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Apple has today released macOS Monterey 12.3, watchOS 8.5, tvOS 15.4, and HomePod software 15.4 to the public.

Our testing suggests that the following issues have been addressed in macOS Monterey 12.3:

• It is now possible to select text in the Photos app using VoiceOver by focusing on a block of text and choosing "Select" from the Actions menu.
• …

Apple has today released iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4, bringing a slew of new features and enhancements.

Our experience is that the following bugs specific to VoiceOver and braille users have been resolved or significantly addressed in these releases:

• When speaking a notification on the Lock Screen or Notification Center, VoiceOver will no…

Apple Fitness+ workouts are gaining Audio Hints, a new accessibility format developed by Apple engineering that combines VoiceOver and Apple’s Text-to-Speech synthesizer to read synchronized Timed Text over video to provide verbal cues beyond those given by the trainers.

Audio Hints are intended to supplement the trainer's spoken instructions by inserting synthesised audio cues to parts of a workout that are only demonstrated visually. This can include prompts for timing on an…

Peek Performance

Apple's first major media event of 2022 has just concluded, and there were a surprising number of big announcements. A new iPhone, new Macs, new iPad, and a new professional monitor--and the year isn't even a quarter over! You can watch it here, or read on for our summary of what was announced.

iPhone SE 3

Let's go straight to the…

Apple has today released macOS Monterey 12.2.1 and watchOS 8.4.2 to the public.

Apple says that macOS 12.2.1 provides important security updates and fixes an issue for Intel-based Mac computers that may cause the battery to drain during sleep when connected to Bluetooth peripherals.

According to the watchOS 8.4.2 release notes, this version brings security updates and bug fixes for Apple Watch owners.

We've not had an opportunity to test these updates ahead of today's…

Apple has today released iOS 15.3.1 and iPadOS 15.3.1.

Apple’s release notes say: “iOS 15.3.1 provides important security updates for your iPhone and fixes an issue that may cause Braille displays to stop responding.”

We've not had an opportunity to test these updates ahead of today's release, so do not know for sure if they do indeed resolve the bug…

Apple has today released watchOS 8.4.1 for Apple Watch Series 4 and later. We don't yet know what's included in the update, with Apple's release notes simply stating that it "includes bug fixes for Apple Watch Series 4 and later."

As this update is only available to select Apple Watch models, 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…

Apple has today released macOS Monterey 12.2, watchOS 8.4, tvOS 15.3, and HomePod software 15.3 to the public. All of these releases are relatively minor in regard to user facing changes and enhancements, instead focusing on under-the-hood improvements and bug fixes.

Apple lists 13 security fixes in macOS Monterey 12.2, including patches for vulnerabilities affecting Safari, root privileges, iCloud, and more. Among these is a fix…

Apple has today released iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3 to the public.

These releases are relatively minor in regard to user facing changes and enhancements, instead focusing on under-the-hood improvements and bug fixes.

Apple's release notes simply state that iOS 15.3 includes ”bug fixes and security updates for your iPhone.”

Apple lists 10 security fixes in iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3, including patches for…

On December 30th 2021, a wildfire incinerated nearly a thousand homes and retail establishments in Boulder County Colorado. I live a safe 8 miles from the destruction, but others were not as fortunate. I know many families who lost everything.

My spouse and I decided to move into my father-in-law's guest suite and rent our house to one of the displaced families. Our new tenants tell a terrifying story. A police cruiser announced "get out, now!" over a loudspeaker as it drove through…

Apple has today released iOS 15.2.1 and iPadOS 15.2.1.

According to Apple's release notes, these updates resolve the following two issues:

• Messages may not load photos sent using an iCloud Link
• Third-party CarPlay apps may not respond to input

As these appear to be minor updates, our expectation is that they do not contain any accessibility changes for blind and low vision users; however, if you notice any…

Apple has today released macOS Monterey 12.1, watchOS 8.3, and tvOS 15.2 to the public.

Our testing suggests that the following issues have been addressed in macOS Monterey 12.1:

• It is once again possible to unmute VoiceOver using the mute speech toggle
• …

Apple has today released iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2 to the public.

Our experience is that the following accessibility bugs have been resolved or significantly addressed in iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2:

• “Hey Siri” appears to now work as expected when your device is locked.
• …

Apple has today released watchOS 8.1.1. This appears to be an extremely minor update to fix a single issue with charging on the Series 7 Apple Watch.

Apple's release notes for watchOS 8.1.1 simply say:

watchOS 8.1.1 fixes an issue where Apple Watch Series 7 may not charge as expected for some users.

As this update appears to have been released to address a specific issue, our expectation is that it does not contain any accessibility…

Apple has today released iOS 15.1.1. This appears to be an extremely minor update to fix an issue with dropped calls on some iPhone models.

Apple's release notes for iOS 15.1.1 simply say:

iOS 15.1.1 improves call drop performance on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models.

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;…

Apple has today released tvOS 15.1.1 for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD.

Outside of the major upgrade each year, tvOS updates are typically minor in scale with a focus on under-the-hood fixes and performance improvements. As Apple does not provide release notes for tvOS updates, we will have to wait and see if tvOS 15.1.1 does include user facing changes. We will update this post if anything of note is discovered.

To install tvOS 15.1.1 on Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD, go to the…

Unleashed

Today was Apple's second big event in as many months, this time entitled "Unleashed." Instead of iPhones and Apple Watches, as were the focus in September, this was all about the Macs. Well, Macs and AirPods. If you are one who wants the power of a true pro-level MacBook, and the M1-powered models already available just didnt' do it for you, you're going to love this. If you're a fan of AirPods, but have wished for a refreshed version, you will also find something of…

Update: Our testing suggests that none of the bugs we previously reported as being introduced in iOS 15.0 and iPadOS 15.0 are resolved in these releases. However, there were some new bugs introduced in those releases which were not encountered by members of our team or had a way for us to test for them, so we cannot comment on the status of…

Apple has today released software version 15 for both HomePod and HomePod mini.

In addition to some unspecified bug fixes and stability improvements, according to the release notes via 9to5Mac, this update brings some notable new features and enhancements:

• Select a single or pair of HomePod mini as the default speakers for your Apple TV 4k for rich room-filling…

Apple has today released watchOS 8, mostly bringing iterative enhancements to existing features Rather than big changes.

According to Apple, “watchOS 8 helps you stay connected, active, and healthy like never before. Share your favorite memories with the enhanced Photos app. Put more fun into your texts. Find new ways to center yourself and be present. And that’s just the start.”

Here are the highlights according to Apple…