I don't use a braille display with a phone myself, but still I want to demonstrate the same thing as you, that Android can be as good as IOS. Though admitedly it's also because of Apple's last design choice which, to me, are more about design than practicality. I really think the IPhones, and especially the IPhone X, are overpriced for what they are.
But I do respect Apple for the fact that if today blind people are able to choose from many smartphone models from various brand just as the sighted do, it's without much doubt thanks to Apple's investment in accessibility. And the fact other brands are united under the Android banner, of course.
Now, if I refer to some discussions in the Blindphones group and even the Eyes-Free group, it seems the angular gesture, or more exactly the absence of multitouch gesture in Talkback, is what turns of most people from fully looking at which choice they have. To be honest that makes me sad, and I really hope multitouch gessture will be implemented at some point in Talkback, as an alternative to what Talkback already has.
Aside of maybe some accessibility flaws that some manufacturer's user interface may contain, it seems to be the last step to solve before most blind users fully realize the variety of devices they can choose from. Not that everyone should switch to Android as I do, but it's clear what we are living would have been unthinkable not so long ago.
The only thing I'd be unable to speak of as I didn't use my IPhone for many things aside calling and texting, is how some current apps compare on both OS. At least when I'll get my OnePlus 5T, I intend to tap into more of it's potential than with my old, obsolete IPhone 4S.
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Thinking on switching from iOS to android (Page 2 of 2)
AudioGames.net Forum → Off-topic room → Thinking on switching from iOS to android
Posts: 26 to 47 of 47
#26 2018-01-02 19:40:19 (edited by pulseman45 2018-01-03 11:29:24)
#27 2018-01-03 01:34:37
Well guys. I took a trip on the galaxy so to speak. LOL I did a thing and now sometime on Friday there will be a truck dropping off a shiny new toy to my house. It is just a regular s8. I saw the plus and note and found them to be too big. My iPhone 8 plus is big enough as it is. LOLL So I'll keep you all posted.
#28 2018-01-03 21:39:02
If you wish to get instant Android updates and clean Google experience, look no further than Google Pixel series.
#29 2018-01-03 23:50:05
Yep, I think it would have been a no-brainer for me if it was officially available in France, but well, that's how it is. Plus the onePlus 5T has a headphone jack without extra adaptor needed and I still think it's awesome in it's own right. I should receive it soon, hopefully it's not gonna go the same root as the 3 and 3T which only had one year of update...
#30 2018-01-04 00:25:18
@Austingrace, Might I know please what makes you sick of Apple? Not that I am a fan of Apple products as I myself would like to switch to Android for some practical reasons, but the accessibility of Android has yet a long way to enable me to work with an Android device just like I already do with an Apple one.
Some of the reasons that hold me back from switching are:
1. The low performance of Talkback in recognising gestures
2. The inflexibility of web navigation
3. The lack of Braille support
4. The lack of gestures used to perform quick actions (like magic tap on iOS).
Some of the aforementioned issues could be fixed, however, if they added a braille keyboard like braille screen input of iOS, I would immediately go and buy a samsung device.
#31 2018-01-04 03:45:48
I'm just sick of how controlling they are with everything. Also I don't know if you guys know this but I heard you can install the next radio on the s8 and it uses the fm tuner in it.
#32 2018-01-04 05:00:00
@austingrace
Funny enough, you can!
I have it installed, though unless you memmorize the button layout, have "Identify Labels" when using Talkback turnned on, or if you label the buttons manually when either using Voice Assistant/Talkback.
Honestly though, I do like the app itself. You can always contact the devs to se if they can do better with labeling
In addition, I haven't the buttons though. I myself haven't only because I haven't needed too.
I do not know if an app called "Blindo" has labels for "Next Radio" uploaded to it yet:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta … &hl=en
, though do keep in mind, this social network for labels, is only for Talkback users.
I switch between Talkback and Voice Assistant currently, depending on what I wish to do.
#33 2018-01-04 05:52:17
I've had a moto g5 for months now. I switched from Crapple when they locked me out of my account because of their two-factor authentication bug. Plus I was moving at the time and needed a new cellular plan and a new number. I'm really glad that I did this. Motorola seems to have a very clean experience and talkback never gives me trouble. The apps are smaller, the gestures are generally simpler and most of them are close enough to iOS that it's not an issue.
Plus the better hardware is way worth it and you don't need things like BlindSquare or the like because I've gotten Google Maps to do the same thing. I'll grab the apk for BRLTTY because I've got a display coming in a few days again, and brailleback seems about as useful as a screen door on a submarine, but I'm very familiar with BRLTTY, having used it on Linux for years. So thanks for pointing out that that can be ran on Android. I'll look into getting that working here as soon as the display gets here. I don't like the 3 and 4-finger and silly rotor gestures on iOS anyway. They are not good for large hands and long fingers. Plus, unlike VoiceOver, TalkBack gives you a nice tutor when you launch it for the first time, and that helped a lot. Sure there are a lot less games that are accessible but that's the only area where I've found anything lacking. The play music app and service is far better to navigate than Crapple's, though they have equally bad recommendations if you have diverse musical tastes. I won't be bothering with more Crapple products as the Android stuff tends to work really well, and I like the customization. The 4-day battery if I don't heavily use the phone is also good. I'll add Samsung devices to the possible upgrade path, as well as I nearly got a google pixel, but that carrier's plan was silly, so I went with another carrier and a cheaper phone, but this one hasn't given me any issues.
#34 2018-01-04 07:59:40
I also got the Moto g5 a while ago. And in general, I am quite satisfied with the performance of Android. Web navigation works fine for me. In some ways, the gestures make even more sense than on IOS.
Unfortunately though, the Apps, that I use on a daily basis are not that accessible. For my music, I use Deezer. And Talkback doesn't read search results. And some buttons don't show up with Talkback.
Also, the Apps for my server are somewhat difficult to work with.
Another strange thing that I encountered is the screen keyboard, which sometimes appears to be very sluggish in response.
Oh, and there is one thing, that I don't like with talkback, and that is the way, you copy and paste text. I wish, they would add a short gesture for that, like in Voice Assistant or Voiceover.
#35 2018-01-04 08:33:33
You do bring up a good point that I'd forgot which is that the copy and paste is clunky. I don't have to do it that often so it's not a huge deal as I usually end up working from the laptop most of the time. Bluetooth keyboard support on Android is also terrible since you cannot press return to send a message and don't seem to be able to tab to the send button either, so the fact that you have to pick up the phone to press send makes the use of a keyboard a bit pointless.
#36 2018-01-04 11:26:55 (edited by pulseman45 2018-01-04 11:28:35)
I had the occasion to train a bit with a Galaxy J3, and what definitely impressed me is how permissive Talkback's angular gesture actually is. I could literally swipe up, keep my finger where it is for a quarter or even half a second, then swipe right, and the local context menu would still open. Talkback's sound feedback indeed indicates you do two separate swipes but the command remains valid, provided you don't lift your finger at all. I guess it's a good way to start for one who doesn't manage to do it fast, as I admit doing it fast seems quite difficult.
#37 2018-01-04 22:36:28
I almost went with the motorola phones but I liked what samsung did to the OS in terms of accessibility and conveniences. I had to reformat my 8 plus last night because it was not acting right at all since I switched from my 6s. Now it is working perfectly. Probably because it knows it is about become second rate to my s8. LOL I plan to dive head first into android. I have actually not sat down and really learned android for what it is. I know it is different than IOS. That is a given. I have not had a really good piece of hardware to run android on. This s8 will be the best android device I messed with.
#38 2018-01-05 13:31:16
I personally dislike android, and I've tried it. I had a couple android phones in the past and it's just no no. Not even android 7. There's just something off about it. and braille screen input on iOS is a must.
#39 2018-03-30 01:43:04
So after this latest IOS update I'm starting to wonder if the ability to customize things on Droid would be enough for me to ditch the iPhone.
#40 2018-03-30 09:49:18 (edited by pulseman45 2018-03-30 09:59:14)
I wish I knew more about that, I'm quite satisfied of my phone as it is so I didn't really customize much of it. Though i have to admit I like the openness of the system, as even the apps that define the basic functions of a phone can be replaced. I had a problem with the OnePlus dialler with Talkback as I wouldn't be able to compose a number after the Oreo update, but I simply downloaded a modded version of the Google Dialler and I was good to go. So I guess if you are into finding the launcher and suit of apps for each functionality that best suit your needs it's quite awesome, and there are probably things I don't know yet about Android's customization.
The reason why I left IOs in the first place is because I was willing to know what happened on the other side, and because I felt Apple's pricing policy was getting too much out of control. I wanted a modern phone but couldn't easily justify spending the money required for an IPhone X or even an IPhone 8 compared to what they brought to the table, especially considering I could get a OnePlus 5T for half the price of an IPhone X. Now that one phone isn't perfect and support for updates (especially security updates) could be much better, but it's still fairly good.
In fact, in 2018 Android seems more attractive than ever, you can find pretty cheap devices that should perform pretty well for most usages. That include Android One devices like Motorola Moto X4 and the upcomming Nokia 6 2018 and 7 Plus, with pretty solid update support. And then there's Project Treble that's supposed to help bring major updates to devices earlier, but it's efficiency remains yet to be seen. I even find the Samsung Galaxy S9 line to be quite attractive because it doesn't present too much compromises for a 2018 flagship, whereas I wasn't even close to being a big Samsung fan, except maybe for the accessibility enhancements.
#41 2018-03-30 12:13:24
As of this post, I'm running the Pixel Launcher (Androi P Dev Preview,) using the Samsung email client, using Microsoft Edge to post this message, and I go between both Voice Assisttant and Talkback, particularly since Talkback has the identify labels feature.
However, once Voice Assistant gets its major rewrite/Talkback 6 sorce code has been added, talkback, is, going off my system!
#42 2018-03-30 17:33:13
When is that supposed to happen... and how are you able to get the android p preview on a samsung device just yet?
For the rest, people have already laid the opinions on the table... but as a user of Apple products for five years before switching to Android last summer, anyone who says that Android is way behind Apple for accessibility is not up to date, or hasn't played with a *current* android device for a long enough period of time. Talkback and voice Assistant is in some circumstances actually more responsive than voiceover, depending on your device. Most people who are spouting negative opinions here seem to have an ingrained desire to see Android work just the same way as IOS, and I don't think that's fair... that would be like jumping from Windows to MAC OSX and complaining the lattor is clunky, or the other way around. Ironcross already said it... I would love to bang the heads of anyone expecting Android to work identically to IOS, or who are lacking current information about Android / its accessibility to together. I am not a fanboy of either camp, simply looking for the most practcal and open solution for me to do what I want with my phone... and Android allows me to do that. The fact that you can seamlessly transfer settings and data between phones of even different makers is also a huge plus. But I digress... for all those thinking about switching, make your own informed decision... and don't expect the experience to be the same, else you will be sorely disappointed. Go into it objectively, and you can then decide perhaps a bit more fairly and may even be surprised as to what you decide. But if you want a similar experience... go with a Samsung device running Android Orio and Voice Assistant.
#43 2018-03-31 00:00:53
The only thing I think I would miss from the iPhone in terms of screen reader performance would be the rotor. For anyone that switched from IOS to Droid was that easy to get used to?
@pulseman45 thanks for the feedback it is really tempting!
#44 2018-03-31 00:15:57
There was a learning curve, but not because of accessibility... I had to get used to feedback being different, but the more challenging part was the OS itself and geting used to having to find my own solutions. The angled gestures on Talkback were ok but not too bad, and Samsung's voice assistant made it a breeze because of the fact that they tried to get it as close to voiceover as possible without it being the same. But it certainly has come a long way in terms of accessibility, and though it has more room to improve as everything does, anyone who still thinks apple is objectively better or thinks Android isn't competition is kiddin themselves.
Fun fact unrelated to accesibility... in the sighted world, 81% of the smart phone market is dominated by Android... as opposed to 12% being IOS and the rest being various other feature phones and the like. That says somethin about what the majority of the world prefers, I think. And curiously enough, with people who are visually impaired, the stats are more or less reversed. These are searchable... not numbers I made up. 
#45 2018-03-31 00:53:40
Cool thanks! I really am thinking about it.
#46 2018-03-31 01:12:34
I was referring to side-loading the "Pixel PDev" Launcher actually...
You can find it among the XDA forums.
#47 2018-03-31 05:42:09
Oh ok. My bad... here I thought I was missing something. I do hope Voice Assistant gets updated soon, though. I'm very curious to see what new tweeks they add...
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