Siri Can Now Talk in Your Own Voice

Seok Chen

May 19

The iPhone and other Apple devices will have a number of new accessibility features later this year, according to Apple.

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For spoken conversations, Personal Voice uses a synthesized version of your voice, and Live Speech lets you type and have it spoken out loud.

Personal Voice

For people who are unable to speak, Personal Voice is a particularly exciting new feature. For the system to learn your voice, you must read a randomized set of text prompts for around 15 minutes. It allows you to communicate with friends and family in a meaningful and natural way once it is set up.

Live Speech

For people with speech impairments, Live Speech is another useful feature. During phone calls, FaceTime calls, and in-person conversations, you can type what you want to say and it will be spoken out loud in your own voice. A preloaded voice will speak for you if your ability to speak is already impaired.

Other Accessibility Features

Apart from Live Speech and Personal Voice, Apple has announced a number of other accessibility features for its devices. These features include:

Assistive Access, which simplifies the use of apps and experiences by reducing them to their essential features.
Point and Speak for the Magnifier app, which is designed to help users with vision impairments interact with physical objects that have multiple text labels.

These new accessibility features are a welcome addition to Apple's growing collection of tools designed to make it easier for people with disabilities to use their devices. They demonstrate Apple's commitment to making its products available to everyone.