The iPhone will soon also be used as a senior telephone, with huge buttons and texts. This is evident from the code of iOS 16.2.
iPhone as a senior phone
The iPhone is known for its intuitive user interface, but for some older people, Apple’s smartphone is not user-friendly enough. They prefer a special senior telephone with large buttons and a simple interface.
Seniors will probably soon be able to use an iPhone as well, as Apple is working on a new ‘Custom Accessibility Mode’ that will make the iPhone and iPad interface considerably simpler. This website discovered 9to5Mac in the code of the iOS 16.2 beta.
For example, the new accessibility feature makes the text larger and you set which apps are available on the home screen. Those are displayed as huge app icons; this makes the iPhone more user-friendly for people with poor vision. You also determine the allowed contacts and it is possible to lock the physical buttons.
The interface
Above is the interface of the custom accessibility mode. The lock screen has been simplified, with a ‘Hold Down to Enter’ button that you swipe down to unlock. Giant icons without a Dock adorn the home screen. Apple apps like Messages and Camera have also been simplified, for example with a large ‘Back’ button that takes you to the home screen.
A password can be set to prevent the user from changing the settings. With a triple press of the side button (or home button on older iPhones), you can quickly turn accessibility mode on or off. This works similar to the existing iPhone Guided Access feature.
The accessibility feature that turns the iPhone into a senior phone is not yet available. It was found in a test version of iOS 16.2, but it is not yet clear whether the function will be there with this software update. iOS 16.2 is expected to be released in December.
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