To celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, Apple has released an incredibly emotional film highlighting the power of one of its latest and greatest iPhone accessibility features, Personal voice.
Apple first unveiled the feature in May for iPhone and iPad. Designed for users “at risk of losing their ability to speak”, such as those diagnosed with ALS (MND), Personal Voice lets users record 15 minutes of audio and video using randomized text that can be turned into a Personal Voice that can be used to speak with loved ones through Apple’s Live Speech feature.
In honor of the feature, Apple has commissioned a new short film titled The Lost Voice. Directed by Taika Waititi and shot in his native New Zealand, it features Dr. Tristram Ingham, a physician, associate professor of epidemiology, and a disability advocate from Wellington who suffers from facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). In the film, Ingham narrates the story of a young girl and her cuddly friend on a quest to find her own voice.
The Lost Voice
Apple’s moving film (which had me in absolute bits at the preview) also features a soundtrack from X Carbon, which remade their original song Yodeler almost entirely out of human voice samples.
The book at the story's center has also been made into a free downloadable ebook on Apple Books that’s available right now.
Apple's Personal Voice and Live Speech features also debuted alongside a new Point and Speak Magnifier to help visually impaired users interact with physical objects such as household appliances. Both debuted in iOS 17 alongside the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro in September.
Apple continues to lead the industry when it comes to great accessibility features on all of its devices, with features to aid vision, hearing, speech, mobility, and cognitive functions through a range of innovations.
