Assistive Access: Reinventing Your App for a New (sort of) Generation

Showing off building an app that is optimized for Assistive Access, aka "iOS easy mode", where UI is simplified, navigation is one step at a time, and distractions are removed.

Transcript

1. Assistive Access: Reinventing Your App for a New (sort of) Generation 1 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
2. Who am I? – Until recently, accessibility for internal apps  Apple – In the past, macOS VoiceOver  Apple – XING, WeTransfer, open source 2 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
3. Accessibility – Dynamic Type – VoiceOver – Full Keyboard Access – Voice Control – Switch Control 3 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
4. Assistive Access 4 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
5. Independence 5 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
6. Consistent design 6 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
7. Consistent design, Consistent expectations 7 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
8. iOS Easy Mode 8 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
9. 9 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
10. 10 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
11. Build from the ground up 11 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
12. Reduce cognitive strain 12 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
13. If necessary, reorder your flow(s) 13 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
14. Uploading Downloading Don't support Only images Auto-download, show only a spinner Settings to select senders to show Transfers from 14 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
15. "API" at launch 15 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
16. UISupportsFullScreenInAssistiveAccess 16 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
17. 17 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
18. Until os26 18 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
19. 19 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
20. 20 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
21. What API is still missing 21 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
22. 22 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
23. You should try it out! 23 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
24. How do we optimise for Assistive Access? 24 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
25. UISupportsFullScreenInAssistiveAccess 25 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
26. @Environment(\.accessibilityAssistiveAccessEnabled) private var isAssistiveAccessEnabled import Accessibility AccessibilitySettings.isAssistiveAccessEnabled 26 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
27. AssistiveAccess { } 27 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
28. struct MyApp: App { var body: some Scene { WindowGroup { DefaultAppView() } AssistiveAccess { AssistiveAccessAppView() } } } 28 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
29. class AssistiveAccessSceneDelegate: UIHostingSceneDelegate { static var rootScene: some Scene { AssistiveAccess { AssistiveAccessAppView() } } } class AppDelegate: UIApplicationDelegate { func application(_ application: UIApplication, configurationForConnecting connectingSceneSession: UISceneSession, options: UIScene.ConnectionOptions) -> UISceneConfiguration { let role = connectingSceneSession.role let sceneConfiguration = UISceneConfiguration(name: nil, sessionRole: role) if role == .windowAssistiveAccessApplication { sceneConfiguration.delegateClass = AssistiveAccessSceneDelegate.self } return sceneConfiguration } } 29 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
30. #Preview(traits: .assistiveAccess) { } 30 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
31. Types that are Assistive Access-optimized out of the box 31 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
32. Button { // action } label: { Label("Share", systemImage: "square.and.arrow.up") } 32 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
33. Link(destination: URL(string: "https://apple.com")!) { Label("Apple", systemImage: "link") } 33 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
34. .navigationTitle("Calls") 34 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
35. .assistiveAccessNavigationIcon(systemImage: "phone") 35 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
36. Future wishes – More first party apps! – "Troubleshoot" / screenshot/screen recording app – More third party apps! – Settings API 36 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
37. Conclusion – Map out settings that separate app flows – Re-think app-flows that fit the Assistive Access model – (Re)build your app using the AssistiveAccess {} Scene – Iterate and learn – Test with users 37 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
38. 38 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
39. Not just a "new" generation 39 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
40. We do this for our future selves, too 40 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026
41. Thanks! Bas Broek iosdev.space/@bas 41 Bas Broek, DC iOS, August 11th, 2026