If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can communicate in a variety of ways with iOS features like FaceTime® video calling and unlimited texting. And assistive technologies such as closed captions and mono audio help you enjoy your content.
FaceTime® video calls let you communicate in more ways than one. Catch every gesture and facial expression — from raised eyebrow to ear-to-ear smile. Thanks to its high-quality video and fast frame rate, FaceTime® is ideal for people who communicate using sign language. And because Mac®, iPhone®, iPad®, and iPod touch® all come equipped with FaceTime®, you can talk to iOS and OS X® users across the street or across the globe as if you’re face to face.
Watch movies, TV shows, and podcasts with closed captions. Just look for the CC icon to buy or rent captioned movies from the iTunes Store® or find captioned podcasts in iTunes U®. Download straight to your iOS device to watch on the go. iOS also supports open captions and subtitles. You can even customize captions with different styles and fonts.
iMessage® lets you start up a conversation — or keep it going — without needing to say or hear a word. Send unlimited messages to anyone on an iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch®, or Mac®. Or send a group message to keep everyone in the loop. You can also share photos, videos, locations, links, or the occasional smiley.
When you’re using headphones, you may miss some audio if you’re deaf or hard of hearing in one ear. That’s because stereo recordings usually have distinct left- and right-channel audio tracks. iOS can help by playing both audio channels in both ears, and letting you adjust the balance for greater volume in either ear, so you won’t miss a single note of a concerto or word of an audiobook.
iPhone® lets you know when something’s up, in a way you’ll notice. It delivers both visual and vibrating alerts for incoming phone and FaceTime® calls, new text messages, new and sent mail, and calendar events. You can set an LED light flash for incoming calls and alerts. Or have incoming calls display a photo of the caller. Choose from different vibration patterns or create your own.
Apple® has worked with top manufacturers to create hearing aids designed specifically for iPhone®. These hearing aids deliver a power-efficient, high-quality digital audio experience, and will allow you to manage your hearing aid right from your iPhone® .For more information on Made for iPhone® Hearing Aids, please click here.