Android Apps More Accessible Than IOS Apps?

I've noticed some apps work way better on Android, like Telegram. But other apps, like Chime, which is a banking app, is terrible with Talkback. I never used Uber for the few months I was on Android. For the most part, I would say apps work equally well with either OS and screen reader, but I still prefer the Voiceover way of doing things, and feel that I work faster on iOS.

Sadly, no. Finding accessible dictionaries like Oxford or Merriam-Webster on Android is impossible, and accessible feature-rich RSS apps like Lire don't exist on the Android side.

Hi,

I have not used an updated version of TalkBack since I had my last Android device. Although, they are not perfect none the less. Both TalkBack (Android) and VoiceOver (Apple) do help in many ways. My experience with both has been very good. I don't know how TalkBack gestures work today but VoiceOver does have it's issues as well. I think it is all based on developer coding. Developers can try to make everything as accessible as they can. We the user(s) have to take the time to report as many issues to them as possible so that they can fix the coding for the Apps.

Some things work better with Jaws vs nVDA or the opposite. Milage will vary. I have seen some Android apps work better, but they do have no screen recognition with talkback and so if something is not going to work your out of luck. This whole what is better thing that happens every day is silly as things change, and for us these are just tools in a toolbox.

I think it mostly depends on the app we’re talking about. For example, if we look at Telegram, it’s far more accessible on Android than on iOS. However, if you look at WhatsApp, it’s much better on iOS. In my opinion, it’s not inaccessible on Android by any means—it’s accessible and usable—but it’s far more intuitive on iOS. WhatsApp supports VoiceOver actions but doesn’t fully support TalkBack actions on Android. In my experience, TalkBack sometimes jumps and loses focus on Android when using WhatsApp. VoiceOver also loses focus on iOS while using WhatsApp, but not as frequently.

Regarding Uber, I’m not sure. It’s true that there are some unlabeled buttons on iOS, but I’m not sure if it was in 2024 or 2023 that I had the same experience on Android. At that time, it was better on iOS, so maybe it’s just a matter of the developers updating the app—I don’t know.

I think some apps are more accessible on Android, while others are better on iOS. It really depends on the apps you want to use. For example, I find my banking app easier to use on iOS than on Android. It’s accessible on both systems, but for some reason, the Android version is really slow and sluggish. That’s not because of Android itself, but because of the developer.

So, I don’t know what to say. I think the accessibility of apps is in the hands of the developers, and we can’t definitively say one system is more accessible than the other because an app update can change everything.

Apple again is far ahead in this as well. Talk back has actions there is one huge problem with this. They aren't used in all google products. Then you have the issue of third party apps not using them. I say if Google the company behind the screen reader doesn't do it right how can you expect third party devs to take them seriously? Apple leads by example. This is why you see devs have them or if they don't they are willing to fix their issues.
check this article for proof of what I'm talking about.
https://accessibleandroid.com/accessible-android-investigates-do-google-apps-for-android-have-accessibility-actions/

The WalMart app, and my local grocery store app (Giant Eagle) are much more accessible on Android. I'm going to try Amazon and DoorDash today to see if either of those is less jumpy.

Something I have noticed fairly recently, when using the Amazon app on iOS, do not use a Siri voice with voiceover, use any other voice. For example, I use the Alex voice as one of my rotor voices for shopping on Amazon.
I cannot explain why, but the Alex voice is a lot more stable on the Amazon app, than any of the Siri voices.

HTH.

I think more apps on android need acctions, looking at you google, but at the same time they are usable without them

Do remember there was a time when iOS did not have actions either. Though it also would be wonderful if Google would get on top of this, since the framework is obviously there already. Just look at the Gmail app for android if you need proof.

Recently, they dropped the whole rotor process in the YouTube app in the majority of the windows. Now, just like Android, it's element, action menu button, element, action menu button, etc.
I'm guessing they can't really choose if they are fully switching though, as some screens still have the rotor actions but also have respective elements to the right.

I use both and they both have their quirks, aka accessibility holes. Someone earlier pointed out talkback doesn't have screen recognition and that's true enough but voiceover doesn't have AI image descriptions you can get with a single gesture. I find that usually works better for me than screen recognition for unlabeled buttons and the like. On the flipside talkback doesn't have the choice between flat and grouped navigation. Plus so much of this comes down to which devs break accessibility on which platform first, I have both phones mostly as ensurance for this very problem, ahem facebook, and even that is far from foolproof. We really need to get beyond this fighting fanboy paradigm, they're just tools with different approaches. Amyr is right that more iOS apps have built in swipe down actions, I'm right that talkback's image descriptions are quite useful in many otherwise inaccessible apps. Pick your poison, there will be plenty to complain about whichever broken system you swear by.