“The sheer relief of finally being able to do what so many people take for granted was a special moment I won’t forget.”
– Colin Hughes
For disabled people, getting through the day can be a daunting task.
One of the biggest challenges is that oftentimes, we’re dependent on others to assist us with certain tasks and lose our sense of independence.
Between physical environments that might not be accessible to those in wheelchairs or scooters, audio concerns for those who are deaf or hard of hearing, or negative attitudes people can have towards those of us with disabilities, we also have to think about our technology needs as well – will we have access to assistive, adaptive, or rehabilitative devices throughout our day?
Apple has learned our frustrations and is raising the bar with its accessibility features to assist us to take back our freedom and take charge of our day on our own terms.
What might have once seemed like a futuristic home gadget or ‘back to the future technology’ are now becoming more universal and are making lives easier for everyone – disabled or not.
Apple is setting the precedent for what universal design should look like.
While these things were initially created to help the disabled population, they’ve turned into features that help virtually everyone at some point in their lives.
- Closed Captions for the deaf or hard of hearing
- Automatic Doors for those with wheelchairs or crutches
- ScreenReaders for the blind or visually impaired
When Apple designed the LED flashing when the phone rang, or a message came in, I was able to breathe a small sigh of relief—no more missed calls or messages because I couldn’t hear the ringing!
It’s these small changes that make the biggest difference.
We’ve come so far over the last few years, and it doesn’t look like advances in accessibility will stop anytime soon.
The work never stops.
There are so many other accessibility features that help support vision, physical, motor, hearing, and learning needs. Really, the list gets longer and longer with every new update!
For example, Apple has stepped up its game with enhancements and updates, especially its iOS 16 software. Voice control is now easier to use than ever, the software is getting better and better at understanding human speech, and you can easily control almost your entire home by voice if that’s what you choose to utilize.
Companies like this that are leading with accessibility on their agendas are presenting our communities to be more productive and lead overall more fulfilled lives.
We deserve to go through our day easier, with less stress, and on our own terms. And thanks to companies like this, we can. Keep leading.