Access Information News launches free screen-reader-first mobile apps

Access Information News has released free iPhone, iPad and Android apps that put every issue since November 2022 on mobile devices and are built for blind readers first. The launch expands access to the weekly newsletter’s archive, search, alerts and reading tools for more than 50,000 readers.

Why it matters: - Access Information News now gives blind and low-vision readers a dedicated mobile way to read every issue since November 7, 2022. - The apps are designed to make the publication’s archive, alerts and reading tools easier to use on phones and tablets. - The launch matters for accessibility because the apps were built around screen readers from the start.

What happened: - Access Information News released free apps for iPhone and iPad, plus Android phones and tablets. - Publisher Aaron Di Blasi said the apps were designed from the ground up for blind readers. - The apps are free, carry no additional ads and include no in-app purchases. - The iPhone and iPad app requires iOS 17 or later. - The Android app requires Android 8.0 or later.

The details: - Every issue since 2022 is available on the apps, including the newsletter archive going back to November 7, 2022. - Listen reads each issue aloud, highlights the current heading and keeps reading when the screen locks. - Each article has its own heading, which lets a screen reader move through an issue article by article. - An optional notification arrives each Monday, usually at 6:00 AM Eastern, with the new issue already downloaded. - Topic Alerts flag every article in a new issue that mentions a followed word or name, such as JAWS or braille, without sending topics off-device. - Readers can save articles, add notes and highlights, search every issue offline, add upcoming events to a calendar, translate an issue, choose high-contrast colors and the Atkinson Hyperlegible font, and save an issue as an EPUB book for a braille notetaker. - Di Blasi said each screen of the iPhone and iPad app was tested during development using Apple’s automated accessibility audit, VoiceOver and the largest text sizes in mind. - The iPhone and iPad app was also reviewed by AI accessibility agents and then tested on a real iPhone and iPad by three anonymous blind users and three anonymous sighted users before launch. - The Android app was held to the same standard, with every main screen checked by Google’s Accessibility Test Framework and built with TalkBack in mind. - Di Blasi said blind readers have asked for an app since about 2008, when Apple launched the App Store. - Di Blasi estimated that native reading apps for iPhone, iPad and Android built specifically for blind and low-vision readers could have cost between $200,000 and $550,000 before AI coding assistance lowered development costs. - Di Blasi donated the time and resources needed to build the apps after AI coding reduced the cost by about 100 times. - Access Information News says maintenance for the apps will be handled through its escrow, supported by the publication’s sponsors and advertisers. - Access Information News said more details on features and navigation are available on the Access Information News App page. - Apps for the publication’s sister title, Top Tech Tidbits, are coming soon.

Between the lines: - The release shows how AI-assisted development can lower the cost of accessibility-focused software that might otherwise have stayed out of reach. - The app design reflects a broader shift from general-purpose reading tools to accessibility-first mobile products. - The on-device Topic Alerts feature is notable because it keeps keyword tracking local instead of sending data elsewhere.

What's next: - Access Information News plans to support the apps through its escrow arrangement and ongoing sponsor and advertiser backing. - The publication says apps for Top Tech Tidbits are in development. - Users can expect feature guidance and setup details through the Access Information News App page.

The bottom line: - Access Information News is turning its weekly newsletter into a mobile-first accessibility product, with a free app experience built specifically for blind readers.