Appendix E: Feature evaluations of Android and iOS accessibility settings

Feature Android Accessibility Feature iOS Accessibility Feature
Hearing/Speech Features
Broadcast Streaming (Auracast) N/A N/A
Hearing Aid Profile (Bluetooth) Android supports Bluetooth Hearing Aid Profile iOS supports Made for iPhone (MFi) hearing aids
Closed captions adjustable Live Caption Live Caption
HD Audio High-quality audio settings HD Audio (various settings in Accessibility)
Recognition of atypical speech patterns N/A N/A
Total conversation capability Real-Time-Text Real-Time-Text
Safe audio Volume settings with safety features Headphone Accommodations with warnings
Sound quality adjustable Equalizer settings Sound Recognition and Audio/Visual Settings
Live transcription / captions Live Transcribe Live Listen
Audio Streaming to Hearing-Aid (ASHA) N/A Audio Sharing (for supported hearing aids)
Configurable Audio Equalizer settings Sound Recognition and Audio/Visual Settings
Visual Display of Volume with Warning Volume controls with visual feedback Hearing devices settings with warnings
Connection available for Induction Loop N/A Hearing devices settings
153
Feature Android Accessibility Feature iOS Accessibility Feature
Allows for sign language communication No specific feature FaceTime with Sign Language detection
Flashlight notifications Flash alerts LED Flash for alerts
Adjustable Vibrating Alerts Vibration settings Custom Vibrations for alerts
Supports Closed Captioning for Web Video Accessibility settings for captions Closed Captions and SDH in Video settings
Front Facing Camera Front camera settings FaceTime with Video and Zoom settings
Adjustable Maximum Volume Control Volume controls with limit settings Hearing devices settings with volume limits
Mono Audio Accessibility settings for mono audio Mono Audio
Two-way Video Communications – using wire... Video call settings FaceTime and Video call settings
Two-way Video Communications – using mobility features Video call settings FaceTime and Video call settings
Visual Alerts – Electronic Message Notification settings with visual alerts LED Flash for Alerts and Notification settings
Text to telephone (TTY) compatibility N/A TTY settings
Call Logs Call history settings Recent Calls
Ringer Volume Adjustable Volume controls Ring/Silent Switch and volume controls
Key Feedback – Displayed Key press feedback settings Keyboard settings with key previews
Hearing Aid T-coil Coupling N/A Hearing devices settings
Video conferencing Video call settings FaceTime and Video call settings
154
Feature Android Accessibility Feature iOS Accessibility Feature
SMS Personalisation and Reuse SMS settings with templates Text Replacement
Messaging Options – Predictive Text Keyboard settings with predictive text Predictive Text settings
Messaging Options – MMS Messaging settings with MMS Messaging settings with MMS
Messaging Options – IM Messaging settings with instant messaging iMessage settings
Messaging Options – Email Email settings Mail settings
Messaging Options – Text Messaging /SMS Messaging settings with text messaging Messaging settings with text messaging
Visual Indicators on Display – Enhancements Notification settings with visual alerts LED Flash for Alerts and Notification settings
Visual Indicators on Display – Line Status Status bar indicators Cellular settings
Visual indicators on Display – Voice Mail Visual voicemail settings Voicemail settings
Visual Indicators on Display – Volume Control Volume controls with visual feedback Hearing devices settings with volume controls
Visual indicators on Display – Network Status bar indicators Cellular settings
Visual Indicators on Display – Battery Battery status settings Battery settings
Visual Alerts – Incoming Calls Notification settings with visual alerts LED Flash for Alerts and Call settings
Visual Alerts – Other Notification settings with visual alerts LED Flash for Alerts and Notification settings
Visual Alerts – Battery Battery status settings Battery settings
Visual Alerts – Power Power settings with visual alerts Power settings with Low Power Mode
155
Feature Android Accessibility Feature iOS Accessibility Feature
Vibrating alert Vibration settings Vibration settings
Improved Call Quality Accessibility settings for improved call quality Phone settings with Noise Cancellation
Vision Features
Display Characteristics – Enhance screen magnification Accessibility settings for display enhancement Display & Text Size settings
Screen refresh rate adjustable Android doesn't have a specific feature iOS doesn't have a specific feature
Display Characteristic – Colour Inversion Accessibility settings for colour inversion Display & Text Size settings
Light/Dark Theme Dark mode settings Dark Mode settings
Text-to-Speech (TTS) Text-to-Speech settings VoiceOver settings
Haptic Feedback Vibration settings Haptic Touch settings
Audible Cues – Enhancements Auditory feedback settings Sound Recognition and Audio/Visual Settings
Audible Cues – Charging Auditory feedback settings Charging Sound settings
Screen Reader TalkBack VoiceOver
Screen Magnifier Magnification gestures Magnifier settings
Braille Display Support Braille settings VoiceOver settings
Web Browser Zoom Zoom gestures Zoom settings
Speed Dial Contacts settings with speed dial Touch settings with Shake to Undo
Supports Accessibility application programming interfaces Accessibility settings for app integration Accessibility settings for app integration
High Contrast Mode High contrast text and theme settings Invert Colours settings
156
Feature Android Accessibility Feature iOS Accessibility Feature
Display Characteristics – Symbols/Icons Accessibility settings for symbols/icons display Display settings with Reduce Motion
Display characteristics – Colour differentiation Accessibility settings for color differentiation Display & Text Size settings
Display characteristics – Backlight for display Screen brightness settings Display & Text Size settings
Display characteristics – Adjustable brightness Brightness settings Display & Text Size settings
Voice output of caller ID from contacts list Auditory feedback settings VoiceOver settings with Caller ID
Voice output of SMS: inbuilt Text-to-Speech settings VoiceOver settings with SMS reading
Display Characteristics – Adjustable contrast Contrast settings Display & Text Size settings
Voiced Menus Auditory feedback settings VoiceOver settings
Ring Tone Variations Sound settings with ring tone variations Sound settings with ring tone variations
Voice Recognition for Dialling or Accessing functions Voice recognition settings Siri settings with voice commands
Personalized shortcuts Customizable gestures and shortcuts settings Accessibility settings with custom gestures and shortcuts
Automatic Features – Automatic Answer Accessibility settings for automatic answering Accessibility settings for automatic answering
Adjustable font – Size Font size settings Display & Text Size settings
Adjustable font – Style Font style settings Font settings
Audible cues – Volume Auditory feedback settings Sound Recognition and Audio/Visual Settings
Audible cues – Calls Auditory feedback settings Sound Recognition and Audio/Visual Settings
157
Feature Android Accessibility Feature iOS Accessibility Feature
Audible cues – Power Auditory feedback settings Sound Recognition and Audio/Visual Settings
Audible cues – Battery Auditory feedback settings Sound Recognition and Audio/Visual Settings
Audible Identification of keys – Functions Auditory feedback settings Sound Recognition and Audio/Visual Settings
Audible Identification of keys – Spoken Auditory feedback settings Sound Recognition and Audio/Visual Settings
Key feedback – Audible Auditory feedback settings Sound Recognition and Audio/Visual Settings
Key feedback – Tactile Haptic feedback settings Haptic Touch settings
Standard number key layout Accessibility settings for keyboard layout Keyboard settings
Tactile key marker – '5' Haptic feedback settings Haptic Touch settings
Tactile key markers – 'F' & 'J' Haptic feedback settings Haptic Touch settings
Mobility/Dexterity Features
Eye tracking N/A N/A
Facial gestures to control the device Face gestures settings Face ID and Gestures settings
Air gestures to control the device Motion gestures settings N/A
Customizable Touch Gestures Customizable gestures settings Custom gestures settings
Device Coupling – Near Field Communications NFC settings N/A
Physical keyboard External keyboard settings External keyboard settings
Device Coupling – USB USB settings N/A
158
Feature Android Accessibility Feature iOS Accessibility Feature
Speech-to-Text / Dictation Voice input settings Dictation settings
Personal Assistant / Voice Control Google Assistant or Voice Access settings Siri settings
Supports Gesture Based Navigation Gesture navigation settings N/A
Stylus or Prosthetic Device support Stylus or input device settings Apple Pencil settings
External Switch / Pointer Support Switch control and pointer settings Switch Control and AssistiveTouch settings
Visible Focus Indicators Focus indicators settings Focus indicators settings
Voice recognition for accessing features Voice recognition settings Siri settings with voice commands
Hand movement Motion gestures settings iOS doesn't have a specific feature.
Voice recognition for dialing Voice recognition settings Siri settings with voice commands
Any Key Answering Accessibility settings for answering calls Accessibility settings for answering calls
Automatic Redial Accessibility settings for redialling calls Accessibility settings for redialling calls
Automatic Answer Accessibility settings for automatic answering Accessibility settings for automatic answering
Flat Back for Table Top Operation Device design Device design
Device coupling – Other Various connectivity settings Various connectivity settings
Device coupling – Bluetooth/WLAN Bluetooth and Wi-Fi settings Bluetooth and Wi-Fi settings
Device coupling – Infrared Infrared settings N/A
159
Feature Android Accessibility Feature iOS Accessibility Feature
Device coupling – Cable USB and cable settings N/A
Guarded/Recessed Keys Physical design Physical design
Predictive Text Input Keyboard settings with predictive text input Keyboard settings with predictive text input
Text Messaging Service Capable Messaging settings with text messaging Messaging settings with text messaging
Speakerphone capable Speakerphone settings Speakerphone settings
Cognition Features
Focus mode Focus mode settings Focus mode settings
AssistiveTouch AssistiveTouch settings AssistiveTouch settings
Highlight content as it is spoken Accessibility settings for spoken content highlights Accessibility settings for spoken content highlights
Intelligent Personal Assistant Google Assistant settings Siri settings
Voice Notes Voice recording settings Voice Memos settings
Simplify display Simplification settings N/A
GPS capability Location settings Location settings
Copy and paste Copy and paste settings Copy and paste settings
Simple Instructions Simplification settings N/A
Photo associated telephone book Contacts settings with photo association Contacts settings with photo association
Assistance instructions Instructions and assistance settings Instructions and assistance settings
Simple reminders Reminder settings Reminder settings
No screen timeout Screen timeout settings Screen timeout settings
160