For more than a decade, big tech has underwhelmed when it comes to accessibility and assistive tech. Ever since smartphones became a staple in the hands and pockets of nearly everyone, those with disabilities have been stuck on the outside looking in. Users with a visual impairment, or those who are hard of hearing, for example, have been forced to make do with hardware and operating systems that were largely inaccessible or wait years for accessibility features to be added as an afterthought.
Over the last few years, though, Apple has emerged as a leader, releasing a stream of accessibility features for the iPhone aimed at making the device more accessible for people, like me, who live with disability as a result of an uncorrectable vision impairment.
Major players like Android, too, are finally catching up with their efforts; the recent release of Google Magnifier for Pixel smartphones highlights a new focus on creating products that are accessible to folks with disabilities.
