The impact of the accessibility features built into iOS cannot be understated. Accessibility has opened doors to computing that were previously shut to many people with disabilities. With iOS 10 launching soon, Steven Aquino takes a look at iOS accessibility milestones in a guest post on 512 Pixels that focuses on five key features: VoiceOver, Guided Access, Large Dynamic Type, Switch Control, and Magnifier.

It feels like VoiceOver has been around forever, so it was interesting to be reminded that it didn’t debut until the introduction of the iPhone 3GS and has its roots in the short-lived buttonless iPod Shuffle. Of the other accessibility feature covered, the one that will probably be the least familiar to most readers is Magnifier, which is coming in iOS 10. Aquino believes that when we look back at iOS 10 in the future, Magnifier will be viewed as one of the greatest enhancements to iOS:

The reason I’m so effusive about Magnifier is the handiness of it. So often, I’m reading a restaurant menu or looking at price tags in the grocery store, and the print in set in small font. Where previously I would strain my eyes in order to see, now all I need to do is pull out my phone and triple-press the Home button to launch Magnifier.

Steven has written a lot about the accessibility of Apple products, including here at MacStories, and does a wonderful job putting each accessibility milestone into historical context. I encourage everyone to read the full article on 512 Pixels.