Apple Introduces Personal Voice and Live Speech Functionality in New iOS and iPadOS Updates to Assist Users with Disabilities

Apple wants to make new functions available as part of updates to the iOS and iPadOS operating systems, which are used on iPhones and iPads. It only takes 15 minutes of voice recognition training for phones and tablets to reliably replicate it.

The US computer giant says users will be able to read text prompts to record audio and let the technology learn their voice thanks to a feature called Personal Voice. This function, together with the Live Speech function, subsequently allows the use of a synthetic voice to read texts entered by the user.

The new functionality can be used during phone calls, conversations via FaceTime, but also during personal meetings. People save commonly used phrases in their phone with their own voice, which they can then use for conversation.

Apple believes that such an improvement will make life easier for people with various disabilities that gradually limit their voice abilities. For example, people suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) could use the function.

“Accessibility is part of everything we do. These groundbreaking features were designed with feedback from members of the disability community to support diverse user groups and help people connect in new ways,” said Sarah Herrlinger, head of device accessibility at Apple.

Other companies are also working on systems that imitate the human voice. For example, Amazon has already announced that it is working on an update to the virtual assistant Alexa, which will make it able to replicate the voice. This also applies to deceased family members.

In addition to voice features, Apple also introduced Assistive Access, which combines some of the most popular iOS apps such as Messages, FaceTime, Camera, Photos, Music, and Phone into one app called Assistive Access.

This interface offers high-contrast buttons, large text labels, an emoticon-only keyboard option, and the ability to record video messages for people who prefer visual or audio communication.

Apple has much more software news in store. The company should present completely new versions of its operating systems as early as next month at the WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) developer conference. It will take place in Cupertino, California, specifically directly at the Apple Park headquarters, from Monday, June 5 to Friday, June 9.

As the name of the event already suggests, it will primarily target developers. However, even ordinary mortals and fans of devices with a bitten apple logo will find it useful. The weekly event should traditionally start with a big press conference, at which a number of new products from Apple will be on display.

“Mark your calendars for an exciting week of technology and community. Be among the first to learn about the latest Apple platforms, technologies and tools. You will also have the opportunity to work with Apple experts and other developers. All online and free,” the American computer giant invites official website of the event.