I have been an iPhone user for the past 6 years. And to tell you the truth, I came into it kicking and screaming! Back in the day I used either an accessible cell phone specifically for the blind or an old fashion flip phone. Remember those? I had always known about iPhones and how great  and accessible they were but was uninterested. I had no use for the fancy bells and whistles which are the norm today like downloading books, reading financial info, listening to music or playing video games. I just wanted to make a simple phone call and hang up. I finally bit the apple when Uber and Lyft came to town and I was desperate for alternative transportation. That sold the deal for me!

Today, I use my iPhone for a myriad of tasks that are too numerous to list in this blog post. this transformation was a slow but steady process and I got lots of help from friends that used an iPhone. However, when they were not available, I sought assistance from AppleVis, which recently celebrated a ten year anniversary launching a redesign and upgrade. According to their website, appleVis is a community powered website for blind and low-vision users of Apple’s range of Mac computers, the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. AppleVis has been my go to resource for their app directory, podcast and monthly newsletter.

1.  App Directory-The app directory was my first interaction with AppleVis. This section of the website gives suggestions of accessible apps that work well with Apple products. You can search by name or category. When you search for the app there is a nice review that gives its functionality, its accessibility, price, developer info, etc. This section is helpful when trying to figure out not only whether I want to spend the money but also my time and energy because the work has already been done. Reading the info in the directory has helped me to make better overall decisions about app purchases.

2.  AppleVis Podcast-This is the place where I interact with AppleVis the most. I am a podcast lover! Every day I am listening to some kind of podcast and AppleVis is on the list. Usually they have great ones on how to do a particular function on my iPhone. For example, I have learned how to check my battery health, how to delete Siri history, how to send robocalls to voice mail, and change phone contact labels. All of these tasks and more help me use my phone better and have given me confidence in using this technology.

3.  Monthly Newsletter-I enjoy reading because it is chalked full of information. Additionally, The format and layout make it easy to navigate with my screen reader. I can move from section to section with little problem. I also like the app update section for the latest news. I can check this section for apps that I personally use to see if updates or bug fixes have been made. This section lists new apps to checkout too.

I appreciate the team at AppleVis for all the work and effort they have put into this resource for the blind community. They have lived up to their mission of encouraging, supporting and exploring ways Apple products can offer opportunities to the visually impaired for personal enrichment, independence and empowerment.