Ionic 8.1 introduces several accessibility improvements and new features, enhancing user experience for those utilizing screen readers and keyboard navigation. The update includes an improved interface for selecting items in the Datetime and Picker components, allowing swipes between columns and enabling Page Up and Page Down key functions for easier navigation. An experimental feature, focusManagerPriority, offers better navigation focus management for single-page applications, ensuring screen readers focus on the correct content. Developers can now control focus trapping in Modals and Popovers to enhance compatibility with third-party dialogs, and configure the DOM placement of fixed slots to prioritize focus on overlay components. Additional customizations include the ability to modify the clear icon in the Input component and pass role information with overlays in Datetime. The release highlights community contributions and encourages users to update to Ionic 8.1 for these enhancements.