New in iOS 7: Detailed Look at Switch Control

Apple’s newly released iOS 7 includes many new features and improvements. iOS 7 runs on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Users will notice changes as soon as they boot up their iOS 7 device for the first time. But this release allows a group of users to use iOS for the first time. Just as VoiceOver allowed the blind and visually impaired to access the iPhone, Switch Control now allows switch users to navigate and use their iOS device. Switch users are users who are only able to activate a few large buttons and who don’t have the ability to interact with the complexities of a touch screen. For example, a quadriplegic may be able to activate switches mounted on their wheelchair with their head. Switches come in all different sizes and configurations but they give  users who are unable to interact with the touch screen the ability to control their devices. 

Switch Control for iOS is similar to other switch interfaces, a cursor scans around the screen and when a switch is activated the user is given options to interact with that object or button. For example, a cursor will scroll through all the app icons on your home screen and when the switch is activated it will open the selected app.

Click read more to learn below to learn more about Switch Control on iOS 7.

Switches

Example of a switch

Switch Control can be used with external switches connected to the device via Bluetooth. Switch control can also use the front facing FaceTime camera to recognize a user’s head movements. A third option allows the entire touch display of your iOS device to be used as a switch. Once you have a switch you can choose its action. A switch can control scanning by controlling the cursor or can be used to control system functions such as activating Siri, notification center, or the app switcher.

Settings

Switch Control is extremely customizable to fit the needs of many different users. The settings can be accessed by going to Settings > General > Accessibility > Switch Control. The speed at which the cursor moves can be change for faster navigation or easier use. The cursor can also be set to pause on the first item. There are also switch stabilization settings to increase or decrease hold duration and also to ignore repeat. Switch Control can also speech items to the user as the cursor highlights items. The cursor size and color is also customizable. Similar to Assistive Touch Switch Control allows saved gestures to be saved and activated later.

Using Switch Control

A cursor highlights the elements or groups of elements on the screen. Activating the switch selects the group and then pressing the switch again activates an element. This process allows users to select apps from the home screen, keys on the keyboard, and other buttons. A secondary menu can also be activated with options specific to that element. The menu includes options to tap the element, scroll, activate saved and pre-set gestures, activate device functions such as volume, and shortcuts to change Switch Control settings. On elements such as volume sliders you are also given the option to decrement and increment. The gesture menu gives you the option to flick, pan, pinch, tap and hold, drag, drag and hold, double tap, freehand, and access saved gestures. Amazingly, these gestures can be precisely controlled through one switch by following on screen options. For scrollable list you can activate the “scroll” submenu.

Switch Control Compatibility with Third Party Apps

As with most accessibility features, support for Switch Control with third party apps unpredictable. Luckily, VoiceOver has laid the ground work for Switch Control. As I understand, Switch Control and VoiceOver use the same accessibility elements. This an app that works with VoiceOver will work with Switch Control and vice versa. This makes app developer’s jobs much easier.

Wrap-Up

Switch Control is one of many great new accessibility features in iOS 7. Switch Control will allow a whole new group of people (switch users) access to the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. Like all of Apple’s accessibility features Switch Control is available on all iOS 7 devices and works out-of-the-box.

iOS 7 Accessibility Overview: What We Know Now

This year iOS accessibility did not get the prime-time attention that it did during last year's WWDC Keynote, but iOS 7 still includes many new accessibility features. When iOS 7 launches in the fall, users of all abilities will find beneficial features. iOS 7 is still in beta so Apple can always add or remove features before the final release to the public. Through the Apple Keynote and other sources a number of accessibility features have been detailed. These new features will improve on current accessibility features such as VoiceOver, Guided Access, Speech Selection, Assistive Touch, and Zoom. This post will be updated as new information becomes available on iOS 7 accessibility.

Click read more to learn about iOS 7 accessibility.

Customize Captioning

iOS 7 will also allow users customization the font and size of subtitles. Currently the subtitles are small and can be hard to read particularly on the iPhone and iPod touch. In iOS 7 the font, size, and color of subtitles can be changed.

Use Camera to Redeem iTunes Gift Card

One of the coolest features for the blind and visually impaired in iOS 7 is the ability to redeem iTunes gift cards using the devices camera. This will allow users who cannot read the small codes printed on the back of iTunes gift cards to redeem their gift cards easily without assistance. This feature originally debut on iTunes 11 on the Mac.

Siri Improvements

Along with updated Siri functionality Apple has added multiple high quality text-to-speech voices. The voices are both male and female and sound much better than the previous Siri voice. It is not clear is these new voices will be available for VoiceOver and Speak Selection or exclusive to Siri.

Switch Control

According to AppAdvice iOS 7 beta 2 also includes Switch Control. Little is known about the feature but the name suggests that iOS 7 will allow a user to control their device through switches. These switches are designed for people with physical disabilities who may only be able to activate one or two large switches. A separate post on MacRumors say that iOS 7 will allow users to control their device with head movements. From the screenshot it appears that head movement could be part of Switch Control and be used to activate a switch but it is unclear at this time. Below is a video of Switch Control.

New APIs to Help Developers Build More Accessible Apps

Last year in iOS 6 Apple included Guided Access which could put the device in a single app mode. Guided Access was targeted for users with autism. This year iOS 7 will add a Guided Access API for developers. This feature will allow developers to build apps that integrate deeply with Guided Access to give users more control of Guided Access.

iOS 7 is also reported to include new APIs to allow developers to detect blinking and smiling which could help disabled users control their device. It has also been reported on 9to5mac that Apple will include a text-to-speech API which would allow developers to easily integrate text-to-speech into their app.

iOS 7 is looking like a great release for all iOS users including users with disabilities. Apple is likely to change feature until iOS 7 is released to the public in the fall.