The Best Phones For The Blind And Visually Impaired
For those who are visually impaired, shopping for a new phone can be overwhelming and frustrating. Countless models of new phones are released every year, yet many of them are not designed with accessibility in mind.
Many new phones forego helpful tactile features like physical buttons, which were a mainstay in the past. Even when a phone has built-in accessibility features, many folks find it difficult to learn to use them.
These are just a few of the many reasons it can be difficult to find a cell phone when you are visually impaired.
But there is good news: searching for an accessible cell phone doesn’t have to be confusing.
We made this guide to help you cut through the clutter! Our goal is to simplify the process for you. We will give you the facts you need to make an informed decision as you shop.
Ready to learn more? Scroll to see our top picks for accessible cell phones.
3 Phones That Are Designed For The Visually Impaired
The Blindshell Classic 2 is a phone for blind and visually impaired users that features tactile buttons and voice feedback. For those users with low vision, a 2.8” screen displays information. However, this is not needed - your phone will read everything to you out loud. When you press any button on the Blindshell, an audible voice description will play from the phone speakers. This means that you don’t need to be able to see the phone screen in order to use it. One of the Blindhse’lls most useful features is voice control. You can use your voice to tell your phone to make calls, send texts, and more. There are 23 built-in applications, but the phone doesn’t feel complicated or cluttered.
Key Features:
- SMS & Voice Calling
- Full voice control
- OCR text reading
- Video magnifier
- Object identification
- Be My Eyes App
- Stream audiobooks, podcasts, radio, news, and more Smart reminders via voice control
Check out our product page for the Blindshell Classic 2 or watch the video below!
With its touchscreen and sleek design, the RealSam Pocket looks and feels like like a traditional smartphone. However, it’s a fully accessible, voice-controlled phone for blind and visually impaired users. There is only one option to press, which is “Tap To Talk”. Simply press it when you wish to make a command, and let your phone do the rest of the work! From there, the RealSAM Pocket speaks back to you to confirm any commands that you give it. Its interface and features are designed with user-friendliness in mind.
Key Features:
- Make calls
- Send texts
- Add contacts
- Video magnifier
- Be My Eyes app
- Stream podcasts, music, books, and more
- Identify objects
Check out our product page for the RealSam Pocket or watch the video below!
Synapptic is unique compared to the phones on this list. It is dedicated low-vision software that can be installed on most Android phones. It uses simplified, large print menus to make navigating your phone easy. A natural-sounding voice narrates your actions and lets you know where you’re at when you’re using the phone. You can buy Synapptic software on its own to install on your existing phone, or you can buy preinstalled on a phone. If you buy a Synapptic phone from Boundless AT, it also comes with our dedicated 2-year warranty and support.
Key Features:
Check out our product page for Synapptic or watch the video below!
Mainstream Phones With Helpful Features For The Visually Impaired
#1. iPhone
Prices: Varies based on model and configuration
While iPhones aren’t designed from the ground up for the visually impaired, Apple has introduced many helpful accessibility features to this phone. If you are blind, you can use a built-in feature called VoiceOver. It reads everything on the screen outloud and uses simplified gestures to allow you to control the phone. If you have low vision, you can increase the size of apps and text or use a built-in screen magnifier to see things more clearly.
Check out this page to learn more about the iPhone's accessible features!
#2. Android Devices
Devices that run on Android come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and brands! Android is a popular operating system that many manufacturers choose to load on their phones. While not specifically designed for the visually impaired, Android does offer many accessibility features that are suited to low-vision phone users. Features include a screen reader called TalkBack (which reads text from your phone out loud), zoom features, AI-generated image descriptions, and much more!
Check out this page to learn more about Android's accessible features!
Which Of These Phones Is Best For You?
This depends entirely on your goals and needs. As you’ve read above, each phone has its unique strengths and features. Below, we’ve listed some common phone preferences and the corresponding smartphone that may be a good fit!
The Best Fit For Those Who Prefer Physical Buttons:
If you’re looking for an accessible phone with physical buttons and a simple layout, the Blindshell Classic 2 is likely the best fit for you. There are no touchscreen features - everything is controlled by physical buttons (or voice commands, if you prefer).
The Best Fit For Those Who Prefer Voice Control:
All of the phones we have listed in this guide have varying degrees of voice control features. If you are looking for a phone that is specifically designed to be used by only voice commands, the RealSam Pocket is a great fit. The RealSam has one virtual button, which reads “tap to talk”. That’s all you need to press. From there, you can control your phone as desired.
Note that, while not specifically designed to be fully controlled by voice, iPhone, Android, and Blindshell also include voice control features.
The Best Fit For Those Who Need Smartphone Features:
If you’re an advanced phone user looking for in-depth smartphone features, we recommend selecting and iPhone or an Android device. The accessibility features on these mainstream phones do present a bit of a learning curve, but tech-savvy users will appreciate the flexible and powerful options that they provide. If you want some of the standard smartphone features in a simplified operating system, Synapptic phones may be a good fit for you.
Want To Learn More About Accessible Phones? Contact Us!
Call or email us today to chat with one of our experienced and knowledgeable sales representatives. We are happy to listen to your unique goals and recommend phones that are the best fit for you. Our relationship with our customers is more dedicated than what you’ll find with big box retailers. We get to know our customers, and we stand by every product we sell. Once you purchase your phone, you can have the peace of mind knowing that we are a simple call away. If you ever have any questions about your phone, you can reach out to us for answers. This is our commitment to our customers. Thank you for reading - don’t hesitate to reach out!
