Apple recently released a heartwarming film called 'Lost Voice' which showcases two new accessibility features, Personal Voice and Live Speech, that were launched in iOS 17. The film aims to bring attention to International Day for People with Disabilities which is celebrated in December. The story of the film beautifully demonstrates the power of these features.

Millions of people are at risk of losing their ability to speak due to a wide range of conditions such as muscular dystrophy or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known internationally as motor neurone disease (MND). "Personal Voice uses secure on-device machine learning to sample and recreate your own voice, which means if you ever subsequently lose the ability to speak, you can continue to communicate through your iPhone, iPad or Mac (using another new feature called Live Speech) and still sound like you", according to Apple.

The movie portrays the story of a young girl and her pink, floppy-eared, furry friend. They embark on a journey to find his lost voice, which eventually leads to a heartwarming moment between a father and his daughter. The narration of the film is entirely generated through Personal Voice on an iPhone. Dr. Tristram Ingham, a real user of Personal Voice, was cast to play the role of the father and provide the narration.

Ingham is a physician and an associate professor of epidemiology. He is also a disability advocate hailing from Wellington, New Zealand. Ingham has been diagnosed with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), a condition that leads to progressive muscle degeneration beginning in the face, shoulders, and arms. In severe cases, it can also cause loss of speech. The Personal Voice technology allows Ingham to preserve and use his own voice in the future. Apple hired Taika Waititi, an Oscar-winning director, to film the production in New Zealand. The shooting took place in Waititi's hometown, showcasing the breathtaking natural landscapes of the country, including black sand beaches and rolling dunes.