For years, I recognize that I have neglected the settings menu> Accessibility on my iPhone. I saw it as a territory reserved for people with this type of needs On a day-to-date basis, with options such as Off voice, subtitles or voice control. In fact, I worked in an Apple distributor and I was responsible for resolving this type of doubt. Especially since we had a nearby eleven head office, and many people came with visual handicaps. But there was something that made me achieve, not only of the importance of accessibility, but There are features for all between this extended menu. It was by attending an ally at the Apple session at the Apple Store in the Vaguada. And since then, in my own family, I started to recommend some adjustments.
Apple seems to have understood this long before me: accessibility is not only to create functions for a specific group, but Conceive of a reflection on us all in different situations. Unlike many competitors who approach accessibility as a normative requirement, Apple integrates it as a design philosophy that improves experience for all. And it turns out that many of these functions, originally designed to resolve specific limitations, end up benefiting millions of users who did not even know that they needed them.
We do not appreciate enough accessibility until we need it
Who has not been in a restaurant with low lighting trying to decipher a menu with tiny lyrics? Well, and without needing lighting to be low. Anyone wearing nearby glasses You will know what you feel when you forget them at home and you have to read the whole letter. The magnifice application This is one of those accessibility options for your iPhone that can help you for this and much more. And the same goes for dark mode, text parameters or “reduce movement” function. They are there, on your iPhone, while waiting for you to need them, and you will probably end up using them well before imagining.
Another example that affects me personally: dizziness by looking at the mobile during the trips. Millions of people experience this unpleasant feeling when we try to use the iPhone in a car or bus. The sensation occurs due to the gap between what we see (a static screen) and what we feel (the movement of the vehicle). With iOS 18, Apple discreetly added a Option called movement indicators in vehicles. The system displays points on the sides of the screen which move to counter the movement of the vehicle. If the car turns to the left, the points move to the right after the natural movement of our body. A function as simple as it is hidden in the menu of Accessibility> MovimientOo added the option in the control center.
Accessibility as an integral part, not as added
Apple has integrated accessibility as fundamental part of its development process since 1985. Long before the existence of the iPhone and certain laws gave the floor to people who most need this type of adjustment. Sarah Herrlinger, principal director of Apple’s global accessibility policies and initiatives, explains it perfectly after an interview in a podcast: “It is not a question of compliance, It's not about marking a box Or to make the minimum work volume to comply with a regulation. “”
This philosophy is articulated in Five pillars: Vision, hearing, physical capacities / motors, cognition and speech. A structured approach which shows that, for apple, accessibility is not a secondary function, but an essential part of the product.
Some examples of use of the magnification application
“Do not build for a community, but with it”
One of Apple's successes is his working methodology: They directly hire people with disabilities be an active part of the development of their products. No external consultants or occasional discussion groups. Before, deaf or with engine limitations, work side by side with engineers and designers. We have even seen how they are part of their speech.
“Sometimes These are our own employees Those who say: I would really like the iPhone to do it, “explains Sarah. The function of detecting people, for example, was born from a blind employee who expressed the need to know who was near the pandemic. The result? A tool that now helps thousands of people.
When your iPhone becomes your eyes or your ears
For many people, The iPhone is literally his eyes or his ears. The voiceover allows visual disabled people to “see” by hearing descriptions. Daniela Rubio, a consultant without visibility certified by Apple, demonstrates this when her iPhone describes with precision a photo of her children, spatially placing each element. “If I have a better camera, I can see better. It's like having a few small eyes,” said Rubio using the Lipa Lipa Lidar System From the iPhone 14 Pro, which allows you to detect doors, steps or even the distinction of colors.
For people with hearing problems, functions such as solid recognition are used to get into everything that is happening. The iPhone and watch can listen to sounds around you, From a bell to a crying baby and present a visual alert.
Of specific functionality to the universal advantage
The interesting thing about Apple's approach is the number of these innovations, initially designed for specific use cases, end up benefiting all users. For example, AirPods Pro 2 now includes hearing healthier functions capable of detecting early hearing loss. As Deidre Caldbeck points out: “Millions of people buy aerpods … and, statistically, Many have hearing loss without knowing“This feature already helps people who were not even aware of having a weak hearing.
Physical spaces where accessibility can be affected
Apple's commitment to accessibility is not limited to software or hardware, but extends to its physical spaces. Its stores are designed with an approach that prioritizes the inclusive experience for all visitors. In addition, proactively. That is to say that they are considered to be from scratch to be accessible to everyone. This is seen in the Large rooms of the usual, Tables at different heights To accommodate people in wheelchairs and a spatial distribution that facilitates navigation for people with visual limitations. The lighting, the acoustics and the arrangement of the elements are also provided to create an accessible environment. Apple's philosophy during the design of its spaces is no different from what applies in its products: Accessibility should not be an addition Posterior, but an integral part of the design from the start.
Apple store in the Vaguada, in Madrid
If you have an iPhone, I encourage you to explore the accessibility menu. You will discover functions that you have probably never used but, at some point, they will be useful. Also think of you: Applications such as magnification or hearing test to find out if there are indications of deafness is something that serves us all. And it is preferable that Apple continues to improve them with each update, because for them, accessibility is not a secondary characteristic, but an essential part of what means creating technology for all.
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