One of many Accessibility features offered in the best iPhones for those with physical and motor limitations extends beyond the smartphone itself. The feature allows you to control other devices using the iPhone.
Any compatible device on the same iCloud account, like another iPhone or iPad, can be controlled in some ways by the iPhone, which you use as a remote. You can do things like start and stop the playback of media, activate buttons and pulldown menus, or even interact with Siri for voice control. Setup is simple and can make all the difference for those who don’t have the fine motor skills to manipulate other devices as easily as they can the iPhone; or who might need to control an iPad from their phone without having to sit or get up.
- Go to Settings, Accessibility.
- Select Control Nearby Devices.
- Tap on Control Nearby Devices again.
- The phone will begin searching for nearby devices that are using the same iCloud account. As soon as one is detected, it will pop up immediately with the name.
- Select the name of the device you want to control.
- A menu will appear, showing a selection of commands you can use to control the second device using your phone. You’ll also see a quick pop-up on the second device indicating that it is now connected to the first.
- Tap the square in a circle icon to Go to Home.
- Tap the two overlapping rectangular icons to open App Switcher.
- Tap the bell icon to open the pull-down Notification Center.
- Tap the two horizontal stadium shapes to pull up the Control Center menu.
- Tap the Siri icon to activate Siri.
- The last icon featuring a circle with three dots inside, pulls up a menu with additional controls for things like play/pause, previous track, next track, and volume up and down.
The ability to control other devices with iPhone, including the newest iPhone 14, is one of many features introduced in iOS 16. For someone who might be watching a movie on an iPad that’s on a table or desk further away from them, this makes it simple to use the iPhone in their hand to control the playback without having to get up. Think of this as a way to turn your iPhone into an iPad remote.
While that’s just one logical way the feature can be used, others may find it useful for a myriad of other reasons. It could be a simple way for an adult with limited mobility to help a child control their device, for example. Or it offers assistance to those who might be comfortable with the tapping motion on a mobile device but don’t have the mobility, strength, or agility of movement to do things like pulldown from the screen to get to the Control Center or manipulate the Home button on an iPad.
Other Accessibility features in iPhone for those with physical and motor limitations include AssistiveTouch and Apple Watch mirroring, the latter of which allows you to control your Apple Watch from your phone screen. With iOS 17, there’s also a new feature called Point and Speak which allows those who are blind or have other visual impairments to read text or physical objects by simply pointing the phone at them, which adds another layer of usability for the device.
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Apple iPhone 14
The iPhone 14 is the base model of the 2022 iPhone series, offering a balanced set of features for the average user.
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Apple iPhone 14 Pro
The iPhone 14 Pro brings a new front design, upgraded cameras, and a new all-powerful Apple Silicon for the most premium iPhone yet.
