iPhone 8/8 Plus vs iPhone 7/7 Plus - Worth Upgrading?

Features, Cameras, Speed, Battery & Full Comparison.

Apple iPhone 8 and 8Plus introduced with new features

Published on Sep 12, 2017Apple introduced its latest iPhone 8 and 8Plus which comes with some upgrades over its predecessor including a faster processor, improved camera, and augmented reality capability.

Automatic Setup in iOS 11

https://youtu.be/RJdsuUVuzgg

Published on Jun 19, 2017In iOS 11 it is now possible to use an existing iOS device to set up a new one. Here is Automatic Setup in iOS 11!

iPhone 7 is the Future of Tactile Accessibility

The iPhone 7 may go down in history as The One That Didn't Have The Headphone Jack. But there are other reasons for it to be considered a memorable part of the iPhone's lineage.

Haptic Feedback

Here's a great example of Apple's prior haptic success: 

  Addition to hearing an audible ring when a call comes in, you can also turn on Vibrate on Ring. 

How to turn on Haptics

(Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Vibrate). What this will do is give you  tactile feedback that someone's calling in addition to hearing the ringer. 

Yo may not always hear your phone ringing, but You more likely to feel it

  buzzing in your pocket.  Especially if you  are in a very noisy environment.

 This is a real boon for accessibility. 

With the"tactile" interface  Apple has make the iPhone more accessible. With the iPhone 6s and especially the iPhone 7, Apple has further utilized its Taptic Engine in various ways across iOS that make using the device an even more pleasant and enriching experience.

How haptics shape the iPhone 7

The iPhone 6s last year introduced 3D Touch. With Quick Actions and Peek & Pop, users could use their favorite apps more quickly and efficiently, all with a subtle buzz from the Taptic Engine. But 3D Touch also was interesting from an accessibility point of view as well: Not only is 3D Touch convenient, it can save users from eye strain and/or muscle fatigue due to excessive searching and tapping. 

With the iPhone 7 and iOS 10, Apple has expanded both 3D Touch's scope and how haptic feedback responds throughout the operating system. You can now use 3D Touch on certain icons in Control Center, as well as manage the status of downloading apps. On the iPhone 6s and 7, you feelControl Center or Notification Center being invoked with a quick thud as you slide the pane up or down; on the iPhone 7, the date picker in the Clock app registers bits of feedback as you move through time. Even enabling or disabling setting toggles now include a physical tick.

The effects of the iPhone 7's Taptic Engine are pervasive and add another layer of interaction. This can bring complexity, yes — but for many people with disabilities, being able to literally feel your way through the OS means a lot. To see the green "on" indicator for iOS 10's settings switches is one thing; to see green and feel the status change as you slide it over is a horse of a different color. If you, like me, can't see so well, that literal feeling of reassurance makes all the difference.

It isn't just Apple's internal apps, either: The Taptic Engine API for iPhone 7 gives third-party developers the power to enhance their apps to make them even more engaging and accessible than they already are.

The Home button (in name only)

No discussion of the iPhone 7 and haptic feedback is complete without mention of another of its banner features: the solid state Home button. 

The Home button really is a "button" in name only: Unlike the physical buttons of yore, the iPhone 7's Home button no longer works mechanically. Instead, Apple uses its Taptic Engine to render "clicks" of varying degrees. (Users can determine which degree they prefer — 1, 2, or 3 — in a way similar to how 3D Touch is configured.) It reminds me a lot of the Force Touch trackpads on the 12-inch MacBook and the MacBook Pros.

Although it does take some getting used to, and there are reasonable arguments for keeping the old mechanism, the new Home button does have real advantages when it comes to accessibility. For one thing, not having to physically press the button should make life easier on users with limited range of motion and/or low muscle tone in their fingers. This is exactly why motor-centric accessibility features like AssistiveTouch or Switch Control exist; for many people, it's easier to tap and touch than it is to press with even the tiniest bit of force. What's more, the granularity Apple provides for adjusting the Home button's sensitivity should go a long way in helping users figure out which setting works best for them. (I'm still figuring this out myself.)

Another advantage is the haptic feedback: When you press the button to go back to Springboard, invoke Siri, or whatever else, it "buzzes." Again, it's all about multi-sensory output: Not only do users see the UI switching back to, say, the Home screen, they also feel a little buzz that lets them know the action (returning Home) has been triggered. That extra cue is a huge win for accessibility and key to the bimodal experience. If you can't see well, the Taptic Engine is still there for you, saying "Yes, you pushed the button. Something will happen now."

Feeling the future

It should be noted that, because needs and tolerances vary widely, not everyone with a disability will reap benefit from haptic feedback. Someone with autism who may be sensitive in terms of sensory motor development likely won't appreciate the iPhone 7's ticks and buzzes. But that's why you can disable System Haptics: You can configure the best experience for your needs.

Still, in my brief time with an iPhone 7 Plus, I'm very much enjoying the use of haptic feedback throughout the device. As with Apple Watch, the Taptic Engine gives me a more immersive, enjoyable, and — most importantly — accessible experience. There are areas where it can improve; I'd love to get feedback when I tap a Back button, for instance. But overall, I'm bullish on Apple's and developers' future plans for this technology.

NEW iPhone 7 Plus Blind Girl Unboxing ◌ alishainc

What’s New in iOS 10 Accessibility for Blind, Low Vision Users

Mainstream Stuff Impacting Accessibility

Wow, Siri Can Do That?

One of the major enhancements in iOS 10 is the development of SiriKit. Specifics aren’t really known about this exact functionality just yet, as SiriKit-enabled apps are only being released alongside the public version of iOS 10. However, what we do know is that there are many potential benefits to SiriKit. For example, if Uber were to implement SiriKit, one could simply tell Siri, “book an Uber for me to go to Central Park”. In theory, at least, Siri should now be able to carry out that exact action. According to this article, apps that will utilize SiriKit the day iOS 10 is released are WhatsApp, LinkedIn, WeChat, Pinterest, Vogue Runway, Pikazo, Square Cash, Monzo, Slack, Looklive, Lyft, Fandango and The Roll. It’s not possible to know how each app will utilize Siri Kit remains, I’m sure someone will cover it in great detail by the time you are reading this article.

Describe it for Me, Please?

Another major change is that iOS will now attempt to add automatic image descriptions to your photos. According to a presentation as part of the World Wide Developer Conference, iOS performs eleven billion calculations per picture to determine what objects are in your photos. It cannot only detect objects, but also facial recognition which can then compare pictures in your lists of contacts to tag people automatically. Indeed, it is now included as part of the information on each photo in my library. While Apple indicated that your photos are not sent to a server for recognition—meaning that it’s all done on your device—it’s not clear to me how long it takes for these descriptions to show up.

Press Home to Unlock

In iOS 10, you can now unlock your iDevice simply by pressing the Home button. While this was always possible on Touch ID-equipped devices, it is now possible on non-Touch ID devices as well. If you do not have a passcode set up, pressing the Home button, waiting for a second, and then pressing it again will now land you on the Home Screen of your device. If you find that you prefer the older way of unlocking your device, you can still do this. Head over to Settings>General>Accessibility>Home Button>, and turn “rest Finger to open” on.

I read you loud and mostly clear

Another new feature in iOS 10 is the introduction of Voice Mail transcription. For those who can’t hear their voice messages, or for those who just don’t want to listen to the phone, it’s no longer mostly required. It is, however, necessary, to play the message to make the transcription show up. You will find the transcribed text next to the “More Info” button. The transcription is fully accessible with VoiceOver and braille, but comes with the same caveats any automatic transcription does: it’s not 100% accurate, and any kind of noise or accent will greatly decrease accuracy.

Raise to Shut up?

There is a new feature in iOS called “raise to Wake” which wakes up your phone each time you pick it up. It also sometimes will wake up when unwanted. While this may be a welcome feature for many, especially for VoiceOver users utilizing speech, it may be annoying. You can turn “raise to Wake” off if you would like. You will find the ability to turn this on and off under Settings>Display & Brightness.

VoiceOver

Moving Apps is No Longer a Drag!

When you get to your Home screen with iOS 10 and VoiceOver is enabled, you will now hear that there are Rotor actions available; these options relate to moving apps. Rotor over to the "Actions" item, then flick up or down to the "Arrange app" action and double tap. This puts you in “Screen Edit” mode, just as if you had used the old "double tap and hold" method to begin editing apps. Next, find an app you wish to move, then flick up or down once to specify your desire to move this app. (You can also perform a two-finger double tap on an app to mark it as being ready to be moved.) Now, you can freely move around your home screen, even changing pages if you prefer, until you find exactly where you would like to move the app you chose. Once you locate the place where you would like to put the app, flick up or down to see different options: you can move it to the right of the app VoiceOver currently has focus on; move it to the left of VoiceOver's current position; create a folder with those 2 apps; or cancel the move entirely. Canceling will place you on the page you are currently editing, and the app you chose to cancel the move for returns to its original place. (Pressing the Home button to exit Screen Edit mode will also cancel any app move you had in progress.) Even better still is the fact that this system works great with both Bluetooth keyboards and braille displays!

To more go to applevis.com