Apple introduced a new accessibility feature with iOS 17 — Assistive Access. This feature comes from a company with a long history of including accessibility in their design, from built-in screen readers to large text on devices. This most recent release is a step up from other accessibility features but isn’t as well known. However, given what we know about it, it should be better known.
Let’s explore Assistive Access and determine what it does, who it benefits, and what it means for Apple in the future.
What it does
Assistive Access is a feature that simplifies the iOS experience. iOS powers iPhones, so Assistive Access is only available on these devices. Assistive Access increases the size of things on the screen, like apps and focusing features, making the phone easier to navigate. Focusing features refer to features on the phone that do things. For example, to take a photo, there is a button that says “take a photo” instead of the traditional circular button without wording.
There is also the option to set up visual alternatives to text if the text is not helpful for the iPhone user. For example, keyboards can be cued to emphasize emojis and images, making the icon larger than any text. This can be laid out in a grid or list system, whichever is most useful to the phone user. Text will still be available to the user but minimized in favor of images and emojis. Visual cues are more easily communicated through imagery for people with disabilities who have difficulty reading.
Setting up Assistive Access can be done with a trusted caregiver. Once an iPhone is set up traditionally and updated to iOS 17, a trusted caregiver can begin selecting appropriate apps for the iPhone user. They can also set a password to use when exiting Assistive Access mode so that the iPhone can be used both ways. Once Assistive Access is installed, an individual with a disability can use the phone independently.
Who it benefits
Assistive Access is optimized for people with cognitive disabilities for whom using an iPhone independently is difficult or impossible. Assistive Access allows people with cognitive disabilities to use an iPhone independently through curated choices in apps and a streamlined, simplified experience. This way, more independence is granted to people with disabilities like autism or dementia.
It also benefits their caregivers. Offering further independence allows caregivers to have more flexibility in their time commitments. It also helps ease worries and fears for caregivers by giving a lifeline between the person with a disability and the caregiver as a phone they can use. This can be very helpful when going out or when separated for any period.
Without Assistive Access, people with cognitive disabilities relied entirely on caregivers for communication. Still, this accessibility feature allows for more independent communication and offers more self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. It’s helpful and does not treat people with disabilities as either a burden or as people unable to use a phone independently.
Future for Apple
Assistive Access demonstrates that accessibility is still a priority for Apple. Apple’s devices already have an extensive accessibility menu, and nearly every update to their software comes with an update to their features — if not a brand new feature like Assistive Access. Often, new devices come with features, like AirPods and Conversation Boost, which benefit those with hearing disabilities.
When there have been stumbles on Apple’s part — like when they removed the ability to access call history through Siri, for example — they are quick to fix it. This shows that they value their record on accessibility and accessibility as a whole. It’s probably safe to say that accessibility features are something we can continue to see come from Apple as they innovate and create new products and software in the future.
Conclusion
Assistive Access is an accessibility feature designed for people with cognitive disabilities to use an iPhone independently. It streamlines and simplifies the iPhone’s interface to make it more usable and approachable to people with these disabilities, and it is yet another example of Apple’s good accessibility record with accessibility features for their products. Time will tell how well it works, but given Apple’s history, it’s likely a feature made to last.
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