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| VoiceOver | |
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 VoiceOver running onmacOS 11 | |
| Developer | Apple Inc. |
| Operating system | macOS,iOS,tvOS, andwatchOS |
| Type | Screen reader |
| Website | www |
VoiceOver is ascreen reader built intoApple Inc.'smacOS,iOS,tvOS,watchOS, andiPod operating systems. By using VoiceOver, the user can access theirMacintosh oriOS device based on spoken descriptions and, in the case of the Mac, thekeyboard. The feature is designed to increaseaccessibility forblind andlow-vision users, as well as for users withdyslexia.
Thekeyboard shortcut to activate VoiceOver is⌘ Command+F5.[1]
VoiceOver was first introduced inMac OS X 10.4 and the target was users who had difficulty in reading due tovision impairment, particularly theblind. A preview had also been made available forMac OS X 10.3 Panther, and was titled "Spoken Interface Preview."
VoiceOver treats theuser interface as a hierarchy of elements, which are navigated by variouskeystrokes. Elements also are "interacted" with—for example, interacting with atext box allows reading its text and, if possible, editing it; interacting with ascroll bar allows it to be moved using the keyboard.
VoiceOver also includes support for manyBraille displays. In addition, VoiceOver includes features for those that cannot use the mouse, such as keyboard-based navigation.[2]For users withMacBooks orMagic Trackpads, a number of specialmultitouch features are also available. The trackpad will respond to gestures, much like iOS's version of VoiceOver. A specific example is using the trackpad to explore the actual visual layout of elements on the screen—sliding one finger around the trackpad will select elements, tapping twice will activate them.
In Mac OS X 10.5, Apple added the "Alex" voice, which offered improved quality of speech and a more human-like sound. Previously, the voices were directly descended from those used in Apple's "Speech Manager," which originated in the early 1990s. Also, Alex voice has natural breathing, unlike all other voices in Apple.[3]
In Mac OS X 10.7, Apple offered the download of RealSpeak voices fromNuance for use with VoiceOver.
Accessibility Inspector is made to verify the accessibility ofOS X applications. It displays information about theGUI element that is currently under the cursor.[4]
After its success on Macs, Apple added VoiceOver to theiPod Shuffle. This assists users of the iPod Shuffle in controlling the playback of songs by having titles read out. With the 2010 revision of iPod Shuffle, the user can also have VoiceOver read out playlists. Unlike VoiceOver on OS X, where VoiceOver is marketed as an accessibility feature, on the iPod Shuffle VoiceOver is intended to be used by everyone, disabled or not.
A few months later, with the release of theiPhone 3GS, VoiceOver was added toiOS. When theiPod Touch was upgraded to match the hardware of the iPhone 3GS (in iPod touch'sthird generation), it also gained VoiceOver capability. TheiPad, since its introduction, has also had VoiceOver capability.
VoiceOver on iOS interacts with the user by using various "gestures," different motions one makes with one or more fingers on the display. Many gestures are location-sensitive—for example, sliding one's finger around the screen will reveal the visual contents of the screen as the finger passes over them. This enables blind users to explore the actual on-screen layout of an application. A user can double-tap—similar todouble-clicking a mouse—to activate a selected element, just as if a sighted user had tapped the item.
VoiceOver can also turn off the display but leave the touch screen sensitive to touch, saving battery power. Apple calls this feature "Screen Curtain". It is also available on Mac computers runningOS X.
VoiceOver for iOS is activated using the "Settings" application. It can be found in the Accessibility section. The device can also be configured so that VoiceOver can be toggled by a triple-click of the Home or side button on the device. The user can also ask Siri to enable or disable VoiceOver.
In September 2010, Apple launched this feature on theiPod nano line. It uses many of the same gestures as the iOS version.
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