In iOS 8, Apple introduced a great new feature: the ability for VoiceOver to announce streets and points of interest (POIs) as you walk. To enable this, open the Maps app, and double tap the "tracking" button (lower left of the screen) until you hear "on with heading". So long as your iPhone or cellular-capable iPad is unlocked and the Maps app is open to that initial map view you begin with, you will hear announcements as you walk or drive around.
Please keep…
It's fall, which means it's time for another iOS update to fall on to your iDevices. That is, if you are using an iPhone 4S or later, iPad 2 or later, or iPod Touch fifth generation or later. This year, Apple introduces a lot of new mainstream features such as the ability to share purchased items with family members on joint accounts with the iTunes and App Store, the further harmonization of iOS and OS X, interactive notifications, wifi calling - just to name a few.…
***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***
***Update 20 October 2014: A number of these bugs have been fixed in iOS 8.1. See our post for more details:…
With the public release of iOS 8 now just two days away, we wanted to let you all know that we have lots of information and resources ready to share with you as soon as Apple makes its new version of iOS available for download.
This will include a number of Blog posts and Guides with information on what you will find in iOS 8, along with podcast demonstrations of some new and changed features.
Some of our Editorial Team have been involved in beta testing of iOS 8, so have been…
The big announcements from Apple today gave us what rumors had suggested: the iPhone 6, available in two screen sizes, an Apple Watch, and apple Pay, a way to pay for things using just your iPhone or Apple Watch.
This blog will highlight the major features of Apple's new devices and services, and offer my thoughts on how they might be useful to the blind and visually impaired community. Spoiler alert: holy Apples, will they be useful! You might also enjoy…
Alongside today’s release of iOS 7.1.2, Apple has also released OS X Mavericks 10.9.4 to the general public.
According to 9 to 5 Mac, OS X 10.9.4 includes the following improvements:
• Fixes an issue that prevented some Macs from automatically connecting to known Wi-Fi networks • Fixes issue causing the background or Apple logo to appear incorrectly on startup…
Apple has today released iOS 7.1.2, bringing with it bug fixes and security improvements.
According to 9 to 5 Mac, the iOS 7.1.2 update contains the following changes:
• Improves iBeacon connectivity and stability • Fixes a bug with data transfer for some 3rd party accessories, including bar code scanners • Corrects an issue with data protection class…
In June 2009, Apple changed the accessible smartphone market forever with the announcement of the VoiceOver screen reader on the iPhone 3GS. The device was officially released to the public on Friday, June 19, 2009; five years later, I thought it would be fun to take a look at my own early experiences with the iPhone, reflect on how much VoiceOver has changed (hint: more than I realized), and offer some thoughts on—and hopes for—the future.
For those new to how VoiceOver works,…
This blog will cover all the cool new stuff Apple just announced during the Keynote presentation of the 2014 WWDC. I will avoid statistics and other "filler" information, and stick only to the things that, I feel, will be of interest and/or benefit to the AppleVis community of iOS and OS X users. If you missed the action and want to see things as they came in, check out our…
With WWDC coming up on June 2, we are very probably about to find out what iOS8 and OS X 10.10 will contain. AppleVis already has an article about our hopes for iOS 8 and Jonathan Mosen wrote up an iOS8 wish list of his own that is…
The June 2 WWDC keynote—and presumably, the first public showcase and beta of iOS 8—is fast approaching. Over the last couple weeks, I’ve been seeing some iOS 8 “feature lists," for lack of a better term, circulating around the internet. Jonathan Mosen from Mosen Consulting even put together a "Top 10 Accessibility Wish List" for iOS 8, which is definitely worth a read if you have not done so already. (…
Apple is now offering hands-on accessibility training workshops at many of its retail stores.
As originally reported by Access iQ, Apple is now offering workshops for users of its assistive technology software at many Apple Store locations. Accessibility workshops include those for users with vision, hearing, and physical disabilities and cover both iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks.
For blind and…
Apple has just released OS X Mavericks 10.9.3, the third update to the OSX 10.9 Mavericks operating system.
According to the release notes, quoted on Mac Rumors, OS X 10.9.3 contains the following updates:
Apple today released iOS 7.1.1, an update that brings bug fixes—including a fix for the Bluetooth keyboard issue many VoiceOver users have experienced.
According to Mac Rumors, iOS 7.1.1 contains Touch ID improvements, a fix for an issue that could impact keyboard performance--and a fix for a Bluetooth keyboard issue when VoiceOver is enabled.
iOS 7.1.1 is available via Over-the-Air update and through…
Have you ever thought about making the switch from braille notetaker to iOS device? Are you unsure which one you should choose? Do you have both, and can't decide which one to invest in moving forward? I made the switch from a BrailleNote Apex to an iPhone, quite slowly and mostly by accident, and I'm here to tell you why a notetaker is the only way to go, and why that metal and glass frisbee in your hand is nothing but trouble. Then, I'll explain why you should ditch that…
Macs have been fully accessible since 2005, but those who have never used one may still believe the myths about VoiceOver that have been around almost as long as VoiceOver itself. Even long-time users may be doing extra work, not even realizing that there are shortcuts or steps they can skip. I would like to take this opportunity to dispel these long-standing myths, and maybe make you more comfortable with the idea of switching to, or at least trying out, a Mac.
In this post, we will discuss the importance of reporting accessibility-related bugs to Apple and the best way to do so.
AppleVis is a great platform for discussing VoiceOver, Braille, and low vision related issues in Apple products, allowing you to confirm with others if what you are experiencing is indeed a bug, find and share workarounds, and express your frustration. However, it's important to make sure that the Accessibility Team at Apple is aware of these bugs so they can…