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“Supportive Access” from Apple: Easy to use, complicated to set up?
Photo: Jonas Mielke / DER SPIEGEL
Fonts that are too small, sounds that are too quiet, a stubborn touchscreen, incomprehensible settings: For some people, smartphones are difficult to use.
This is especially true if your hearing or vision is impaired or you are simply not used to using modern technology.
However, even if you feel like you belong to one of these groups, there are numerous ways you can still use a smartphone.
In addition to special devices, which are usually offered as “senior smartphones,” conventional Android cell phones and iPhones also have operating aids for people with physical limitations.
Apple, for example, introduced so-called “supportive access” on its smartphones with iOS 17 in the summer of 2023, a collection of functions that can also be useful for many older people.
It reduces the complexity of the device, which not only makes it easier to use but also reduces the risk of incorrect operation.
If you want to make a conventional smartphone more accessible, you have many options.
Do more with less: “Supportive Access”
Since Apple released iOS 17 in the summer of 2023, the cumbersome term “supportive access” has been a comprehensive innovation.
The idea: iPhone users can set up an area separate from the rest of the system in which the variety of functions is limited.
The display is larger, clearer and greatly simplified for some apps such as Phone, Messages, Camera and Photos.
Essentially, the group has made the principle of senior smartphones a feature of its smartphone operating system.
If you select the menu item “Accessibility” in the “Settings” you will find the menu item “Supportive Access” relatively far down in the “General” area.
However, setting up this function is very detailed and begins with selecting which apps the iPhone user should have access to.
Five in-house apps have already been optimized by Apple for easier operation: the phone app, the messages app and the photos app as well as the apps for the camera and music.
But you can also add any other installed app.
The subtle difference between the five Apple apps and all the others is the number of decisions that you still have to make, because the access rights have to be set for each app.
All options that an app would like to set for itself are queried - and there can be many.
The Amazon app, for example, requests access to the address book, the photo collection, the microphone and more.
You don't have to allow everything.
For those setting up the cell phone, this process often raises questions that are difficult to answer.
It is not always clear why an app needs access to the location or camera.
Why does the Lufthansa app want to take photos?
Why does Netflix require voice recognition?
Explanations would be helpful.
With the five Apple apps mentioned, things are a little easier.
The photo app, for example, only wants to know whether it can also access shared photo albums or only its own, the camera whether it can also take selfies and videos in addition to conventional photos.
Things can get complex with the “Calls” phone app.
Here you can specify whether all or only certain people from the phone book can be called, whether other numbers can be dialed using the number pad and whether the loudspeaker can be switched on.
Apple has provided detailed instructions for “Supportive Access” on this website.
The potential of “supportive access” is quickly apparent.
It simplifies the functions of an iPhone so much that inexperienced users can slowly get used to its capabilities.
If you want to enable or simplify the use of a smartphone by friends or family members using the new Apple function, an old device from the drawer is sufficient.
Or you can buy a refurbished cell phone cheaply from appropriate providers.
This costs significantly less than a new iPhone and also competes with special senior smartphones in terms of price.
Listen instead of see with »VoiceOver«
In addition to “supportive access,” the iPhone operating system offers many other options to simplify the use of the devices and to support people with impaired vision or hearing.
A particularly interesting one is "VoiceOver"
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a type of reading function that also changes how the iPhone is controlled and can also be used in combination with "Assistative Access".
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»VoiceOver«: Before you really get started, you should practice the most important gestures on this screen
Photo: Jonas Mielke / DER SPIEGEL
If you switch on “VoiceOver” in the “Settings” under “Accessibility,” the device reads out texts – all of them.
So if you are on the home screen and tap on a folder, its name is read out, the number of apps stored in it is stated and the following suggestion is made: “double-tap to open”.
If you do this, apps can be opened in the same way and, for example, message texts can be read out.
This is exactly how controls are presented.
While this is still obvious with "Arrow back", it can become confusing when elements used by the app developers but not intended for the users are read out.
For example “Account Icon”.
What takes some getting used to, however, is the control with finger gestures, which has been changed by “VoiceOver”.
After a finger tap, the device reads out the marked area; to trigger a conventional finger tap, you have to double-tap.
You can get to the home screen by swiping up with one finger from the bottom and lifting your finger as soon as you feel a vibration, the same action with two fingers opens the app switcher.
If you swipe down with two fingers, the device reads out the entire display content.
These and other gestures modified by the reading function require some practice, especially if you already have experience with the "normal" control functions of iPhones, patience is required before it works smoothly.
And it is important to always make it clear to yourself that the device wants to read out loud.
If you enter the device's lock code, it will also be read out loud.
This should be avoided in public.
Speaking instead of typing
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Voice control: Very simple and customizable
Photo: Jonas Mielke / DER SPIEGEL
The “voice control” solution, which can be found in the “Operating Aids” under “Physical and Motoric”, is much more intuitive.
If you activate it, the iPhone can be controlled with your voice instead of your finger - as the name of the function suggests.
To do this, each element on the display is given a number.
If you say one of these numbers, the corresponding content is selected, for example starting an app, pressing a “Cancel” or “Send” button or selecting a menu item.
This type of voice control can be adapted very precisely to personal needs and preferences.
All of these options take some getting used to, but they could make using an Apple smartphone easier for many people.
The only thing that helps is to try it out, ideally with the support of an experienced user.
You can find a detailed overview of the possibilities of Apple's voice control here.
This makes it easier to use Android smartphones
The Google Android operating system also has functions that are intended to make it easier or even possible for people with impaired hearing or vision or motor limitations to use smartphones.
But finding them is sometimes a bit tricky because Android gives cell phone manufacturers many options to give the system their own look.
Menu navigation and functions can therefore differ from manufacturer to manufacturer.
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Android screen magnifier: Display text and images enlarged if desired
Photo: Jonas Mielke / DER SPIEGEL
However, you can almost always find the operating aids in the “Settings” under a menu item that is called exactly that: “Accessibility Aids”.
Our examples refer to the Google Pixel 8 Pro, which runs “pure” Android, so to speak, without any manufacturer-specific changes.
On this device, you can adjust the size of the font and app icons under the menu item “Display size and text” and specify that text should always be displayed in bold or with high contrast for better readability.
If you still have difficulty reading text on the screen, you can start a kind of digital reading magnifier under “Magnification” by activating the “Shortcut for magnification”.
A colored symbol then appears on the edge of the screen, which you can use to bring up the screen magnifier in all apps.
Reading instead of listening
If you can see well but hear poorly, you should try out the “Automatic Transcription” function, which can be found in the “Accessibility” under “Subtitles”.
When activated, this function converts everything that is spoken around you into text on the screen.
This can be very helpful, at least in small groups, and also works quite well in quiet conversations.
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TalkBack: Not intuitive, but useful in individual cases
Photo: Jonas Mielke / DER SPIEGEL
As expected, the system gets into trouble when several languages are spoken.
At least it can handle two languages at the same time.
You can specify what these should be in “Automatic Transcription” by tapping on the gear symbol at the bottom left to open the settings.
If you now tap on “Additional settings”, you can set two languages under “Standard language” and “Second language” and load the corresponding language packs.
And if you're already in "More settings", you can also scroll down to "Events" to enter your name under "Vibrate when my name is spoken".
This way you don't miss out when someone speaks to you.
TalkBack
In addition, there are many other support functions in Android too.
The so-called “TalkBack” function, for example, reads out elements on the display – but also changes the controls for people with impaired vision.
It is the Android version of Apple's "VoiceOver" function.
As with many of these functions, it takes some practice to get the hang of it.
The changed smartphone control is not intuitive.
For example, a double tap replaces a simple finger tap - but timing is important; if you double tap too slowly, you won't make any progress.
An incentive to master the technology quickly is the constant re-reading of texts and buttons if you didn't get them right the first time.
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TalkBack: Can do more than just read aloud
Photo: Jonas Mielke / DER SPIEGEL
The same applies here: It's better not to enter passwords or lock codes in public; the system will read them out loud.
To stop this, you have to delve deep into the menus.
In the "Settings" under "Accessibility"/"TalkBack"/"Settings"/"Advanced Settings" you will finally find a switch in the "Audio" area with which you can switch off "Speak passwords".
It's not easy to find.
If you master the function, it can be useful: A green box surrounds the area that is being read out.
You can also use the “TalkBack” menu to ask the device to copy the last spoken sentence to the clipboard or to describe an image.
There is also the option to control TalkBack with voice commands.
To activate this, you have to swipe your finger from the right and then up across the display before speaking.
Google has compiled a list of all voice commands available with “TalkBack” here.
You can find an overview of the many options that Google's accessibility features offer Android users on this website.
However, it is important to note that not all of them are implemented on all Android smartphones.
And if they do, then sometimes in other menus, with different names.
Help helps
Our descriptions of these few operating aids for iPhones and Android cell phones show that they can be enormously helpful if you are not very familiar with modern technology or have physical limitations.
But as good as it is that Apple and Google are paying close attention to these topics, many of them are very complex to understand how they work and how to use them.
Having someone at your side who is familiar with smartphones and has a basic understanding of how to control such devices and apps is essential.
Only if you understand what is going on and know what you have to do to achieve your goal will you be able and willing to use the opportunities offered there long-term and with fun.