That’s right—new features, called Live Speech and Personal Voice, will give you the opportunity to teach your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to speak with your voice.
Live Speech and Personal Voice are just a part of new accessibility features that will be coming to Apple products via a standard software update later in the year, according to a May 16, 2023, press release.
In the pursuit of aiding those around the world who have lost or are losing their voice, Live Speech will be able to relay what a user would like to say in a phone call, FaceTime call, and even in a face-to-face setting. Users who use particular phrases frequently can also save them for quick use during these calls.
Within Live Speech is another feature called Personal Voice. Users will record themselves speaking a series of random prompts for 15 minutes, and the device will do the rest. As per the press release, “This speech accessibility feature uses on-device machine learning to keep users’ information private and secure, and integrates seamlessly with Live Speech so users can speak with their Personal Voice when connecting with loved ones.”
“At the end of the day, the most important thing is being able to communicate with friends and family,” said Philip Green, board member and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) advocate at the Team Gleason nonprofit, who has experienced significant changes to his voice since receiving his ALS diagnosis in 2018. “If you can tell them you love them, in a voice that sounds like you, it makes all the difference in the world — and being able to create your synthetic voice on your iPhone in just 15 minutes is extraordinary.”
CNN notes that while “these tools have potential to meet a genuine need, they also come at a moment when advancements in artificial intelligence have raised alarms about bad actors using convincing fake audio and video – known as “deepfakes” – to scam or misinform the public,” in their article on the new accessibility features.
Other accessibility features coming included in the software update includes a new program called Assistive Access. With Assistive Access, those with cognitive disabilities can customize their Apple product to make it easier to use applications. The Phone and FaceTime app will be combined into a single Calls app, with other apps like Messages, Photos and Music redesigned with “high contrast buttons and large text labels” for a “distinct interface.” The apps can also be organized into two different formats: the traditional side-by-side, or in a list. The Messages app will also have an ability to use a bigger emoji-only keyboard.
For those who are visually impaired, Apple is introducing Point and Speak in their Magnifier app. The press release states that while a user is using, for instance, a microwave, “Point and Speak combines input from the camera, the LiDAR Scanner, and on-device machine learning to announce the text on each button as users move their finger across the keypad.” Combined with the current VoiceOver feature, Magnifier is a powerful tool for users who are blind or have limited vision. Text Size will be easier to modify in standard Mac apps like Messages, Mail, Notes and more, too, for those with limited vision.
“At Apple, we’ve always believed that the best technology is technology built for everyone,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Today, we’re excited to share incredible new features that build on our long history of making technology accessible, so that everyone has the opportunity to create, communicate, and do what they love.”
If a user with hearing impairments has a made-for-iPhone hearing device, they will soon be able to pair it to their Mac, as well.
To learn more about all of the features set to come to Apple products around the world, click here.
