Braille

Post Date:

Introduction

This post was partially inspired by This article and others like it which give general advice about seemingly less known features of an iDevice. You will also find blog entries on other tech topics scattered throughout the internet which have similar tips for pretty much any mainstream type of technology. TO add to this body of literature, I have compiled 10 useful tips for braille users of the iPod, iPhone, and iPad below.
Post Date:
For quite some time, deaf-blind users of iDevices have been able to use face to face communication with the public through the notes app. This consists typically of an iDevice (iPod, iPad, or iPhone) paired with a braille display and bluetooth keyboard. The deaf-blind person can then type using the braille input keys on their display, while the sighted and hearing person types on the bluetooth keyboard. All text shows up on both the braille display and the screen of the iDevice.
Post Date:

Today brings the release of iOS 11. And, as is generally the case with major updates of iOS, it comes with some new bugs for blind and low vision users. So, to help you with making an informed decision as to whether to update your device, we bring you here, details of the bugs that members of the AppleVis Editorial Team have identified during their own testing of iOS 11.

Post Date:

***Update 17 November 2014: More of these bugs have been fixed in iOS 8.1.1. See our post for more details: Apple Releases iOS 8.1.1 with Fixes for Blind and Low Vision Users***

Post Date:

Detailed in this post are possible accessibility-related bugs which members of the AppleVis Editorial Team have identified during their testing of iOS 9. If you have not already updated your device to iOS 9, we strongly recommend that you read through this post and any comments before doing so, as we believe that there are some new bugs in this release which might have a negative impact on the user experience for some blind and low vision users.

Post Date:

iOS 13 was released to the public on 19 September, 2019. This post contains details of the VoiceOver and braille bugs which we believe to have been introduced in iOS 13; as well as details of the pre-existing bugs which we believe have been resolved.

Post Date:

iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 have been released to the public. This post contains details of the VoiceOver, low vision, and braille bugs which we believe have been introduced in these releases; as well as details of the pre-existing bugs which we believe to be resolved.

Post Date:

iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 have been released to the public. This post contains details of the VoiceOver, low vision, and braille bugs which we believe have been introduced in these releases; as well as details of the pre-existing bugs which we believe to be resolved.

Post Date:

Introduction

As the number of active Apple devices increases, so too do the different choices that the consumer has. The latest offering from Apple is the new iPhone SE 2020. This iPhone is a mix of the old and new: it retains the build size of the iPhone 8, but has the new A13 Bionic chip offered in the iPhone 11 series. It offers Bluetooth 5.0, but retains the Home button, which also includes Touch ID.

Post Date:

This review was completed after 10 days of use. Most of my comparison will be with the iPhone SE 2, since that was the phone I had been using previously. For the sake of clarity, when referring to the previous generation of iPhone SE released in 2020, it will be referred to as the iPhone SE 2. Apple refers to the current model of iPhone SE simply by that name. This was also true of the first and second generation.

Post Date:

Apple has today released macOS 10.15 Catalina to the public. As usual, we won’t cover the mainstream features here, concentrating instead on what's new and changed for blind and low vision users. For an overview of the mainstream changes, we recommend that you read this indepth review of Catalina by Mac Stories.

Post Date:
The Braille Institute recently released a new app, ViA (Visually Impaired Apps), that lists other apps developed specifically for people who are blind or visually impaired. Even before I finished reading the app's AppleVis entry (http://www.applevis.com/ios-app-directory/education/braille-institute), I thought to myself, "Why are they reinventing the wheel?" The blind community already has mailing lists, podcasts, and--of course--AppleVis. Do we really need an app to help us sort through other apps?
Post Date:

Intro

As most of you know by now, iOS8 brought with it a huge feature: the ability to type in braille anywhere you can type on an on-screen keyboard. From your passcode, to passwords, to emails, to Spotlight searches, and everywhere else, a single twist of the rotor is all it takes to start typing braille. You can even use it on your Home Screen, to locate and open any app you have installed in seconds.

Post Date:
Sendero Group has published a poll asking users what they would like to see as the next 2 features present in their next release of the Seeing Eye GPS app.
Post Date:
iOS 7.1 is now available for download via Over-the-Air Update and iTunes.
 
Since November of last year, members of the AppleVis Editorial Team have been busy testing iOS 7.1 in all stages of the beta process.
Post Date:

iOS 11 has arrived for users of the iPhone 5S and later; the iPad fifth generation and later; and the iPod Touch 6th Generation. Mainstream changes such as the revamped Control Center, new HomeKit options, the new Files app, and many other enhancements have been added.

Post Date:

introduction

It's September, and that means a lot of things. For users of iOS devices, it's time for a new major iOS update.

Post Date:

Introduction

Another Autumn means another release of iOS. Just like releases of iOS dating back to 2009, this release brings a lot of new features and functions for blind and DeafBlind users. Major changes in iOS 15 include a new Focus Mode, several enhancements with FaceTime, the ability to use Siri for certain tasks while offline, and much more. Many blogs will be highlighting these enhancements to iOS, so I will not discuss them in great detail here. This article covers accessibility features impacting individuals who are blind or DeafBlind.

Post Date:

Introduction

I'm back yet again. Just like in years past, September brings us a new major release of iOS. This latest edition includes many mainstream changes such as a revamped Lock screen; enhancements to privacy and safety features; Focus Mode enhancements; new functionality in Messages and Mail; along with many other improvements.

Post Date:

It's difficult to believe that iOS will be turning into a legal adult next fall, though the iOS 17 upgrade is far from being minor. Many new features and functions will be available for everyone. To check out some of the mainstream changes, Apple's official iOS 17 preview page may help. Alternatively, our main post announcing iOS 17 offers a large list of mainstream enhancements as well as a list of changes in accessibility.