Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), and to mark this we are urging everybody to use it as an opportunity to reach out to iOS and OS X developers - to either encourage them to make their applications accessible and usable by the vision-impaired; or to show your appreciation for applications which already are.
GAAD was created as a mechanism to reach out to the people who “build, shape, fund and influence…
In addition to releasing software updates for iOS, OS X, watchOS and the fourth-generation Apple TV, Apple has today released iTunes 12.4.
According to Apple’s release notes via 9to5Mac, this update brings a number of design and navigation tweaks:
- Now enjoy all of your music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, and more in a simpler design.
- …
Today has seen another flurry of software updates from Apple. In addition to the release of iOS 9.3.2, there have also been updates for the Mac, Apple Watch and fourth-generation Apple TV.
Full release notes for these updates are not yet available, but it is safe to assume that there will be the standard round of bug fixes, security patches, and under-the-hood…
Apple has today released iOS 9.3.2 to the public, bringing with it bug fixes and under-the-hood improvements.
At the time of writing, it appears that blind and low vision users will find little change to the known accessibility bugs present in iOS 9.3.1.
The only change that we are presently aware of is some improvement in…
On the 3rd of May 2016 I started my first ever job, and I quickly realised that I needed a multi-technology strategy to match the productivity of my work colleagues. Being an iOS user since 2009 I was sure that part of my technology strategy would involve my iPhone or iPad, and I wasn’t wrong.
In this post I would like to tell you about the physical make up of the said strategy, i.e. what device I am using, and how using iOS enables me to increase my access and productivity…
I am walking through apricot orchards, on my way to another dreadfully long day at Cupertino Junior High. I am shorter and younger than most of the other boys. I am night blind and I wear sunglasses indoors. I do magic as a hobby and everyone knows it. I also don't know when to shut up. And, to guarantee my total social estrangement, I am carrying my violin case. The year is 1966 and I am on my way to another serious butt-kicking at school.
Social awareness was never my strong suit.…
We are pleased to announce that voting for the 2016 inductees into the AppleVis iOS App Hall of Fame is now open.
First opened in 2011, the AppleVis iOS App Hall of Fame is one of the ways in which the AppleVis community seeks to recognize developers of accessible iOS applications. Apps in the Hall of Fame can be liberating; empowering; life-changing; provide access to information that sighted users take for granted; or, in…
Ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 19, Apple has today launched a new room in iTunes dedicated to highlighting audio-described movies for blind and low vision users.
The room, available at http://www.iTunes.com/AudioDescription, for the first time makes available a listing of all audio-described movies on iTunes in one central location.
Among the…
As we reported in December 2015, Apple was rumored to begin selling accessories related to accessibility in early 2016. Those rumors are now coming to fruition, At the time of posting, the Apple website lists a total of 15 accessories available for purchase. Among those accessories are several…
Since owning my iPhone I have found a world of apps, information and services which I thought that I would never have access to. I am sure any one reading this who is familiar with the accessibility of iOS and Mac will know exactly what I mean, but if you are new to AppleVis or the accessibility of such devices, having a built-in screen reader which gives me access to anything including news, travel, cloud-storage, sat-nav services and audio books to name a few is simply life changing.
…Welcome to the April 2016 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which aims to highlight what's new and noteworthy in the accessible app landscape. Below, you'll find a recap of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to podcasts and blogs. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.
I save soap. When I travel, I do not rip-off hotel towels, coffee cups or blankets. That would be wrong. However, I do collect little bars of soap. I generally find one bar at the hotel room sink and another on the side of the tub. I unwrap one to use, and then put the other in my luggage. Before the maid comes by the next day, I surreptitiously slip the moist and somewhat diminished bar into a plastic doggy bag and stash it in a drawer. When I return to my room, I find two brand new cakes…
Update 19 May, 2016: Facebook has today announced that automatic alt text is now available globally in English.
*** Facebook has today officially launched it’s much anticipated tool for automatically generating descriptions of photos posted to its site.
Called Automatic Alternative Text (AAT), the tool has been developed by Facebook’s…
Do you have a Mac and a blog? Do you wish you had an easy, accessible, and feature-rich program to help make writing and publishing your posts a snap? If you answered "yes" to either of these questions, then read on and enter to win a copy of MarsEdit - the blog editor for WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger and more. MarsEdit is an accessible, feature-rich blogging app for Mac…
Welcome to the March 2016 edition of AppleVis Unlimited, our monthly series which aims to highlight what's new and noteworthy in the accessible app landscape. Below, you'll find a recap of the best content posted to AppleVis - from new app entries, to app updates, to podcasts and blogs. For easier navigation, the major sections of this post are at heading level 3, and each individual item is at heading level 4.
Apple has today released iOS 9.3.1 to the public, bringing a fix for the web link crashing bug that many users have been experiencing since updating to iOS 9.3.
According to AppleInsider, this bug was “related to an iOS 9 feature called Universal Links, which allow third-party app developers to have certain domain names open links directly into their app. This means…
I’m a millennial. I love how the rapidly changing pace of technology allows us access to so much information. I usually have no qualms about jumping right in when a new, potentially revolutionary service comes out. For instance, I can’t wait to get my hands on an iPhone SE so I can try out Apple Pay, if only to say that I’ve tried it and to understand why Apple hyped it up when they announced it. However, as humans, we generally only like so much change. One change I’…
With Apple, most of us are in for some big excitements when it comes to the company's gorgeous events. Of course over the past couple of years, the smorgasbord of leaks prior to the events have spoiled the anticipation phase a bit. However, regardless of what you might or might not have heard about Apple's event which was held this morning, let's focus on what the company debuted. Maybe what was put at our fingertips can form the basis of our next iDevice or…
Apple has today released OS X El Capitan 10.11.4, bringing with it a number of bug fixes and under-the-hood improvements.
The main outward-facing changes that we are aware of in OS X 10.11.4 are Live Photos support in Messages; the ability to password protect notes in the Notes app; and an option to import notes from Evernote.
At the time of posting we are only aware of one accessibility-related change in this release. This is a minor improvement to the App Store, where…
Apple has today released watchOS 2.2 for the Apple Watch, bringing with it new features and bug fixes.
In terms of new features, watchOS 2.2 introduces support for pairing multiple Apple Watches with a single iPhone; this feature requires both watchOS 2.2 and iOS 9.3 on the iPhone. Additionally, the native Maps app has gained support for the Nearby feature first introduced with iOS 9, and also now offers quicker access to directions to home and work.
Though these appear to be…