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Apple TV is introducing sign language interpretation for select streaming titles, beginning with the premiere of the original film Being Heumann this Friday. The new accessibility feature provides options for both American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL).
How to Access Sign Language Features
Users can enable these options through the Apple TV app settings once they update to iOS 27.2. When a supported title is selected, a new button will appear to indicate that sign language interpretation is available. Viewers can toggle the language or turn the feature off directly within the video player.
Titles that offer this support will feature a hand icon on their respective title pages, positioned alongside existing accessibility tools like audio descriptions and closed captions. Additionally, Apple has launched a dedicated collection titled “Movies & Shows with American Sign Language” to help users browse content. This collection includes films where sign language is integrated into the narrative, such as the 2021 Oscar-winning movie CODA. Users can also locate relevant content by searching for “with ASL” in the app.
Expanding Accessibility
Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s senior director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives, stated that the company believes everyone should have access to entertainment. She described the addition of sign language as a significant step toward creating a more inclusive viewing experience for Deaf audiences.
Being Heumann, which depicts the life of disability rights activist Judy Heumann and the 1977 protests for equal rights, serves as the debut title for this feature. Apple plans to expand sign language support to other titles later this year, including F1 The Movie, Greyhound, and Way of the Warrior Kid, which is scheduled for release on November 25.
Industry Context and Development
While closed captioning is standard across most streaming platforms, sign language interpretation is increasingly being adopted to better convey the emotion and nuance of performances. Apple joins other services like HBO Max, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and Peacock in offering such features. Netflix also provides sign language options for various family titles through a collaboration with SignUp Media.
To ensure authentic representation, Apple collaborated with the Deaf community and Directors of Artistic Sign Language. Daniel Durant, who appears in Being Heumann and served as the film’s sign language interpretation director, noted that the process required significant care to ensure translations captured the intended meaning and emotion of the story. He expressed pride in the project and satisfaction in seeing Apple TV prioritize accessibility for the Deaf community.
Although some companies are experimenting with artificial intelligence for automated captioning, sign language interpretation remains a largely human-driven process. The complexity of the language requires skilled professionals to accurately capture context, making it a resource-intensive endeavor for studios.
