Apple has today released macOS 15 Sequoia to the public. As usual, we won’t cover the mainstream features here, concentrating instead on what's new and changed for blind and low vision users. For an overview of the mainstream changes, we recommend this in-depth review by MacStories.
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Apple has today released macOS 14 Sonoma to the public. As usual, we won’t cover the mainstream features here, concentrating instead on what's new and changed for blind and low vision users. For an overview of the mainstream changes, we recommend this in-depth review by MacStories.
Please remember to check the section about bugs to see if now is the right time to upgrade. There’s no harm in holding off a few weeks or months to let Apple address a problem you may find too disruptive to deal with.
Apple has today released macOS 26 Tahoe to the public. As usual, we won’t cover the mainstream features here, concentrating instead on what's new and changed for blind, DeafBlind, and low vision users. For an overview of the mainstream changes, we recommend this in-depth review by MacStories.
Syntellia have just released a new update to Fleksy, which includes a number of significant changes and new features.
We're particularly pleased to see that you can now try the app for free. Although you will need to pay to unlock the full functionality of the app, you can now at least experience what it is like typing with Fleksy before parting with any money.
Here is the press release from Syntellia:
Be My Eyes, the popular iOS and Android app that connects blind and low vision users with sighted volunteers for assistance via live video chat, has today launched an exciting new feature for users needing specialized or technical help.
Following today's update to the Be My Eyes app, users will find a new menu option on the app's main screen titled “Specialized Help”.
Microsoft has today announced that as of January 3, 2023, its Soundscape app will not be available for download and that existing installations will cease to work after the end of June 2023.
At the end of each month, members of the AppleVis Editorial Team take a look at all the apps that have been posted to the site during that month-either for the first time, or where there has been a significant update-and decide which of these they think is the most noteworthy.
The AppleVis Editorial Team app picks of the month for September 2014 are as follows:
Nine months after its launch in the United States, Apple Pay has today finally arrived in the UK. So, geek and early-adopter that I am, I found an excuse first thing this morning to visit my local convenience store to find out if they are among the reported 250,000 UK locations which will support Apple Pay from launch.
The good news is that they are. Even better news is that setting up and using Apple Pay on my Apple Watch really couldn’t have been any easier.
USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the support organization for the advancement and adoption of USB technology, has today announced a new USB HID (Human Interface Device) industry standard that aims to simplify the development of braille displays and allow for an improved user experience.
In it's press release, USB-IF describes this new standard as:
Update, 7/5/2014, 4:02 PM CDT: Members of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) have just passed Resolution 2014-12 at their annual national convention. The resolution calls upon Apple to work with the NFB to develop standards and policies to ensure the accessibility of all iOS apps. The full text of the resolution, as well as our original blog post, is below.
Update, 7/4/2016, 3:25 PM CDT: Members of the National Federation of the Blind have just passed Resolution 2016-04.
Apple has announced the winners of its 2024 Apple Design Awards, which honor excellence in innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement in app and game design across seven categories: delight and fun, inclusivity, innovation, interaction, social impact, visuals and graphics, and a new spatial computing category. The winners were chosen from 42 finalists.
On Global Accessibility Awareness Day, the Message is a Simple One; Good Design is Accessible Design
Today is the sixth annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD); when people are encouraged to talk, think and learn about digital access and inclusion. Our own message today for everybody involved in designing and developing software for Apple platforms, is a simple one: Make accessible design a core part of your development philosophy and practice - not just because it is the right thing to do, but because accessible design is synonymous with good design.
At the end of each month, members of the AppleVis Editorial Team take a look at all the apps that have been posted to the site during that month—either for the first time, or where there has been a significant update—and decide which of these they think is the most noteworthy.
The AppleVis Editorial Team app picks of the month for July 2014 are as follows:
Update #1
In reply to a question from us on Twitter, it’s been confirmed that active development will cease on all of the current audio games from Somethin’ Else and not just Papa Sangre.
Papa Sangre II, the wildly popular audio game, will be free to download in the app store for one day on Thursday, March 27, 2014 local time.
Somethin Else, the developers behind Papa Sangre II and The Nightjar, recently announced that last week, Papa Sangre II won the “Excellence in Sound Design” award at the 2014 International Mobile Gaming Awards. Papa Sangre II was also rated the #1 iOS game of 2013 by MetaCritic.