Happy Birthday Voiceover

Five years ago, Apple did what seemed impossible; making the shine drinking glass of the iPhone carry upon enshroud accessible to the blind. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 seemingly impossible chore made possible yesteryear i of Apple's greatest software innovations; at to the lowest degree inwards my heed together with the minds of millions of others alongside disabilities. Apple's solution was VoiceOver, a enshroud reader similar no other before. VoiceOver uses carry upon gestures instead of keyboard shortcuts together with other to a greater extent than desktop friendly inputs that had been used before. Simply put, VoiceOver allowed millions of blind together with visually impaired users to sense the magic that was iPhone. In closed to ways, VoiceOver is to accessibility every bit the Model T was to transportation: both brought novel opportunities to the masses.

VoiceOver has come upward preinstalled on every iPhone, iPad, together with iPod carry upon for the yesteryear v years. Blind together with visually impaired users tin buy a device off the shelf together with bring access almost immediately. Apple frequently says “built-in, non bolted on” when talking virtually accessibility which is definitely accurate inwards honor to VoiceOver. Thanks to VoiceOver blind and visually impaired users were every bit much a business office of the smartphone revolution every bit whatever other user group. Over the yesteryear v years Apple has refined together with updated VoiceOver together with has added novel accessibility features to assist users alongside a broad diversity of disabilities. Apple devices pushed the entire smartphone together with tablet marketplace to larn to a greater extent than accessibile to to a greater extent than people.

The inclusion of VoiceOver together with other built-in accessibility features has allowed the App Store to smash alongside assistive apps to assist the needs of people alongside disabilities. Not alone did VoiceOver present that accessibility was possible on a carry upon enshroud phone, it gave developers a foundation to construct neat accessible apps. Basically, VoiceOver created a client base of operations for apps that helped the blind, which drove demand together with increased the provide of neat accessible apps. Another app gold-rush of sorts, precisely this fourth dimension alongside apps tailored to people alongside disabilities. These apps are opening upward novel possibilities for disabled iOS users.

On this 5th birthday of VoiceOver, Apple continues ameliorate its accessibility offerings. Apple Keynote events routinely focus on a soul alongside a disability beingness aided yesteryear an Apple product; it is clear that Apple cares virtually accessibility. New accessibility features come upward alongside every unloosen of iOS, allowing users alongside dissimilar needs to larn the most out of their device. However, no software is põrnikas complimentary together with users are encouraged to electronic mail accessibility@apple.com alongside suggestions or comments. And a many developers yet produce non back upward accessibility features inwards their apps. It tin decease a long agency for users to tweet or electronic mail a developer bespeak for enhanced accessibility features. With Apple releasing “new production categories” inside the yr every bit CEO Tim Cook is frequently heard saying, hopefully accessibility remains at the forefront. VoiceOver has opened doors for millions of blind together with depression vision users, what other five-year-old tin tell that?

Happy birthday VoiceOver!