Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Phone Recommendations? (self.Blind)
submitted by ABlindManPlays
Hello all, I am in the market for a new cell phone as my current one threatens to die every day. I use AT&T, and I find myself in need of a smartphone with good speech-to-text and text-to-speech options. Do you have any recommendations before some store clerk tries to sell me the wrong item?
ukifrit 3 points 4y ago
Iphones are great
OutWestTexas 3 points 4y ago
I love my iPhone.
Altie-McAltface 1 points 4y ago
Everyone here is probably going to say iPhone, and they're probably right, but let me describe my experience as a blind android user.
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The one big advantage Android has over iOS in terms of accessibility is the ability to add 3rd party speech engines that can be used system-wide. I'm using Eloquence (the TTS engine that comes with JAWS).
​
It's true that Apple has a huge head start with VoiceOver compared to TalkBack on Android. It's faster to navigate via VoiceOver thanks to split-tapping, and braille support is pretty rudimentary on Android right now. Talkback also handles braille in a weird way: by using a separate app rather than integrating it into the screen reader. but accessibility is getting better and better as time goes on. If you don't want to be a guinea pig, than I suggest going with iPhone, but if you want to help improve the experience for blind android users, consider buying an Android phone. I would recommend the Pixel 3a or 3a XL.
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Android phones are also cheaper than iPhones. The aforementioned Pixel 3a XL is half the price of the current iPhone, and it comes with a headphone jack. Accessories are also cheaper thanks to the industry standard USB type C port vs Apple's proprietary (and expensive) lightning port.
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Android is also more customizable. I have a home screen widget that tells me the closest bus times. Most of the big accessibility apps are available (at least the ones I use) like Voice Dream Reader, Nearby Explorer, and BARD mobile.
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Apple devices do hold their value ridiculously well, though. I was able to trade in my iPhone 6 plus (released in 2014) for over $200 USD just a few weeks ago. And that's with a completely broken screen and digitizer.
​
The one big advantage Android has over iOS in terms of accessibility is the ability to add 3rd party speech engines that can be used system-wide. I'm using Eloquence (the TTS engine that comes with JAWS).
​
It's true that Apple has a huge head start with VoiceOver compared to TalkBack on Android. It's faster to navigate via VoiceOver thanks to split-tapping, and braille support is pretty rudimentary on Android right now. Talkback also handles braille in a weird way: by using a separate app rather than integrating it into the screen reader. but accessibility is getting better and better as time goes on. If you don't want to be a guinea pig, than I suggest going with iPhone, but if you want to help improve the experience for blind android users, consider buying an Android phone. I would recommend the Pixel 3a or 3a XL.
​
Android phones are also cheaper than iPhones. The aforementioned Pixel 3a XL is half the price of the current iPhone, and it comes with a headphone jack. Accessories are also cheaper thanks to the industry standard USB type C port vs Apple's proprietary (and expensive) lightning port.
​
Android is also more customizable. I have a home screen widget that tells me the closest bus times. Most of the big accessibility apps are available (at least the ones I use) like Voice Dream Reader, Nearby Explorer, and BARD mobile.
​
Apple devices do hold their value ridiculously well, though. I was able to trade in my iPhone 6 plus (released in 2014) for over $200 USD just a few weeks ago. And that's with a completely broken screen and digitizer.
GoneVision 1 points 4y ago
Try and iPhone XR. Android on the whole may be slightly more customizable than iOS; however, the accessibility you will find in iOS still beats android hands down. Source: accessibility subject matter expert.
-shacklebolt- 1 points 4y ago
What kind of phone do you currently have? How does it work for you?
I own an iphone. Most blind people I know who can afford it own an iphone. It's very easy to learn how to use and everything pretty much works right out of the box, which is why I generally recommend it to most people.
I own an iphone. Most blind people I know who can afford it own an iphone. It's very easy to learn how to use and everything pretty much works right out of the box, which is why I generally recommend it to most people.
ABlindManPlays [OP] 1 points 4y ago
At the moment, I own a Samsung Galaxy S5 that's on its last legs. It's hard for me to use, but I expect that's par for the course for being blind. I also need to make sure it's able to handle authenticators for Steam and the like.
-shacklebolt- 2 points 4y ago
I definitely suggest looking into an iphone. No reason for your phone to be hard to use, if anything I feel like iOS screen reader is much easier to pick up than a full desktop screenreader.
You can try it out in store at an apple store, too.
Applevis.com might help you figure out if your preferred authenticator app(s) are accessible as well.
You can try it out in store at an apple store, too.
Applevis.com might help you figure out if your preferred authenticator app(s) are accessible as well.
FrankenGretchen 1 points 4y ago
I'm an android user but I havd to say Iphones havd their shit together.
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