iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd and 3rd generation), and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th and 5th generation). Similarly, the Apple Watch mirroring will be available only on Apple Watch Series 6 and later.
Source: indianexpress.com
