Latest news with #Magnifier
Fast Company
14-05-2025
- Fast Company
Apple's new Magnifier for Mac is an accessibility feature everyone can use
Apple just announced new accessibility features coming to its operating systems. There's a redesigned braille input experience, and a new reader that allows you to customize your text so it's more legible. But there's one that will be great for anyone attending any lecture or presentation: Magnifier for Mac. The iPhone and iPad got their Magnifier apps back in 2016. It worked pretty much like the iOS camera: You point your device anywhere you want and zoom in to the desired level. It also allows you to apply real-time filters to enhance readability depending on your vision's condition, like turning a book's black text over white page into white text over blue, as well as changing the image's contrast and brightness. It also can detect objects around you. The new Mac version takes all that up to an 11 with its new features. To get the view of the world the new Magnifier needs, you will need to use a USB camera or an iPhone. The latter automatically connects to your computer using MacOS's Continuity Camera feature, allowing you to use your phone as the eyes for your Apple desktop or laptop. Zoom in to focus on something far away, apply the same filters, and adjust the image, just like in iOS and iPadOS. A matter of perspective What makes the update brilliant is the new perspective adjustment. Since you can't move your Mac around like with Apple's handheld devices, you need a way to frame the text you want to read correctly. Like Apple's introductory video shows, you can point your Mac with the attached camera to a whiteboard. Since you are probably not going to be looking at it from a fully perpendicular perspective, the app allows you to draw a polygon by clicking on each corner of the whiteboard in your screen. Then, applying some image deformation magical maths, Magnifier will automatically correct the perspective, turning the skewed whiteboard with deformed text into a perfect flat image that gives you the best view in the class, auditorium, or conference room. From there, you can do whatever you want with that text, including transforming handwriting into a typeface for easier reading. Magnifier uses Apple's new Accessibility Reader, too, which allows you to customize how a page looks with the colors, fonts, and sizes you prefer—as well as copying and pasting from the whatever text the camera is looking at, regardless of it being handwritten or not. It's similar to what you can do now with other Apple apps, like Preview, but in one continuous, seamless experience. Bonus points: Magnifier also supports reading any paper-based media using Desk View, the feature that uses your iPhone's wide-angle lens to capture what's flat on the table in front of your screen. Just put that novel on the table and transform its small type into something you can read easily (or have your Mac's text-to-speech abilities to read it for you). It's easy to imagine every single student, office person, and TED Talk drone using the new Magnifier to get a better experience possible at a presentation—sleeping pills notwithstanding—once it comes out 'later this year' (according to Apple). This new little jewel will make your Macbook the best seat in the house no matter where you are sitting.
News18
14-05-2025
- News18
Apple Brings New Accessibility Labels And Features On App Store
Last Updated: Apple continues to bring new features with accessibility in mind for its users and the new ones are coming to the App Store. Apple on Tuesday announced a host of accessibility features which include accessibility labels on the App Store, braille access, and reader to help users who are blind, deaf or have mobility issues. The accessibility features, announced ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 15, are expected to be rolled out later this year, the company said. The new Magnifier app for Mac, the new Braille Access feature is designed for people who are blind or have low vision to explore, learn, and interact; take notes and perform calculations, and also leverage the powerful camera system of Apple Vision Pro with new updates to visionOS. The company also announced the launch of Accessibility Reader, a new systemwide reading mode designed with accessibility in mind, along with updates to Live Listen, background sounds, personal voice, and vehicle motion cues. The features, which leverage the power of Apple silicon along with advances in on-device machine learning and artificial intelligence, will enable users with a new level of accessibility across the Apple ecosystem. 'At Apple, accessibility is part of our DNA," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, in a statement. 'Making technology for everyone is a priority for all of us, and we're proud of the innovations we're sharing this year. That includes tools to help people access crucial information, explore the world around them, and do what they love," he added. Further, for users with severe mobility disabilities, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS will add a new protocol to support Switch Control for Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) — an emerging technology that allows users to control their device without physical movement. Other features include Sound and Name Recognition, a new way for users who are deaf or hard of hearing to know when their name is being called; voice control introduces a new programming mode in Xcode for software developers with limited mobility. With Share Accessibility settings, users can quickly and temporarily share their accessibility settings with another iPhone or iPad, enabling users to borrow a friend's device or use a public kiosk in a setting like a cafe. First Published: May 14, 2025, 09:10 IST
Techday NZ
14-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Apple unveils major accessibility updates across its platforms
Apple has announced a range of new accessibility features set to be released later in the year across its platforms. The new features include Accessibility Nutrition Labels for the App Store, a Magnifier app for Mac, Braille Access on multiple Apple devices and an Accessibility Reader to enhance usability for those with disabilities including dyslexia and low vision. Widespread updates are also planned for Live Listen, Background Sounds, Personal Voice, Vehicle Motion Cues and more across the Apple ecosystem. Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer at Apple, said, "At Apple, accessibility is part of our DNA. Making technology for everyone is a priority for all of us, and we're proud of the innovations we're sharing this year." "That includes tools to help people access crucial information, explore the world around them and do what they love." Sarah Herrlinger, Senior Director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives at Apple, added, "Building on 40 years of accessibility innovation at Apple, we are dedicated to pushing forward with new accessibility features for all of our products. Powered by the Apple ecosystem, these features work seamlessly together to bring users new ways to engage with the things they care about most." Accessibility Nutrition Labels will appear on App Store product pages worldwide, giving users details on accessibility features within apps and games before download. These sections will cover VoiceOver, Voice Control, Larger Text, Sufficient Contrast, Reduced Motion, captions and other features. Developers will receive guidelines about displaying relevant accessibility information on their app listings. Eric Bridges, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Foundation for the Blind, commented, "Accessibility Nutrition Labels are a huge step forward for accessibility. Consumers deserve to know if a product or service will be accessible to them from the very start, and Apple has a long-standing history of delivering tools and technologies that allow developers to build experiences for everyone." "These labels will give people with disabilities a new way to easily make more informed decisions and make purchases with a new level of confidence." The Magnifier app, previously available on iPhone and iPad, is coming to Mac. It connects to the user's camera so they can zoom in on surroundings, such as a screen or whiteboard, and allows multitasking with several live session windows. The Magnifier supports Continuity Camera and works with both USB and iPhone cameras. Users can adjust visual settings, capture and save multiple views, and integrate with Accessibility Reader, which converts physical text into a customisable, legible format. Braille Access will turn iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro into full-featured braille note-taking devices. The tool integrates with the Apple ecosystem and supports app launching using Braille Screen Input or compatible devices. Users can take notes, perform calculations with Nemeth Braille, and open Braille Ready Format files. Live Captions functionality will allow real-time transcription for braille displays. Accessibility Reader will offer a systemwide reading mode, making text adjustable on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro. It gives users control over font, colour, spacing and offers support for spoken content. Accessibility Reader can be launched from any app and is built into Magnifier for enhanced reading of physical and digital text. Live Listen updates will include Apple Watch support, allowing users who are deaf or hard of hearing to view Live Captions on their watch while an audio session is underway. The Watch will also serve as a remote control for Live Listen sessions with support for AirPods and other Made for iPhone hearing aids, as well as integration with existing hearing health features such as the Hearing Aid function on AirPods Pro 2. Other updates include improved personalisation of Background Sounds with new EQ settings and automation, a faster implementation of Personal Voice enabling users to create their synthetic voice using just 10 recorded phrases in under a minute, and expanded language support for this feature including Spanish (Mexico). Vehicle Motion Cues will now be available on Mac and provide enhanced customisation to reduce motion sickness. Eye Tracking and Switch Control on iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro will receive upgrades to support additional input methods and faster keyboard use. Head Tracking will allow users to control devices with head movement. Switch Control will add support for Brain Computer Interfaces, allowing device control without physical actions. Assistive Access will introduce a streamlined Apple TV app and allow developers to create more tailored experiences for users with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Music Haptics will be more customisable and support for Sound Recognition will be extended with Name Recognition for users who are deaf or hard of hearing. Voice Control enhancements will include a new programming mode in Xcode for developers with limited mobility, vocabulary syncing across devices and expanded language support. Live Captions will now include more regional language variants such as English (India, Australia, UK, Singapore), Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Spanish, French, Japanese, German and Korean. CarPlay updates will bring Large Text support and enhanced sound notifications for drivers or passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing. Other new features allow users to temporarily share accessibility settings across devices, a new shortcut to help retain information and expanded video resources to guide personalisation of Apple products with accessibility features. Apple Music, Apple Fitness+, Apple TV+, Apple Books and Apple Podcasts will feature stories, playlists and content to coincide with Global Accessibility Awareness Day. The App Store will highlight accessible apps and feature the story of Klemens Strasser, a developer committed to building accessible experiences.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Apple announces Accessibility Nutrition Labels on App Store, Braille Access, and more new accessibility features coming to iPhone, Mac, and other devices later this year
Apple announced a suite of new accessibility features Tuesday that will roll out across its device ecosystem later this year, including first-ever Accessibility Nutrition Labels for the App Store and a Magnifier app for Mac to help users with visual impairments. The tech giant's announcement, made on the eve of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, includes innovative updates to Live Listen, Personal Voice, and visionOS, alongside entirely new features like Braille Access and Accessibility Reader that leverage Apple silicon and on-device machine learning. "At Apple, accessibility is part of our DNA," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. "Making technology for everyone is a priority for all of us, and we're proud of the innovations we're sharing this year." App Store gets Accessibility Nutrition Labels Among the most significant updates is the introduction of Accessibility Nutrition Labels on App Store product pages, providing detailed information about an app's accessibility features before download. These labels will highlight support for features like VoiceOver, Voice Control, Larger Text, and captions, giving users with disabilities more confidence in their app purchases. Eric Bridges, president and CEO of the American Foundation for the Blind, called the labels "a huge step forward for accessibility," noting that "consumers deserve to know if a product or service will be accessible to them from the very start." New tools for visual and hearing accessibility Apple is bringing its Magnifier app to Mac, connecting to cameras so users with low vision can zoom in on surroundings like screens or whiteboards. The app supports multiple live session windows for multitasking and customizable views for adjusting brightness, contrast, and color filters. For deaf and hard-of-hearing users, Live Listen controls and real-time Live Captions are coming to Apple Watch, allowing the watch to serve as a remote control for listening sessions. Personal Voice is becoming faster and more natural-sounding, requiring only 10 recorded phrases and less than a minute to create a voice, and will add support for Mexican Spanish. Braille Access and system-wide Reading Mode The new Braille Access feature will transform Apple devices into full-featured braille note takers, allowing users to open any app by typing with Braille Screen Input or a connected braille device. Users can take notes in braille format, perform calculations using Nemeth Braille, and open Braille Ready Format files directly. Accessibility Reader introduces a system-wide reading mode that makes text easier to read for users with dyslexia or low vision. Available across Apple's ecosystem, it offers extensive customization options for font, color, and spacing, with support for Spoken Content. Apple is also enhancing visionOS accessibility with updates to Zoom that let users magnify everything in view using Apple Vision Pro's main camera, and Live Recognition will use on-device machine learning to describe surroundings and read documents. The company is celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day with dedicated retail displays, special Today at Apple sessions, and curated content across Apple Music, Apple TV+, Books, Podcasts, and the App Store. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
The Verge
13-05-2025
- The Verge
Apple's new Accessibility Reader can customize text across apps — and in real life
Apple has revealed a new reading mode 'designed to make text easier to read for users with a wide range of disabilities, such as dyslexia or low vision,' the company announced on Tuesday. The feature, called Accessibility Reader, is coming later this year and will allow users to customize a text's font, color, and spacing in any app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Vision Pro, as well as have it read aloud. Users can even use Accessibility Reader to change the appearance of text on physical objects, such as menus or books. That's because Apple is building the feature into its Magnifier app, which already lets users use the camera on their device to zoom in on and detect the objects around them. With the integration, users should be able to use the Magnifer app to modify text in the real world, too. In addition to iOS and iPadOS, Apple has announced that it's bringing Magnifier to macOS as well. This will let users use their Mac's camera — or connected devices like an iPhone or webcam — to zoom in on surroundings and modify text. The update is coming as part of a wider rollout of accessibility tools, which includes 'Accessibility Nutrition Labels' that highlight accessibility features in apps and games on the App Store, along with a new way for users to take notes in Braille.
