Accessible Mobile Apps (Bi)Weekly - Issue #43
Hello everyone,
Hope you're having a great week. As always, don't hesitate to reach out with any suggestions for the next issue via email (hello@accessiblemobileapps.com) or Twitter (or Mastodon).
- Robin
In April, Reddit decided to start charging third-party developers for access to their API. Now, Reddit is adding an exception: Apps that focus on accessibility don't have to pay.
Top Accessibility Achievements 2023 (so far)
It's only June, but here's a list of some big achievements in the world of accessibility. Achievements include: Giphy adding alt text, and a collaboration between GTP-4 and Be My Eyes: beMyEyes.com
Abra Desktop
There's something new coming our way! Check out the sneak preview of Abra Desktop. At first glance, this looks like a great tool to use during QA and during a release train:
Excited to announce Abra Desktop. An #accessibility debugger for #Android & #iOS.
— Jan Jaap de Groot (@JanJaapdeGroot) June 15, 2023
Easily check the accessibility properties of any Android or iOS app. You don't need access to the source code.
Tweet an App Store or Google Play link and I'll share what your app looks like. pic.twitter.com/JLuPPbJL65
Accessibility First Thinking for Developers
In case you missed the live stream, here's a replay of GrahamTheDev's accessibility talk:
iOS
Vision Pro
The hottest topic from WWDC this year is Vision Pro. This device spawns a lot of questions about how this new virtual space can be accessible, and what is a "best practice" for developing for Vision Pro. These three articles can get you started:
- Accessibility Features on the Vision Pro: iThinkDiff.com
- Eyes and Gestures: appleMust.com
- (Apple) Create accessible spatial experiences: developer.apple.com
Meet Assistive Access
There were so many videos released during WWDC this year, it's hard to take the time to watch them all. If you want to start by watching just one about accessibility, you can check out this video about Assistive Access:
Apple’s Latest System Updates Include Functionality That Is Accessible As It Is Convenient
If you want to read a bit more about the latest accessibility updates from Apple, aside from Vision Pro, you can check out this article by Steven Aquino:
Android
Universal Gestures on the Galaxy Watch
You've proably already seen Assistive Touch on the Apple Watch. (If not, there's a good introductory video here: youtube.com) This article introduces you to similar gestures you can use on the Galaxy watch:
Accessibility and Jetpack Compose
Two new articles came out recently talking about accessibility on Jetpack Compose. They start from the basics, but maybe you'll pick up a best practice or two that you didn't already know:
Accessibility Badge
In case you haven't had a chance to check out the accessibility resources on the Android developer site, you now have a reason to: You can earn a developer badge! After six activities and one quiz, you can show off your accessibility badge to all your friends.
Join the Accessible Mobile Apps Slack Group
Use this link to join our Slack workspace for mobile accessibility. Ask technical questions, share resources, get advice from other developers, and most importantly connect with developers who share your passion for a11y.