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Welcome to the October 2015 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.

New and Noteworthy App Entries

A Blind Legend (Free)

Imagine There's No Button…

For years now, there have been rumblings that Apple may do away with a physical Home button in the next iPhone. So far, of course, this hasn't happened--that small circle has remained in place, and even been made to double as a fingerprint reader. For most users, this is just as well; the thought of an iPhone with no Home button causes discomfort and an immediate, negative reaction. As I sometimes like to do, such as with my…

10 more tips for users of Braille displays on iDevices

Two years have passed since my original 10 Tips for Braille Users of iDevices article was published, and many changes have happened since that time. There were also a few more helpful tips I didn't pass along due to Space constraints. So, I've decided it was time for another list, given that we’…

Apple has today released OS X El Capitan 10.11.1, bringing with it a series of bug fixes and improvements—including a fix for Microsoft Office 2016 compatibility.

According to AppleInsider, this update improves the stability, compatibility, and security of a user's Mac.

Specific changes made in OS X 10.11.1, according…

Apple has today released watchOS 2.0.1.

For blind and low vision users, Apple has addressed a bug where the on/off status of alarms was not spoken by VoiceOver; changing the text input language when replying is also now accessible.

Unlike iOS 9.1 and OS X 10.11.1, there were no pre-release betas of watchOS 2.0.1 issued to developers. Thus, if additional accessibility changes are identified, we will update this post accordingly.

Besides the accessibility improvements…

Apple has today released iOS 9.1, bringing with it some new features and improvements across the operating system.

For blind and low vision users, Apple has made some progress towards addressing the accessibility bugs still present in iOS 9.0.2.

At this point, it is worth noting that our testing of iOS 9.1 has been somewhat limited. While a majority of our editorial team has been using iOS 9.1 since September, it is…

If you have read any of my previous posts about the Apple Watch, you will know that it’s been somewhat of a rollercoaster ride. From not seeing what it could offer me; to getting caught up in the hype; hitting the pre-order line; only to then return the Watch for a refund; to…

Apple has today updated its Pages, Keynote, and Numbers apps for iOS and Mac, bringing with them a number of significant accessibility improvements for VoiceOver users.

In Pages, Numbers and Keynote, VoiceOver users can now read relevant text formatting details including font name and font size while editing. It is now much easier for VoiceOver users to add, remove, rearrange rows, columns, add and review comments, edit chart data and chart elements, get table header information,…

Twenty years ago, my seven year old son and I were sitting on the stairs in our house. Curious what he might say, I turned to my child and asked, "Richard, why do you love me so much?"

My son pondered for a few moments, and then thoughtfully replied, "I guess I'm getting used to you."

We love our children, significant others, friends, pets, and guide dogs. But, some of us are a bit nerdy. We also love our toys.

College in the 1970s was a great environment to discover…

In recognition of World Sight Day and Blindness Awareness Month, Apple has today updated its Popular Apps Using VoiceOver App Store collection.

Among the new apps added to the collection are…

Welcome to the September 2015 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.

New and Noteworthy App Entries

Audio Rally Racing (US$14.…

Apple has today released OS X 10.11 El Capitan. As with any major upgrade, it brings a number of exciting new accessibility features, but a number of new bugs have also been introduced. If you have not already upgraded, we strongly recommend that you read this list (and any user-submitted comments posted thereafter) before doing so, as we believe there are a number of bugs present in OS X El Capitan which may have a negative impact on the experience for some VoiceOver users.

At this…

Today, Apple released OS X 10.11 El Capitan, a free update that will run on any Mac which supports Yosemite. Apple addressed some bugs in this release, as well as including a lot of new features in VoiceOver, and we think you'll really enjoy these updates and improvements. If you find any we missed, especially regarding braille or Zoom--which none of us have the capability to test--please leave a comment and let us know.

Before you update, be sure to have a look at our…

Two weeks to the day after releasing iOS 9 and a week after releasing iOS 9.0.1, Apple has today released iOS 9.0.2 to the public.

According to Apple's release notes via Mac Rumors, iOS 9.0.2 contains the following:

This update…

Take the Size Difference with a Grain of Salt

There is a very slight difference in the thickness of the iPhone 6S when compared to the 6. And because it's thicker, just like with human beings, that means it weighs slightly more. However, until I held the 6s in one hand and the 6 in another, I couldn't really tell that there was a difference in the weight or girth of the phone. Take this with a grain of salt then, quite literally, as that's about the difference in thickness between…

Only a week after releasing iOS 9 to the public, Apple has today released iOS 9.0.1 with a number of bug fixes.

According to Apple's release notes via Mac Rumors, iOS 9.0.1 contains the following bug fixes:

• Fixes an issue where some users could not…

The Wait Is Over!

When the iPhone 6 was announced last year, I wrote a blog post detailing my plans to resist temptation and hang onto my trusty iPhone 5 until the 6S came out. That year has now passed, and the iPhone 6S is here. In re-reading that post, I realized just what a good thing it was that I waited. I'm upgrading my phone this year, and the only question now is: Plus…

Apple has today released watchOS 2, marking the first major update to the Apple Watch operating system since the device was released in April.

According to Apple. this release brings a mixture of refinements and new features to the Apple Watch:

With watchOS 2, we’ve refined it. There are more faces to choose from. Faster, more powerful apps. Enhanced communication options. And innovative new ways to make your Apple…

The News Quandary

In June, Apple unveiled its News app, which pulls together news from around the web and lets you read it all in one place, like an RSS reader. Unlike traditional RSS services, though, News can get an idea of what sources and topics interest you, then pull articles from everywhere that it thinks relate to the things you like. It's a curated news service, rather than the simple pipe of RSS feeds. In other words, instead of getting every article published by sources…

Intro

AppleVis already has posts on iOS9: we've seen an overview of the new accessibility features, a podcast covering all that iOS9 brings to the table, a…