Apple iPhone iOS 18 Major new accessibility features

Apple yesterday previewed a number of new accessibility features coming later this year with software updates like iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS 15, and vision OS 2.

Major new accessibility features for iPhone and iPad will include: 

Eye tracking

Apple says eye tracking on iPhone and iPad will allow users to navigate through system interfaces and apps using only their eyes and additional features like physical buttons, swipes, and other gestures using only your eyes.

Music Haptics

When this feature is turned on, the iPhone’s haptic engine will play “clicks,” “textures,” and “fine vibrations” that correspond to music audio.

Vocal Shortcuts

Vocal Shortcuts will allow iPhone and iPad users to assign “custom utterances” that Siri can understand to “launch shortcuts and complete complex tasks.”

Vehicle Motion Cues

This feature reduces motion sickness when viewing an iPhone or iPad screen in a moving vehicle.

CarPlay

CarPlay will get voice control, color filters, and voice recognition.

Voice recognition on CarPlay will allow deaf or hard-of-hearing drivers or passengers to turn on alerts to notify car horns and sirens.

Magnifier

iOS18 will allow iPhone users to easily launch the detection mode of the Magnifier app through the action button. The detection mode can recognize and read aloud all text in the field of view of the iPhone camera.

Live subtitles on Vision Pro

VisionOS 2 will support real-time subtitles, allowing deaf or hard of hearing users to follow the voice conversation in real-time conversations and audio in applications.

 The official version of iOS18 will be released in September.