Just in time for Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Apple has released a bundle of new software features across its operating systems designed for people with mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive disabilities.

“At Apple, we’ve long felt that the world’s best technology should respond to everyone’s needs, and our teams work relentlessly to build accessibility into everything we make,” Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s senior director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives, said in a statement.

“With these new features, we’re pushing the boundaries of innovation with next-generation technologies that bring the fun and function of Apple technology to even more people – and we can’t wait to share them with our users.”

The first of the new features, SignTime, launches today and allows users to communicate with AppleCare and Retail Customer Care using sign language. Initially, the feature supports American Sign Language for people in the U.S., British Sign Language for those in the U.K. and French Sign Language for users in France, but Apple said it has plans to roll out into additional locations in the future.

The rest of the new features will launch later this year, according to the announcement.

For users with limited upper body limb mobility, Apple is releasing AssistiveTouch for the Apple Watch. The software enables people to use the Apple Watch without needing to touch the display screen or controls.

AssistiveTouch utilizes built-in gyroscope and accelerometer sensors to detect subtle muscle movements, allowing users to navigate an on-screen cursor through their gestures. Actions like pinching or clenching can be used to answer phone calls, access notifications and more.

iPad users will soon be able to control their devices using only their eyes. Apple will support third-party eye-tracking devices through its Made for iPhone program, which will allow users to move on-screen cursors with their gaze and perform actions with extended eye contact.

Apple is also adding new capabilities to VoiceOver for blind and low vision users. The software will allow people to explore images by row and column, as if it were a table, all while giving detailed descriptions of the photo.

For users who are deaf or hard of hearing, Apple is building out its MFi program to support bi-directional hearing aids that allow for hands-free phone and FaceTime conversations. The company is also adding a feature where users can upload their most recent audiogram results to automatically configure their device’s sound settings to their hearing needs.

Other features coming soon to Apple iOS include: ambient background noises to help minimize distractions and keep users focused, sound control features for users who are nonspeaking and have limited mobility, customizable displays for users with colorblindness, Siri shortcuts to Apple’s Accessibility Gallery, Apple Map recommendations for businesses and organizations that support the deaf community and signed languages, and more.

WHY THIS MATTERS

There are 61 million adults in the U.S. who live with a disability, meaning 26% of the population has some sort of disability, according to the CDC.

Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) has been held for the past ten years to bring attention to digital access and inclusion for people living with disabilities.

Despite the prevalence of disabilities and the ongoing work of GAAD, significant digital accessibility gaps exist today.

More than 97% of websites analyzed in WebAIM’s 2021 million web page report had detectable accessibility errors. These errors included things such as low contrast text, missing alternative text for images, missing form input labels, empty links and buttons, and missing document language.

THE LARGER TREND

Apple is in the midst of a hearing study in collaboration with the University of Michigan and the World Health Organization. Earlier this year, for World Hearing Day, the company released preliminary results indicating that 25% of study participants have a daily noise exposure over WHO's recommended daily limit, and one in 10 has a weekly headphone exposure over recommended limits.

The tech giant has had a busy year so far, with new releases including its 'Time to Walk’ feature, a COVID-19 vaccine finder tool and new Fitness+ programs for pregnant people and older adults.

Apple has also found itself in hot water as personal electrocardiogram maker AliveCor seeks to ban U.S. sales of Apple Watches after claims that the company infringed on its patented technology.

Other digital health companies designing solutions for people with disabilities include Springtide, which raised $18.1 million for its multimodal clinic for children with developmental delays, Voiceitt, which raised $10 million for its voice recognition app for people with speech impairments, and BioQ, which received Breakthrough Device Designation from the FDA for its wearable device that provides electromagnetic field therapy to recovering stroke patients.