AFB Blog

Janet Ingber On September 15, 2025, Apple released iOS 26. This article explores several of the apps that have received significant upgrades. Phone The new Phone app introduces a completely redesigned layout called Unified. If you prefer the older look, you can return to the Classic view. To switch between layouts, go to the top-right corner of the screen and select the “Filter” button. Two options will appear: “Classic” and “Unified.” Choose “Classic” to restore the previous layout. The…

Judy Dixon iOS and iPadOS 26 were released on September 15, 2025. As with previous years, there are numerous updates in these new versions of Apple’s operating systems, and many of them are in the area of accessibility. Magic Tap and Media Now, you can prevent the Magic Tap gesture (the two-finger double-tap) from starting media playback. Go to Settings > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Commands > Magic Tap. The default for “Media Playback” is On. If you switch this to Off, Magic Tap…

What if one decision today could echo for generations? In 1932, recognizing how her life had already made a substantial impact on the world, Helen Keller worked with the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) to begin establishing the Helen Keller Archive, which would memorialize her legacy for future generations. Helen continued to work with AFB until her death in 1968, strengthening the foundation she had laid along the way. Today, AFB’s Helen Keller Archive is a resource not only…

Recently, Google hosted its yearly Google Developers Conference, Google I/O, where countless updates to Google products were announced, with many now being available to the public. Gemini, Google’s suite of AI technologies, was a highlight of the show and dominated Google’s announcements regarding new innovations. For this article, I wanted to gather together the announced or updated technologies that have the potential to be most impactful in terms of accessibility. As mentioned, this article…

In June, Apple hosted its annual virtual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), unveiling a wide range of updates and innovations. The keynote address highlighted the latest developments in Apple’s software ecosystem. Following the keynote, developers were invited to attend numerous sessions and collaborate directly with Apple engineers. Apple introduced a new visual design language called Liquid Glass, which unifies the look and feel of apps across the Apple ecosystem and gives the interface…

Both in the AccessWorld Spring issue as well as in recent AccessWorld podcast episodes, I have been raving about the capabilities of Gemini 2.5, specifically its ability to provide detailed descriptions of videos. For this blog post, I wanted to share detailed information on how this process works and what you may encounter when using it. At the time of writing, the most recent test version—and the one used for testing in this post—is Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 06/05 (June 5th). The model is…

As any screen reader user knows, accessibility issues are still far too common across the web. You’ve probably run into buttons or links that won’t activate with your screen reader’s cursor, or content that should appear but doesn’t show up at all. I’ve discovered a simple trick that can often expose hidden or otherwise inaccessible elements: disabling a website’s stylesheets. I use this feature in Firefox because it’s quick and easy. When stylesheets are turned off, content that was…

Janet Ingber Editor’s Note: As someone who is blind, I’ve been a longtime fan of Apple’s SE—now known as the “E” line—of iPhones. I personally find these models strike an ideal balance by delivering the power needed to support the latest iOS features, while omitting many of the high-end elements that tend to focus on visual use, especially the camera. Since I don’t rely heavily on the camera, I can skip those premium extras and still enjoy a fast, capable device—with better battery life and a…

The American Foundation for the Blind is concerned that the extensive and rapid downsizing at the US Department of Education could harm the services, funding, and civil rights protections that people who are blind, have low vision, or are deafblind rely on. The Department plays a critical role in enforcing rights and funding services required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Rehabilitation Act. In 2021, more than 7.7 million children received services through…