Apple is working on a new "Custom Accessibility Mode" for iPhone and iPad, according to evidence uncovered by 9to5Mac in the second iOS 16.2 developer beta.
Image credit: 9to5Mac
Apple released the second betas of iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2 to developers on Tuesday, including camera bug fixes, support for 5G in India, a Medication widget, and references to the new Custom Accessibility Mode, which 9to5Mac found "under the hood."
Within those references, Apple describes the new mode as offering "a customizable, streamlined way to use your iPhone and iPad," although how the feature works isn't completely clear, as it is not yet enabled for developers to test.
That said, screenshots suggest the new mode will allow users to replace the typical Lock Screen and "Springboard" Home Screen with more accessible UI elements, as well as remove the Dock, set much larger app icons, larger hardware interface elements, allowed contacts, and a simpler interface for Messages.
Image credit: 9to5Mac
Given the dearth of references, it's not certain that the Custom Accessibility Mode will go live with the release of iOS 16.2. Apple could be just laying the groundwork, with the feature still in the early stages of development. For everything else in the second beta of iOS 16.2, be sure to check out our roundup of changes.
Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind.
Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe.
Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by Joe Rossignol
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more.
In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date.
Keep reading...
Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others.
During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by Joe Rossignol
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features.
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features.
Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models.
Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos
Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:26 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include two standout features that could set it apart from the competition.
The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth...
Apple doesn’t get the credit it clearly deserves for its accessibility efforts. My father had a terrible tremor, so gestures were difficult for him. Thank God Apple made an assistive touch function, or else he wouldn’t have been able to use a phone.
This is amazing - it looks exactly like what I was mocking up in my head all weekend for my father, and feeling frustrated that it’s something I didn’t think Apple would ever build. iPhones have gotten much harder to use for older people over the last few years. Neither of my parents ever fully adapted after iOS 7 made UI controls much less obvious and clear. And as my Dad’s tremors have gotten worse, the gestures, edge swipes, and long presses essentially make his phone a minefield. Existing accessibility options help a bit, but don’t do enough to fundamentally fix the big-picture UI paradigms that are an issue for older users.
We need options for huge home screen icons and/or a list view with large labels for the homescreen, a way to prevent accidental rearranging, a way to disable control center and the other edge swipe gestures, and a much simpler way for a family member to control your screen from FaceTime (he doesn’t under stand how to share screen from FaceTime, and the button icons are absolutely inscrutable). And frankly, this mode should offer dramatically fewer features. For Photos.app, just let it be a big picture frame with a way to scroll backwards in time through the grid view; hide all the UI about albums, organization, and editing. It’s so overwhelming to people who don’t or can’t keep up with so many new changes every year.
I tried to talk to him about a Jitterbug Smart, which I think is solving a lot of these issues, but we’ve been an Apple family since 1984, and he doesn’t want to give it up (and when I showed it to him he said “but those are for old people”…he’s 82). And I have a sneaking suspicion that once you’re past the Jitterbug’s launcher, the apps themselves will be the typical Android hard-to-use UI, so it’s not complete win.
Apple built its reputation on ease of use, and people used to marvel at how babies could pick up and use an iPad. You don’t hear that anymore. For myself, I want all the gestures, shortcuts, automations, and power user tweaks I can get my hands on. But I don’t want that to come at the expense of a worse experience for others. iPhone needs a way to accommodate our parents. Really hope this pans out.
