Technology isn’t just for convenience; it can also enhance our daily lifestyle. Let’s discuss how using voice services on your iPhone can especially improve the quality of life for users with mobility challenges.
“I am blind. I am looking for an app I can use on my iPhone so I can verbally ask a question to a search engine and get a verbal answer,” says Michael from Manassas, Virginia.
iPhone features like Siri, VoiceOver, and Spoken Content can collectively enable users with mobility challenges to search the web verbally and receive audio responses without needing any additional app. Siri is a fantastic tool for virtually any task on an iPhone. It allows users to search the web and provide verbal feedback or answers.
If you intend to read this article aloud using the Spoken Content feature, we have an article titled “How To Get Your Phone To Read Articles Aloud.” It contains step-by-step guidance for setting up the feature. If you wish to stay updated with security alerts, quick video tips, tech reviews, and how-to’s, you can click here to sign up for Kurt’s Free CyberGuy Newsletter.
Let’s have a look at Siri’s web search functionality. If you’re using an iPhone 8 or older version, you press and hold the Home button and then prompt a web search command. Siri would exhibit web search results, which you can then explore in Safari. For an audio reading of the search results, command Siri with phrases like “Read it.”
For newer versions like iPhone X, press and hold the side button or activate Siri using “Hey Siri.” The rest of the process remains the same as with older iPhone versions.
For users who find tapping on search results challenging, VoiceOver becomes an essential feature. VoiceOver aids navigation by verbally announcing on-screen options as they’re being touched. After hearing the option details, you double-tap it for selection.
To activate VoiceOver on your device, go to Settings, scroll down to Accessibility, and then tap VoiceOver. Toggle the switch beside VoiceOver. If it lights up green, you’ve successfully turned on the feature.
To achieve verbal navigation, you can also use the Alexa app or Google Assistant on your iPhone or other smart devices.
Advancements in iPhone features have considerably increased the ease for visually impaired and mobility-challenged users in using technology to its maximum potential. Are there any additional features you’d like to see in future smartphone updates that could further improve accessibility? Let us know by contacting us here.
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