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Finally-A Blind-Friendly iPhone

Several weeks ago, I wrote that I envied those incredibly lucky people who owned an iPhone. Earlier this week, I found to my immense surprise and pleasure that I no longer need be envious, because very soon I too could be the proud owner of one of these devices.

Several years ago, Apple developed a screen reader for its Mackintosh computers called Voice Over. While Voice Over was infinitely preferable to some customers because, unlike traditional screen readers, it was built into the device, it had several quirks, including lack of accessibility in certain situations and the fact that often, it would not work with software installed on the Mac for other applications. Apple evaluated the application, made a few changes, and put it on the iPhone. Although it will not work with many of the external applications that can be purchased for the iPhone, it will work with all programs which are included on the phone upon purchase.

This development thrills me for so many reasons, one of which is Voice Over itself. With traditional screen readers, web pages or menus like the start menu were read as a list of options. With Voice Over and the iPhone, options will be read as you tap their locations on the screen. Therefore, we cannot only access these options but learn where they are located in the context of other options. For blind individuals, special concepts are incredibly challenging, and one of the most challenging is distance, especially the distance from one object or point to another. For the first time, we may have a screen reader which, on one device at least, helps us overcome these issues.

Another aspect of the iPhone that excites me is that the screen reader is built into the phone. There are screen readers which can be purchased to make cell phones more accessible. However, they are rather expensive, and are only compatible with certain phones. None of these phones, I can say with certainty, is as versatile as the iPhone. With an accessible iPhone, we will have a web browser, MP3 player, and cell phone all in one, not to mention some of the incredibly nifty features like the date, time, weather forecast, and a memo pad.

I do have concerns, as I would with any device that was the first of its kind. The very nature of touch screens means that great care must be taken when selecting an option to ensure that the wrong one is not selected. This precaution is somewhat negated by Voice Over, since a single tap will inform the user of what option, letter, or number they are touching, and a double tap will select said option. However, I wonder how light a touch will be constituted as a tap. Fortunately, with a flick of the fingers, according to Apple, you can easily move the cursor backwards or forwards and overwrite a letter you have just typed. Another feature which will work in our favor is the word suggestions and spell check which can be accessed through Voice Over. The screen reader will suggest a word after the first few letters have been typed. If we wish to ignore, we will simply continue typing, and if we do not, we will press the space bar.

But though the entire accessibility setup for this device sounds so simple, I wonder what hidden learning curves there will be. Yes, you are more than welcome to call me a cynic, and once I have my hands on one of these gorgeous babies, I probably will do the same. But this sounds almost too easy and too good to be true, and I have learned that things that sound that way usually have hidden catches.

I am trying to keep my flamboyance in check by reminding myself of these concerns, I really am. But there are so many incredible features of the phone itself, and then so many awesome accessibility features which have been advertised. Besides the screen reader, here are two more I am looking forward to. If we have iTunes 8.2, we as blind individuals will be able to activate the phones by ourselves. On the computer, we will be able to enable Voice Over, meaning we will immediately be able to configure our phones to our liking without sighted assistance.

One of the configurations I am most looking forward to, especially when I am using the phone in a public place like a mall, is the screen curtain which blackens the screen so that sighted people can’t see what you are typing. We can simply plug in the stereo headset that comes with the phone and type on our merry way. The other feature I am looking forward to is the voice control. This feature can be utilized in iTunes, allowing the selection of the album, playlist, or song you wish to hear without using the touch screen. Voice control can also be employed with the call option, meaning that instead of having to type the number you wish to call, you can simply speak it.

Aside from the screen reader, the other large concern I have is price. For an upgraded phone with AT&T, the price is somewhere near $200. If you are buying it without an upgrade, it is nearer $500. With the expensive data and minutes plans that will accompany it, I fear the prices will drive some people away. This concerns me, mainly because no matter our feelings about touch screens as a community, we are going to have to become accustomed to them. More and more transactions are taking place using touch screens, and more and more efforts are being made to develop technology to make them accessible. The purchasing of an iPhone will be an ideal way to have an incredibly versatile phone and become used to this type of technology. At least, that is how I am attempting to justify it to my mother. Whether it works or not is still up in the air.

[Thanks: http://www.healthnews.com]

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