All the new features Apple added in iOS 8.

In every iOS release, Apple puts in a lot of exertion to not just add typical features like Continuity, Extensions, but to also improve iOS’ already remarkable set of accessibility tools. In this post, we roll out all new Accessibility features Apple added in iOS 8

All the new features Apple added in iOS 8.

Here are All the new features Apple added in iOS 8.

1. Natural Sounding VoiceOver.

Existing versions of iOS have a robotic-sounding VoiceOver that doesn’t feel as natural as OS X’s speech synthesis system. Apple is bringing Alex, its natural-sounding voice on the Mac to iOS. Alex will work with all of iOS’s spoken audio technologies except Siri which includes VoiceOver, Speak Selection. In real meaning, Alex is a substitute for the robotic-sounding voice that controls VoiceOver.

Also Read: How to Boost your Phone's Volume with a Simple Trick.

2. Speak Screen.

Speak Screen is a new feature in iOS 8, that speaks out the contents of the screen including text, buttons, labels etc. This feature will be a blessing to visually impaired users who may have issues reading text on their iPhone and/or iPad and can be triggered by a simple gesture. iOS 7 already has a similar feature called Speak Selection and It should be noted that Speak Screen is basically different from Speak Selection. Speak Selection  works only with text that is selected at the time.

3. Enhancement to Zoom.

 iOS has had zoom since moderately a few versions, that lets you zoom into the screen and then move around with the help of gestures. The feature is now more refined, users now have the ability to specify which part of the screen is zoomed in, as well as adjust the level of the zoom, and the keyboard appears in its normal size even when zoom is active.

4. Addition of Grayscale.

In addition to a pseudo-theme Invert Color. Apple in iOS 8 is adding a second pseudo-theme to the system with Grayscale that provides the entire user interface in gray scale rather than color.

5. Guided Access Improvements.

Guided Access is an accessibility feature that lets you limit your iOS device to a single app with a passcode, and disable unnecessary gestures, and hardware buttons. With iOS 8, Guided Access lets you use Touch ID for verification when quitting an app. Apple also had a feature that lets users configure a time limit for Guided Access, after which all parts of iOS are reachable without the need for any passcode.

Guided Access plays an significant role in businesses, offices and schools where iPads are set up and used to run just a single application. Guided Access’s new features are basically game-changing, crucial tools for educators.

Also Read: How Apple is Saving the World day after day.

6.Braille Keyboard. 

Apple has added support for a 6 dot Braille keyboard throughout the system. This feature involves a devoted Braille keyboard that will decode 6-dot chords into text.

7. Hearing Aids “Made for iPhone”.

Apple has several partners that manufacture Made for iPhone hearing aids that connect to the iPhone via Bluetooth, and provide a lot of accessibility features. Apple in iOS 8 has enhanced its Made for iPhone Hearing Aids software so that now users who use hearing aids and have multiple devices now can easily switch between them.  The user can also select which device they’d like to connect to, if there are more than two devices paired. 

8. Third Party Keyboards.

Apple has the same keyboard that shipped with the original iPhone in 2007. The problem is that the key caps are too small and the glyphs too hard to read.Apple’s Extensibility framework lets third-party developers build their own custom, system-wide keyboards. This opens up the possibility of improving the default keyboard’s key size, spacing and organisation. Basically with the new API, though, third party developers can create completely customized keyboards that users can use instead of the stock one.

Also Read: Have a look at HP's Magnificent New Smartwatch.

Conclusion.

Apple’s dedicated loyalty for improving Accessibility year after year deserves the supreme praise, and 2014 is no different. Apple already had one of the best set of accessibility features in the smartphone and tablet business, and with iOS 8, it further improves upon these features to make iPhones and iPads even more functional for everyone.