Apple’s new accessibility features, including Assistive Access, Live Speech, and more, will arrive later this year. Apple today previewed software features for cognitive, vision, hearing, and mobility accessibility, along with innovative tools for individuals who are nonspeaking or at risk of losing their ability to speak. These updates draw on advances in hardware and software, include on-device machine learning to ensure user privacy, and expand on Apple’s long-standing commitment to making products for everyone. Apple works in deep collaboration with community groups representing a broad spectrum of users with disabilities to develop accessibility features that make a real impact on people’s lives. Coming later this year, users with cognitive disabilities can use iPhone and iPad with greater ease and independence…

Apple Personal Voice and Live Speech accessibility features. | Image: Apple Today, Apple previewed a bundle of new features designed for cognitive, vision, hearing, and mobility accessibility. That includes a new Personal Voice feature for people who may lose their ability to speak, allowing them to create “a synthesized voice that sounds like them” to talk with friends or family members. According to Apple, users can create a Personal Voice by reading a set of text prompts aloud for a total of 15 minutes of audio on the iPhone or iPad. Since the feature integrates with Live Speech, users can then type what they want to say and have their Personal Voice read it to whomever they want to talk…

Apple today previewed a wide range of new accessibility features for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac that are set to arrive later this year. Apple says that the "new software features for cognitive, speech, and vision accessibility are coming later this year," which strongly suggests that they will be part of iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS 14. The new operating systems are expected to be previewed at WWDC in early June before launching in the fall. Assistive Access Assistive Access distills ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ apps and experiences to their core features. The mode includes a customized experience for Phone and FaceTime, which are combined into a single Calls app, as well as Messages, Camera, Photos, and Music. The feature…

Macworld There are some times when it can be useful to have multiple copies of the same app open simultaneously—not just a separate window but full versions of the app running alongside each other. Maybe you want to set up different desktops that have apps stationed there or have another reason to access duplicate versions of the same app. Whatever the motivation, it can quickly become apparent that there’s no obvious way to achieve this goal. But it is possible and not difficult at all. We show you a quick and easy way to run multiple instances of the same app at the same time. Can I just right-click on its icon? While this might seem the most obvious route,…

Macworld It’s looking more and more like Apple’s next big thing won’t be something that fits in your pocket or a bag. Rather it could be another wearable device–specifically a headset that provides augmented and virtual reality, this strongly rumored mixed-reality headset has been dubbed “Reality Pro”. Analyst Ming Chi-Kuo said in 2021 that Apple’s “goal is to replace the ‌iPhone‌ with AR in 10 years.” Here’s everything we know so far about Apple’s rumored mixed-reality headset which could be coming in 2023. Apple AR/VR headset: Latest rumors April 24 2023: Mark Gurman reports that the battery pack, which is required for operation, is about the size of the MagSafe Battery Pack (about the same as a deck of cards).…

Macworld Macs have a high price so it’s understandable that many Mac users will want to put off replacing them for as long as they can. But just how long should you expect a Mac to last? You may also be considering buying a secondhand Mac and wondering how old is too old? For example, is that 2017 iMac for $400/£400 a good deal, or would you be better off spending a bit more on a newer model? One factor to consider is the age at which most Macs start to experience issues, such as random shutdowns and degraded batteries that no longer hold their charge. Unfortunately, at one point repairing your Mac or MacBook will no longer be a…