Last night, Apple's official website announced the new features coming to iPhone, iPad, and Vision Pro.
Unlike previous system version changes, this time it's more like an introduction to a collection of features.
The header sounds pretty cool, with eye tracking, musical haptics, and vocal shortcuts.
Counting some other minor updates, it adds up to almost a dozen.
Negative reviews are roughly summarized, the first one, eye tracking.
As the name suggests, the front-facing camera of iPad and iPhone can complete learning and training locally and track the user's eye movements in real time.
We can swipe, select, and return to some operations just by browsing and looking.
Even when you are out of your hands, you can control your phone and tablet with your eyes.
It looks a bit like the Vision Pro's eye tracking cursor, but it doesn't seem to be as precise, and it can be used without the need for hands, pinching, etc.
The second, musical touch.
When you turn on the feature, your iPhone engages the TAPTIC ENGINE to the rhythm and rhythm of the music playing.
Depending on the instrument and track, subtle vibrations such as taps and textures can be realized.
In addition, it supports APP developers to access APIs, not only Apple Music, but also third-party music apps in the future.
Third, use Siri to implement the voice shortcut function.
You can add a custom voice to Siri to launch shortcuts to complete complex tasks.
If you enter a "hi", you can quickly take a screenshot, call your family, time it, etc.
Fill in the voice three times
and the fourth, vehicle movement cues.
When this feature is turned on, a dot appears on the iPhone screen as the vehicle moves.
In this way, visual effects can be simulated and motion sickness can be mitigated due to sensory illusions.
Fifth, CarPlay upgrade.
In the near future, CarPlay will add new voice control, color filtering, and voice recognition.
Users will be able to directly control the app with their voice, and a prompt will appear on the screen if there is a siren around them.
At this point, let's pause for a moment.
Because after seeing a few updates, some of the poor friends may find it a little strange.
After all, some of the above functions can be quickly completed by clicking, listening and other operations, but now they seem to be troublesome and a little confusing.
But these features are all accessibility features for people with disabilities at Apple.
For example, the first eye tracking can allow people with motor neurons, Parkinson's, hypokalemia and other movement disorders to use Apple devices in their hands normally.
The touch of music allows hearing-impaired friends to feel music in another way;
The Siri shortcut function is convenient for those friends who have language barriers and can only make vague sounds, so that they can also use Siri to complete instructions normally;
CarPlay's siren alerts allow hearing-impaired users to "see" someone honking their horn around them;
At the same time, the CarPlay interface has finally added auxiliary visual features such as bold text and large fonts.
Even Vision Pro will introduce new accessibility features.
For example, when a user with a hearing impairment is talking to someone or FaceTime, the other person's words will be converted into subtitles and directly appear in the field of vision.
The addition of functions such as narration and zoom also helps visually impaired friends quickly identify their surroundings.
At the same time, VP also supports MFI's hearing aids and cochlear hearing processors, and adds a range of visual assistance features.
Moreover, the operation logic is updated at the same time, so it can be used normally even if you don't use your hands.
This update, large and small, adds up to almost a dozen, covering almost all Apple product lines.
The change is so big, for some friends with physical disabilities, it is no less than the flat makeover of iOS6 from skeuomorphic style to iOS7.
And these functions are not limited to a certain group, such as Siri Express Voice, which makes everyone more efficient;
The eye tracking function can no longer touch the screen with wet hands when you wash the dishes, so you can be in a hurry;
Not to mention the vehicle motion assist, a function that people with motion sickness can hardly live without;
The new support for Mandarin's "Personal Voice" function allows you to record your own timbre, and only through local mechanical learning training, you can make an analog voice by typing, and restore the normal conversation experience.
Therefore, in the opinion of the bad reviewer, this update is of extraordinary significance.
Every year on the third Thursday of May, Global Accessibility Awareness Day is the reason why Apple chose to release new features today.
It's worth mentioning that this month, Apple will also host free in-person events in multiple retail stores to help users discover more accessibility features, as well as on-site displays of accessibility-related apps and games.
As long as there's an Apple Store in your city, you can try to make an appointment.
Two days ago, the bad reviewer went to the Apple Store in Shanghai and Guangzhou to participate in two Today at Apple events.
In these two offline courses, "one-armed Olympic champion" Wang Jiachao showed how he can use accessibility functions to smoothly control the Apple Watch with only one hand to complete daily training.
The band "Jazzy Pie", which is composed of a diverse group of people, also showed how visually impaired people use the voice of the iPhone and other features to communicate music scores and listen to lyrics.
If you hadn't seen the demo live, the bad reviewer would have never imagined how to operate the Apple Watch with one hand.
For example, using your watch to open an app, record your heart rate, check the weather, etc., you normally need to tap with the other hand.
But in fact, the Apple Watch comes with a "motion pointer" accessibility function, which allows you to browse and select icons by turning your wrist with a gyroscope.
Functions such as clicking, returning, and quick call-out menus can also be achieved by pinching fingers, clenching fists, and other actions.
In this way, it is not difficult to use the watch normally, even if you don't use the other hand.
The daily training of the home supermarket starts with the phrase "Hey Siri".
As a Paralympic triathlete, he trains every day for running, cycling and swimming.
Just for each exercise, you can also find the corresponding software in the watch, which is convenient for him to record heart rate, pace, cadence and other data.
In the past, there would have been various inconveniences, but now the accessibility features are getting better and better.
With all kinds of solutions, it is no longer difficult for anyone to use technology products.
As for the visually impaired friends, we have learned before that they can already program, cook, and even play games.
Now, Jazzy Pie's lead singer Lan Lan uses her mobile phone to complete her usual music work.
With voice and narration, Lan Lan can know the lyrics, the melody.
Using your phone also allows you to communicate more effectively with the rest of the band.
The bassist of the band, Yizhe, suffers from autism, usually composes and arranges music, and likes to draw alone.
As soon as you pick up the pen, you can instantly immerse yourself in your own world.
What made the bad reviewer feel relieved was that after the end of the event, I swiped such a piece of news:
Microsoft, too, has announced the launch of a new accessible controller.
This is a special-shaped controller that can be operated with one hand.
It can be seen that Apple is far more than just doing accessibility.
When you open the news list, you can see that app developers and technology manufacturers are doing their part to contribute to accessibility.
Seeing this, the sentence that the bad reviewers are most familiar with will naturally appear in their minds.
"Technology is Muggle magic"
Whether it is an able-bodied person or a disabled person, in today's world where science and technology are becoming more and more developed, they can enjoy the experience of science and technology that they once dared not think of with their ubiquitous humanized design and thoughtful service.
Technology is like an eraser, erasing the boundaries of so-called barriers little by little.
But 10 years ago, these things were almost unimaginable, and in this pluralistic world, there are countless minority groups, and everyone's voice should be heard.
At Today at Apple, people with language impairments communicate with their friends in sign language
Focusing on the observation of the field of science and technology, we have launched a public welfare project called "Parallel Time and Space" since 2020, continuing to pay attention to the digital divide, information accessibility, and technology to help the elderly.
We want technology to be a big ship that can carry everyone and leave no one behind.
Whether they can't hear, see, touch, or be ignored by the times, they all have the equal right to live a normal life like all people, and feel convenience and progress.
We stood on the same land, but it was as if we were in a parallel time and space.
Fortunately, more and more people have seen these minorities, understood their needs, and seen their lives.
At the moment, the bad reviews are still trying to do this.
It's now in its fourth year, and if I can, I hope to work on it with my fellow travelers.
Until one day, technology completely fills the gap between people.
Finally, may the annual Accessibility Day be just a node.
For the remaining 364 days, we were able to continue to listen.
让这个世界充满理解与拥抱，Peace and Love。