Best iPhone for a totally blind person

By Cecilia, 18 October, 2021

Forum
Apple Hardware and Compatible Accessories

My poor iPhone 8 Plus is about to die, so I need to upgrade, but I’m not sure which iPhone is the best for a totally blind person. I’m not interested in the iPhone SE. I would like an iPhone that has decent speakers and a decent camera for those times when I need to ask for help through an app or for when I do decide to learn how to take pictures or video. I want the iPhone to be the newest model possible so that I don’t have to upgrade again anytime soon. I am totally blind, although I am very familiar with voiceover. Still, I’ll probably have someone at the store help me to get things set up initially. I’m not a techno genius, but I can hold my own pretty well most of the time. I don’t want to go any lower than the highest iPhone 11, whether that’s the promax, promax plus, or whatever it’s called. So, can anyone give me a suggestion as to which is the best iPhone for me? I would be very grateful for any suggestions or ideas as to what I need to consider. Thanks!

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Comments

By Unregistered User (not verified) on Sunday, October 24, 2021 - 03:27

You said it yourself. You want the newest one, and that's the iPhone 13. Whether you get the mini, regular, pro, or pro max is up to you, how much you value the improved cameras and longer battery life on the pros, and how many Benjamins you're willing to part with. Unlike last year, the 13 mini reportedly has quite acceptable battery life, so you're free to choose. Just be ready to wait a few weeks for delivery, courtesy of the chip shortage.

As to which ones are good for blind people, it's all of them. If you're buying new, iOS is iOS is iOS. I have an iPhone 11 (which is absolutely fantastic) at the moment and am awaiting delivery of a 13 Pro Max since I have a pathological hatred of my money. You're coming from an iPhone with Touch ID, so be ready to switch over to looking at your phone to unlock and swiping up from the bottom of the screen to go home. Personally, I find the gestures easier than having to do that 4-finger swipe thing on the status bar. Face ID is totally workable, but I personally wish Touch ID had stuck around.

By Unregistered User (not verified) on Sunday, October 24, 2021 - 03:27

Hi!
The best iphone is not to have tath one at all.
Certainly it is just my opinion.
If the blind people asked me about technical advantages or disadvantages, I would find what to answer.
But ... The best is not to buy at all.
Cheers!

By Mister Kayne on Sunday, October 24, 2021 - 03:27

Your question/ want/ request is very subjective; you out rightly said NO to the SE; I switched from the SE first generation to the second one i.e. the 2020 model. The phone is slightly bigger but still handy and has curved edges. At first; I regretted my decision, after I started appreciating the move. After the 12 mini was launched; I again started questioning myself for the hasty purchase. I like smaller phones that I can fit in my pockets and to me a big screen really does not make a damn of a difference as I too am totally blind. Keeping the price, form factor and what I need from a phone the SE 2020 I conclude was the best choice and looking forward to the SE 3 if there is ever going to be one. I don't think I would appreciate the boxy design of the 5S anymore. Also don't mind the size of the SE 2020 gotten very comfortable with it.

Since, your requirement is the latest, as suggested; go for any of the 13 models. Even the mini seems to be getting good reviews on battery performance

By Miguel82 on Sunday, October 24, 2021 - 03:27

Hello Cecilia, I agree with JP, 13 is the latest and will be around for some time. Just like you, I was also debating on purchasing 11, 12 or iphone 13.So, my decission landed on 13 as my first iphone. So far so good... it is OK. Good Luck!

By gailisaiah on Sunday, October 24, 2021 - 03:27

Hello Cecilia,
I would also recommend that when you make your phone choice, ask the salesperson to set up things for you. They'll make sure your old phone data is transferred to your new one, put on your new case and, I would recommend, a screen protector. Good luck.

By Holger Fiallo on Sunday, October 24, 2021 - 03:27

The pro has great battery from I hear. It is faster, and nice. It will last you several years. I have the 12 pro and is OK. Camera in the 13 pro is great and as I stated great battery. Now see if your phone companyhas a deal that you can take advantage oof.

By Mabbs92 on Sunday, October 24, 2021 - 03:27

Hi! As someone who is also totally blind, I will say the iPhone 13 Mini is the best. It's the perfect size, especially since we don't need to rely on the larger screens to see things. The battery is great (I made a post about this which I will link to below) and it fits perfectly in my hands. I switched from a 12 Pro which was almost perfect but just uncomfortable enough that I wanted it to be a little smaller. The camera is fantastic--I actually find that it performs better than my 12 Pro even though it only has two lenses instead of the 12 Pro's 3. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about it! :)
My post:
https://www.applevis.com/forum/hardware-accessories/iphone-13-mini-battery-life-my-experience

By Roxann Pollard on Sunday, October 24, 2021 - 03:27

As Mister Kayne so eloquently stated, the purchase of an iPhone really is a personal choice. There are so many things to consider, besides the impact to your wallet anyway.

First things first, however, whenever I upgrade to a new iPhone, I would personally never choose anything less than the current model, due to the end-of-life cycle that all tech faces. Buying the newest ensures the longest amount of life from said device.

Second, how much value do you place on the technological performance of the device. If I was able to upgrade today, I would happily choose the iPhone 13 Pro. I don't want the Pro max because of its size and my small hands. The iPhone 13 Pro is a bit smaller and only has slightly less camera functions; therefore, for myself, I would still feel like I just got a new pair of shoes with the iPhone 13 Pro despite it not being the absolute top of the line model.

Third, how much memory do you want. For me, I am a confessed memory hog. the more memory the better, again, this depends upon the impact to your wallet.

these are the sorts of things that I look at when upgrading. Hopefully this will assist you in finding your perfect iPhone companion.

Note: My personal choice for screen protectors is the Zagg glass screen protector. Yes it is actually a sheet of glass that fits over the screen. I used to purchase those plastic, sticky backed sheets for protection but grew to hate them over time. The glew would break down and the thing would look bad quickly. Since choosing the Zagg glass, I will never use anything else. it is military grade glass and has served me well. I recommend your iPhone carrier for installation. this way, should they mess it up and put the thing on crookedly, it won't cost you anything for them to fix the mistake.

HTH