VoiceVista

Description of App

VoiceVista is a critical application for the blind and low vision users' community. It is built upon Microsoft's discontinued and open-source project Soundscape (https://aka.ms/ossblog) and is licensed under the MIT License (https://github.com/microsoft/soundscape/blob/main/LICENSE.txt).

The app leverages advanced iOS audio technology and precise location services to empower individuals in developing a heightened sense of their environment. It offers reassurance in unfamiliar settings, assisting users in forming mental maps and confidently navigating their desired routes.

For more information on how the app works and how your data is used and protected, please review the service terms and privacy policy:

Service terms: https://drwjf.github.io/vvt/terms.html

Version

2.0.3

Free or Paid

Free

Device(s) App Was Tested On

iPhone

iOS Version

18.5

Accessibility Comments

Unlike soundscape, this app is available around the world.
Supports the following features:
- Siri shortcuts.
- Street preview.
- Direction tracking using headphones.
- Marker and route import and export.
- Apple maps and Google maps are available to choose from.
- Media controls from headphones.
- Turn-by-turn navigation
- Callout of mobility related places in the surroundings
- Generation of reversed routes for backward walking

VoiceOver Performance

VoiceOver reads all page elements.

Button Labeling

All buttons are clearly labeled.

Usability

The app is fully accessible with VoiceOver and is easy to navigate and use.

Other Comments

Dr. Jianfeng Wu, has been working on this application for the past month or so. Once again, this developer has done a fantastic job. I cannot overstate his skill, work ethic, and contribution to this community. I am truly amazed by the product of his work.

Having said that, since the application is brand new, Dr. Jianfeng Wu is asking for any feedback we can provide to help improve the app.

App Store Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/voicevista/id6450388413

Developer's Website

https://drwjf.github.io/

Recommendations

15 people have recommended this app

Most recently recommended by Peter Holdstock 1 month 3 weeks ago

Options

Comments

V. 1.4.7 released

- Customization of POI super categories for the 'What's around me' and 'What's ahead' commands
- A new super category 'Bus Stop' split from the 'Mobility' super category

Service roads

Apologies if this has been mentioned previously, but is there an option, or can an option be added, to disable the calling out of service roads? I live in a very busy metro city, and sometimes driveways are announced as service roads, which can be disorientating.

Thanks in advance.

Re: Would you please check "Enable Media Controls" switch option

Thank you for the response. I checked this and "Enable Media Controls" is off (disabled). The audio is still being held with mFI hearing aids when the ap is set to sleeping.

Option to disable Service Road Callouts

1. Go to Settings Tab
2. Select Callouts Settings
3. Switch off "Unnamed Roads" in "INTERSECTION DETAIL" section.

V. 1.4.8 released

- Fix automatic callouts issue for bus stops and intersections
- Customize the trigger ranges for automatic callouts of POIs by supercategories
- Customize the trigger distance for the next waypoint in route guidance mode
- Translation updates in Italian by Simone Dal Maso

V. 1.4.9 released

- Disclose how supercategories are derived from OpenStreetMap tags
- Match sound effects to different supercategories
- Translation updates in Danish and Italian by Claus Thøgersen and Simone Dal Maso

Re: Option to disable Service Road Callouts

Cool, thank you for the info. 😎

V. 1.5.0 released

- Customization of turnpoint sensing distance
- Updates of sound effects

V. 1.5.1 released

- Route calculation with alternative results
- Options to avoid tolls and highways
- Translation updates in Danish and Italian by Claus Thøgersen and Simone Dal Maso

enhancements to driving mode still not addressed

When in a vehicle, and on a freeway, up coming highway exits are still not being properly announced. Moreover, I'm still getting the "crosswalk" spam as well.

V. 1.5.2 released

- Options to disable sound effects for POIs and markers
- Translation updates in Danish, Italian, and Russian by Claus Thøgersen, Simone Dal Maso and Danil Kostenkov

V. 1.5.3 released

- Crossings super-category for customization
- Irish language translation
- Translation updates in Danish and Spanish by Claus Thøgersen and Enrique Varela

V. 1.5.4 released

- Lithuanian translation

V. 1.5.5 released

Estonian translation

V. 1.5.6 released

- Afrikaans Translation
- Do not round distance values in callouts

Fantastic app.

I have recently rediscovered this app, and love it. The street preview is excellent and gives an understanding of surrounding properties and streets. Love the markers and beacon feature, however even if a user is just running this app in its basic function just by opening the app and walking, you will learn a lot about information relative to your location.

How do I add businesses for…

How do I add businesses for the Voice Vista APP to announce when I am walking around my community?

adding custom locations

pretty sure the only way to do this is to add a marker while you're standing in front of the business. Works pretty well. Otherwise, I suppose you could add it within the service VoiceVista uses for points of interest. Somebody sure as heck is adding their personal homes for whatever reason in my neighborhood.

Serious bug in version 2.1.2

When I open the app after updating to version 2.1.2 the start-up sound plays but then the screen goes totally blank with VoiceOver and no instructions etc. play. I haven't found any way to get out of this, so for now, the app is completely unusable for me. Anyone else with this problem?

Same for Me

I can also confirm this behaviour with the latest update. I'm using an iPhone 16E running iOS 26.0.1. Once the app is opened and the startup sound plays, all I can see on the screen is the status bar. Screen recognition doesn't do anything, so I think it is a completely blank screen that appears.

Me too

iPhone 13 Pro Max with iOS 18.6.2

Sluggish response

I had the same issues. I left VoiceVista on for over 5 minutes until I heard announcements of addresses around me. Swiping to the right did not give me the immediate categories. I closed VoiceVista by using the app switcher. Let's hope the fix will be on its way soon.

Re: Serious bug in version 2.1.2

The following appears to have resolved this issue for me:

With Voicevista in the foreground, enable Screen Recognition via the VoiceOver rotor. You should now find the interface navigable.
Disable Screen Recognition.

After disabling Screen Recognition, a pop-up appeared inviting me to subscribe to the app. I dismissed this and since then the app has behaved as expected - I have been able to restart both the app and my phone without the previous behaviour reappearing.

My guess is that the pop-up dialog somehow caused the behaviour, and briefly enabling and disabling Screen Recognition flushed whatever the issue was.

Of course, your own experience may vary.

What version?

Working fine for me V2.1.1 so maybe there is a later version that causes this?

Developers request

He asks if someone can send him a screenshot from when the issue happens if possible.
You can either send it to his developer email which can be found on this page, or in the WhatsApp group.

Fixed for me

Strangely, I just went back into the app to try get a screenshot of the issue, and it is working fine now. Nothing has changed on my end… Maybe he was able to push out a backend fix?

Working for me too

I opened the app again and it was still broken. So I tried to use the rotor to enable screen recognition but it didn't seem to let me. So I went back to my home screen then back into the app and it started working. I then closed the app again and started it up from scratch and it is still working.

Admittedly last time I literally just opened it, found the bug and closed it without doing anything else.