Apple has today released macOS Ventura 13.5.1, bringing a fix for a bug that caused location permissions not to appear in Privacy & Security Settings.
As this update appears to have been released to address a specific issue, our expectation is that it does not contain any accessibility changes for blind and low vision users; however, if you notice any changes, improvements or regressions in your own use of this release, please post a comment below with your findings.
To…
Apple has today released macOS Ventura 13.5, watchOS 9.6, and tvOS 16.6 to the public.
Given Apple's current focus on its forthcoming major platform updates set for release in the fall, it comes as no surprise that today's updates do not introduce any notable new features or enhancements, instead being performance and stability releases.
As of now, we haven't identified any bug fixes, enhancements, or newly introduced bugs that specifically affect the experience of blind and…
Apple has today released iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6 to the public. While these updates seem to be relatively minor, they do bring a few notable bug fixes for Braille and VoiceOver users.
These releases resolve an issue introduced in iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5 for users of Braille displays. If the "turn pages while panning" feature was enabled, they may…
Apple has today released iOS 16.5.1, iPadOS 16.5.1, macOS Ventura 13.4.1, and watchOS 9.5.2 to the public.
According to Apple's release notes, these updates include important security fixes and are recommended for all users. The iOS and iPadOS updates address a bug that could prevent charging with the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter.
As today's updates appear to have been released to address a small set of specific issues, our expectation is that they do not contain…
There has been quite a bit of discussion and debate of late around the merits of iOS and Android, and this has coincided with my own journey into using Android. In February this year, after thirteen years using iPhones, I bought a Samsung Galaxy S23. I had long been curious about Android and had dabbled with it over the years, primarily as my work phone. I had never really picked it up and used it as my primary day to day phone though, at least not since I spent a…
Apple's highly anticipated annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicked off today with the customary keynote presentation. During the event, Apple unveiled the next major updates to all its software platforms and introduced the much-awaited mixed-reality headset and some new Mac models.
Our editorial team member Alex (‘mehgcap’), who typically provides detailed event summaries, regrets being unable to do so this time due to work commitments.
Summarizing a 2-hour…
Ahead of its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) starting 5 June, Apple has today announced the 36 finalists for this year's Apple Design Awards; and it's great to see that in the running for the Inclusivity category are a number of apps which will be familiar to many in our community.
The awards honor excellence in innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement in app and game design. This year, Apple is dividing the…
Apple has today released macOS Ventura 13.4, watchOS 9.5, and tvOS 16.5 to the public.
The release notes for macOS Ventura 13.4 say that it “addresses a VoiceOver issue with navigating to landmarks on webpages.” Additionally, we are aware of the following new bug:
Apple has today released iOS 16.5 and iPadOS 16.5 to the public. While these updates seem to be relatively minor, they do introduce two changes. The first one is the Sports tab in the News app that allows users to easily access news, scores, and schedules for their favorite teams and leagues. The second is a new wallpaper option named "Pride Celebration."
These updates introduce an enhanced version of a feature initially introduced in iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 for Braille users. In…
Apple is once again celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) by offering a preview of upcoming software features designed to enhance cognitive, vision, hearing, and mobility accessibility. These features, scheduled for release later this year, aim to empower individuals with disabilities and make it easier…
Apple's HomePod and HomePod mini smart speakers can now recognize the sound of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and send a notification alert to your iPhone or iPad.
The feature, known as Sound Recognition, was first announced in January 2023, alongside the launch of the second-generation HomePod. However, it required the revamped HomeKit architecture, which was released in November 2022 but then pulled in December. Following the release of macOS Ventura 13.3 and iOS 16.4, the…
Apple has today released iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, and MacOS Ventura 13.3.1 to the public.
According to Apple's release notes, iOS 16.4.1 and iPadOS 16.4.1 bring fixes for the following bugs related to emoji and Siri:
In addition to the emoji bug fix mentioned above, MacOS Ventura 13.3.1 also includes the following bug fix:
Apple has today released macOS Ventura 13.3, watchOS 9.4, and tvOS 16.4 to the public.
Based on our experience, it appears that the following accessibility-related bugs have been resolved or significantly addressed in macOS Ventura 13.3:
Apple has today released iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 to the public.
Based on our experience, it appears that the following accessibility-related bugs have been resolved or significantly addressed in iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4:
Whether on my iPhone or my Mac, I encounter accessibility issues pretty much daily.
Yes, much of it is the usual---mouse-centric controls, unlabeled buttons, and images without ALT text---commonplace issues that have been highlighted for years. I don’t want to minimize these issues, but I view them as minor. They are well-known. They have names. We can talk about them in discussions with developers. Free utilities are readily available…
We are thrilled to unveil our inaugural Apple Vision Accessibility Report Card, which provides valuable insights into the experiences and opinions of visually impaired community members who rely on VoiceOver, Braille support, or the low vision features on Apple devices.
To gather the ratings and comments contained in the report card, we conducted a…
We are excited to announce the launch of our Apple Vision Accessibility Report Card and invite you to participate in the survey that will determine the report card ratings.
The aim of this survey is to gather valuable feedback from those who depend on VoiceOver, braille support, or the low vision features available on Apple devices. The survey asks you to rate these accessibility features across Apple's various platforms and your experience of using Apple software on a scale of 1 to…
Apple has released updates for its software platforms today, including iOS 16.3.1 and iPadOS 16.3.1, which aim to provide important bug fixes and security updates. These updates address issues such as unresponsive or incorrect iCloud settings display, Siri requests for Find My not working, and crash detection optimizations for iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models.
Another update released today is macOS Ventura 13.2.1, which includes important bug fixes, although the exact changes are…
Apple has today released tvOS 16.3 and HomePod software version 16.3.
tvOS updates tend to be smaller in scope compared to the annual major release and often focus on resolving bugs and improving performance. As Apple does not provide release notes for tvOS updates, it's uncertain whether tvOS 16.3 includes any user-facing changes. We will have to wait and see what this update brings. We will keep you informed by updating this post if any noteworthy changes are discovered.
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Apple has today released updates to its operating systems for various devices. The new releases include macOS Ventura 13.2 and watchOS 9.3. These updates bring a limited number of enhancements and likely some under-the-hood improvements.
The macOS Ventura 13.2 release notes say that it introduces Security Keys for Apple ID, and includes other enhancements and bug fixes for your Mac.
- Security Keys for Apple ID allow users to strengthen the security of…