Apple ‘Personal Voice’ Feature Helps Those with Speech Loss

Tristram Ingham, a physician and disability advocate, finds solace in Apple’s cutting-edge speech accessibility features amid a potential uncertain future.

Ingham, a New Zealand native, possesses a soft, assured voice – a powerful tool for his roles as a physician, researcher, and leader within the disability community.

However, facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) threatens his speech capabilities, causing progressive muscle degeneration, including in his voice.

Apple’s recent launch of the Personal Voice feature within iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma brings hope.

This tool enables users facing potential speech loss to create a personalized voice resembling their own through a guided audio recording process.

Moreover, Apple’s Live Speech feature allows typing to convert text into speech, supporting users with physical and speech disabilities, blending seamlessly with Switch Control and AssistiveTouch.

For those at risk of speech loss, we’ve made it possible to preserve your voice on your devices so even if you can no longer speak, you can still sound like you. It’s remarkable to see the experiences this technology helps preserve, while also protecting your privacy. pic.twitter.com/Vir3VQbhOA

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook)

November 30, 2023

Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives, also reaffirms Apple’s commitment to inclusivity, providing tools for nonspeaking users and those at risk of speech loss.

“Personal Voice samples and recreates your voice, so if you ever lose the ability to speak, you can continue to communicate through your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and still sound like you — which means your voice is never lost,” says Apple.

Take a look at Apple’s “The Lost Voice” video and don’t forget to share your thoughts with us below.