Hello, my name is Donald Kirby, and I am a registered developer. I have been helping the development team with accessibility issues for years. When I first inquired about becoming a developer, they told me I could pay a hundred dollars a year and still contribute. However, in the last two betas, I've encountered problems with voice control becoming inactive. I tried to screenshot the microphone feature to show them, but it disappears when I use Command + 3. Is there a trick I'm unaware of other than turning the microphone off and back on to reactivate it? I'm baffled about what to do next. I've reported this issue numerous times, and I'm genuinely trying to help. Unfortunately, I have to rely on dictation when voice control doesn't work, but dictation doesn't operate the computer effectively. It feels like a glitch because recent changes have affected voice control and dictation, particularly with voice command functionality. If I could code myself, I would gladly learn, but it's quite challenging due to the amount of typing involved. Thank you for your assistance.

Voice Control Disabling System Services After Reboot I recently learned from Apple Accessibility Support that the issue I’m experiencing with Voice Control is now affecting multiple users. When I first reported the problem, I appeared to be the first case—what you might call “patient zero.” I have provided extensive feedback and system logs, but now that the issue is more widespread, I have been told that I will not be informed of the cause or notified directly when a fix is found. Instead, updates will be released as solutions are identified, and support staff will not necessarily know the details of the underlying problem. To summarize my experience: after enabling Voice Control and rebooting my MacBook Pro (14.2-inch, M4 chip), critical Apple system services—including FaceTime, Apple Music, and News—stop functioning. Dictation remains available, but it is not as accurate or effective for my needs as Voice Control. I rely on these accessibility features daily due to my disability and cerebral palsy, and this issue has persisted for over five months. I have always valued contributing to the developer program and supporting Apple’s efforts to improve accessibility. However, I find it discouraging that there is no clear communication about the status of this issue or its resolution. My theory is that there may be a hardware interaction—perhaps between the neural engine and the new Wi-Fi chip—rather than a purely software problem. I understand that some information may not be immediately available, but I believe that users who rely on accessibility features should be kept informed about major issues and their progress toward resolution. I appreciate the dedication of the accessibility and development teams, and I want to continue supporting Apple’s mission of inclusion. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, Donald Spencer Kirby Dayton, Ohio