AppleVis Podcast

In this episode of the AppleVis Extra podcast, David Nason is joined by Ashley Cox, a blind software developer who is building native apps for Apple's platforms with a strong focus on accessibility, usability, and thoughtful design.

Ashley shares his journey into software development—from teaching himself HTML in the early days of the web to developing sophisticated Swift applications for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro. Along the way, he discusses how personal needs often inspire his projects and why creating software for yourself can lead to better experiences for everyone.

In this episode, Tyler demonstrates the Be My Eyes app for Mac. (Editor's Note: Be My Eyes is the parent company of AppleVis.)

With Be My Eyes for Mac, you can use Be My AI to generate high-quality descriptions of visual content, such as screenshots, images stored on your Mac or its clipboard, and pictures taken using your Mac's camera. Topics covered in this demonstration include:

Be My Eyes for Mac is...

In this episode of the AppleVis Extra podcast, Dave Nason is joined by Thomas Domville and Tyler Stephen for an in-depth discussion of Apple’s WWDC 2026 keynote. The team examines Apple’s new presentation format, the company’s focus on refinement, trust and safety, and artificial intelligence, and what these changes mean for blind and low-vision users.

The conversation begins with overall impressions of the keynote, which the hosts describe as a departure from previous WWDC events. Rather than organizing announcements by operating system, Apple focused on three major themes: refinement, trust and safety, and AI. The hosts...

In this episode, Tyler demonstrates how to limit the maximum charge of your Mac's battery to 80, 85, 90, or 95%, useful for prolonging long-term battery health.

To do this, go to System Settings > Battery, click the "Show Detail" button to the right of "Charging," adjust the slider to your desired charge limit, and click Done. Note that the available increments are relative to the slider rather than the battery percentage, meaning setting it to 0% will limit the maximum charge to 80%, 25% will limit it to 85, 50% will limit it to 90, 75% will limit it to 95, and 100% will allow the battery to charge to...

In this podcast, Michael Hansen unboxes and gives his initial impressions of Apple's iPhone 17e. In addition to giving a physical description of the device, Michael demonstrates the speakers and VoiceOver performance on the iPhone 17e--giving blind, DeafBlind, and low vision users an idea of what they can expect from Apple's newest budget iPhone.

Transcript

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.

Michael: Hello, AppleVis friends. This is Mich...

Welcome to Gamers Corner, your roundup of accessible games for blind and low vision gamers. In this October–December 2025 edition, we share our latest iOS game picks, highlight three runner-ups, revisit a classic Blindfold Games Vault Treasure, and close with a Crossing Consoles recommendation—plus a quick look at end-of-year awards.

Hosts: Thomas Domville, Aaron Spelker, and Jesse Anderson

Links (Quick Access)

In this episode, Tyler demonstrates how to disable Hot Corners on macOS.

Hot Corners are areas of the screen that perform a specified action when the mouse pointer is hovered over them. As a VoiceOver user who doesn't use the mouse, you might want to configure them to do nothing, so you don't inadvertently cause an action to be performed if you accidentally brush your fingers against the trackpad or use trackpad gestures to control VoiceOver. To do this, go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Hot Corners, and make sure the popup menu for each screen corner...

WikiTrip – Travel Audio Guide is an iOS app that uses VoiceOver accessibility with a location-based audio guide to pull curated information from Wikipedia and read it aloud while the listener is moving.

In this episode, Thomas Domville demonstrates and reviews the iOS app WikiTrip, a location-based audio guide that pulls curated information from Wikipedia and reads it aloud while the listener is moving, such as during a road trip, bus ride, or walk. He explains how the app works, including its reliance on location services and an active cellular connection, and notes that it is designed primarily fo...

In episode 113 of the AppleVis Extra podcast, Dave Nason and Scott Davert welcome back Xiaoran Wang and welcome Buddy Brannan from Agiga to talk about the EchoVision smart glasses. The conversation focuses on how EchoVision is designed specifically for blind and low vision users, highlighting its accessibility-first approach and ongoing development through close collaboration with the community. Those interested can also check out EchoVision's Youtube channel for more information. During the discussion, the guests cover key features such as live AI scene description, a dedicated reading mode for printed text, button-based controls, audio routing to hearing aids, battery life...

In this episode, Tyler demonstrates how to manage login items on macOS.

If there are certain apps or files that you always want open, you can configure them to open automatically when logging into your Mac. To do this, go to System Settings > General > Login items & Extensions, click Add, and select the item in the open dialog. To delete a login item, select it in the table and click Remove. Alternatively, items in the Dock can be added as login items by selecting them and choosing "open at login" from the "options" submenu in the item's context...

In the December 2025 edition of Apple Crunch, hosts Thomas Domville (AnonyMouse) and John Gassman wrap up the year with a wide-ranging discussion covering AppleVis community awards, Apple’s own App Store recognitions, major Apple hardware and business news, and an accessibility-focused app pick to close out the month.

The episode begins with a deep dive into the AppleVis Golden Apples Awards for 2025. Thomas explains the nomination criteria and selection process before announcing this year’s winners. PixieBot takes top honors as Best App of the Year, praised for its rapid adoption of new AI models and especially its...

This podcast episode features a detailed, hands-on review of the iOS game Dungeon Scoundrel, presented by Thomas Domville, also known as AnonyMouse. The episode focuses on exploring the game’s mechanics, accessibility, and overall design, offering listeners a thorough understanding of how the game plays from start to finish. Thomas introduces Dungeon Scoundrel as a tactical, turn-based dungeon crawler card game with solitaire-style elements, designed for short but strategic play sessions that typically last around fifteen minutes.

Throughout the episode, Thomas explains that the game is fully playable offline and emphasizes its strong accessibility support, including full Vo...

In this episode of the AppleVis Extra podcast, hosts Dave Nason and Thomas Domville speak with StephenLovely, the creator of Vision AI Assistant, a rapidly emerging web-based accessibility tool designed primarily for blind and visually impaired users. Stephen explains the motivation behind the project, rooted in his own lived experience as a person who has been blind since birth, and how that perspective shaped every design decision. The discussion covers the app’s core philosophy of giving users control over what visual information they receive, rather than forcing them to listen to long, generic descriptions.

The conversation ex...

In this November edition of Apple Crunch, Thomas, John, and Desiree dig into a surprisingly busy month for Apple. We start with the iPhone Air’s underwhelming debut and why Apple may be rethinking its strategy after weak sales and confusing pricing. Next, we explore Apple’s ongoing talks to bring a Gemini-powered core to Siri—what that means for privacy, how it blends with Apple Intelligence, and how it may finally close the gap with today’s leading AI assistants.

We also look ahead to iOS 27, which is shaping up to be a major stability-focused update across a...

In this episode, Tyler demonstrates how to customize the Control Center and menu bar on macOS.

With macOS Tahoe, the Mac's Control Center and menu bar have become more customizable, with the ability to add, remove, and reorder a greater variety of items.

To add an item to the Control Center or menu bar, click the “Edit controls” button at the bottom of the Control Center dialog, focus on the item you want to add either in the list of suggestions or the “More controls” grid, and choose "Add to Control Center" or "add to menu bar...

In this episode, David Nason unboxes an iPhone Air and gives his first impressions of the device. Apple’s thinnest phone to date, the iPhone Air was released alongside the iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max in September 2025. Our thanks to Apple for providing this device for review. This and future reviews of the device are entirely independent with no editorial input from Apple.

Key Points:

In this episode, Tyler demonstrates how to opt out of notifications for offers and promotions in the Wallet app on iOS.

The Wallet app, responsible for managing payments, orders, passes, and more, often sends important notifications related to users' financial activity. However, notifications from the Wallet app can also be used to deliver ads, like Apple's advertising of discounted "F1: The Movie" tickets. To ensure you don't receive such notifications in the future, open the Wallet app, double-tap the "More" button near the top right of the screen, select "notifications" from the menu, and toggle the "offers...

In this episode, Scott Davert gives us an in-depth demonstration of Braille Access. New in iOS 26, Braille Access aims to offer an experience similar to dedicated braille note takers.

Transcript

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers' names, voices, or content.

An AppleVis Orriginal Thanks for checking out the AppleViz podcast. I'm Scott Davert, and on this podcast, I'm going to cover Braille Access, a brand new set of features available in iO...

September 2025 Edition Hosted by Thomas Domville, Dave Nason, and John Gassman

Welcome to the September 2025 edition of Apple Crunch, where we break down the biggest Apple stories and explore what they mean for the blind and low-vision community. This month, we dive into a wide range of updates—from AppleVis itself getting a major facelift, to a critical VoiceOver bug fix in iOS 26.0.1, to Apple’s highly anticipated September hardware event with its mix of bold moves and controversial compromises.

We also take a closer look at rumors of a new budget-friendly MacBook that could rede...

Welcome to Gamers Corner

Welcome to the very first edition of Gamers Corner, a brand-new show from AppleVis hosted by Thomas Domville (AnonyMouse), with co-hosts Aaron Spelker and Jesse Anderson. This inaugural episode marks the beginning of a seasonal series that will run three or four times a year, depending on the pace of major game releases.

Gamers Corner was created to provide blind and low vision gamers with a dedicated space to discover new titles, revisit hidden gems, and explore accessibility in mainstream and indie games alike. Each edition will highlight standout iOS games...

In this short AppleVis episode, host Scott Davert walks through how to bind a custom braille display command that instantly announces and brailles the current date and time on an iPhone. The motivation is simple: while the lock screen shows the time, that isn’t always convenient; a dedicated braille command lets you check the time anywhere without leaving what you’re doing.

The conversation centers on VoiceOver’s braille command customization inside iOS. Scott explains that, as of this recording, iOS does not offer an equivalent mapping for a connected QWERTY keyboard or a native touchscreen gestur...

In this episode, Thomas Domville (also known as AnonyMouse) walks listeners through the new and customizable VoiceOver sounds and haptic feedback options introduced in iOS. Thomas highlights how these features can be especially helpful for users who experience sensory overload or prefer a more tailored accessibility experience.

Listeners will learn how to access, adjust, and personalize VoiceOver sound effects and haptics, including how to change volumes, intensities, and even toggle individual sounds on or off.

Key Points

Introduction to VoiceOver sounds

In this episode, Thomas Domville walks through the redesigned Phone app in iOS 26. The episode explains the difference between the new Unified view and the legacy Classic view, shows how to switch between them, and highlights where previously familiar items—like Voicemail—now live. Throughout, Thomas shares VoiceOver-friendly steps and tips to make navigation faster and less confusing.

Key Points

In this episode, Thomas Domville walks through Safari’s new Tabs layout options in iOS 26, explains the default Compact view, and shows how to switch between Compact, Bottom, and Top tab layouts. The demo is VoiceOver-centric, with practical navigation tips (rotor use, headings, and screen-edge gestures) to make changing this setting quick and repeatable.

Summary

In this episode, Levi Gobin demonstrates screen sharing with VoiceOver on macOS. Levi first shows us the Screen Sharing settings in VoiceOver Utility, then demonstrates controlling another Mac using the Screen Sharing app.

Starting with macOS Tahoe 26, VoiceOver can be used to control another Mac remotely using the built-in Screen Sharing facility, either through FaceTime or Messages for controlling Macs over the Internet, or Finder or the Screen Sharing app (located in the Utilities folder) for controlling Macs on your local network. When controlling another Mac, VoiceOver can be configured to use a different voice or cursor...

In this episode, Thomas Domville walks through Apple’s new Adaptive Power mode in iOS, explaining what it does, which devices support it, what trade-offs to expect, and how to turn it on. You’ll learn how the system uses on-device intelligence to detect unusually power-hungry apps or tasks and gently throttle performance to extend battery life—plus how this differs from the traditional Low Power Mode.

What is Adaptive Power?

In this episode, Thomas Domville demonstrates a new iOS feature that lets you reset VoiceOver settings back to factory defaults—useful when settings have become confusing or inconsistent. He walks through where the option lives, how to activate it, and the consequences (you’ll lose all customizations).

Key Points & Takeaways

In this episode, Thomas Domville explains how to stop the two-finger Magic Tap gesture from unexpectedly starting or pausing media playback. If you hang up a call or use Magic Tap in other contexts and your audiobook or music begins playing when you didn’t intend it to, this setting lets you turn that behavior off (and back on later if needed).

What You’ll Learn

In this episode, Thomas Domville explains that, prior to iOS 26, the default alarm snooze was fixed at 9 minutes with no way to change it. In iOS 26, you can set a custom snooze duration directly in the Clock app when creating or editing an alarm. The episode walks through the exact steps with VoiceOver cues so screen-reader users can follow along comfortably.

Key Points & Takeaways

In this episode, Thomas Domville demos the new Copied Speech rotor option in iOS 26 for VoiceOver. Think of it as a lightweight clipboard history: it remembers what you copied with VoiceOver and lets you paste from the last ten copied items directly via the rotor, making multi-item copy/paste (like app titles and release notes) fast and accessible.

What’s covered / why it matters

In this episode, Thomas Domville (AnonyMouse) dives deep into the exciting new accessibility features in iOS 26. From improved VoiceOver experiences to powerful tools for customization and ease of use, this update offers meaningful improvements for blind, low-vision, and accessibility-focused users.

Whether you’re a long-time VoiceOver user or just curious about Apple’s accessibility innovations, this episode guides you through the highlights with real examples, demonstrations, and practical insights.

Key Highlights

New VoiceOver Tone for Touch Containers A subtle sound now plays when entering a new container, making navigation clearer without extra speech.

In this edition of the AppleVis Extra, Michael Hansen, Tyler Stephen, Geo Bahena, and Levi Gobin get together to discuss Apple's 'Awe Dropping' September 2025 event.

Transcript

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers’ names, voices, or content.

Michael: Welcome to AppleVis Extra number 111. My name is Michael Hansen. It's great to be here with you today, and I am joined by three other members of the Apple This team. We're going to be t...

In this episode, Tyler walks through how multi-user accounts work on macOS—why you might use them, how to add a new user, ways to switch quickly (including Touch ID), and how to safely delete an account while preserving data for troubleshooting. He also covers guest access, account types (Administrator, Standard, and Sharing Only), and a few accessibility tips with VoiceOver.

Key Points

Victor demos the Tonewood Amp, a small magnetic unit that attaches to the back of an acoustic-electric guitar and uses the guitar’s own soundbox to project effects like reverb, delay, chorus/phaser, and tremolo—no external amp or headphones required.

He also explores the Tonewood Amp Remote app, which is now fully accessible with VoiceOver thanks to his direct collaboration with the developers. The app lets you chain up to four effects, adjust routing (series or parallel), fine-tune EQ and compression, save presets, and control feedback with the “Feedback Assassin.”

Key Highlights

In this episode of AppleVis Extra, hosts Dave Nason and Thomas Domville welcome back Karthik Kannan from Envision for his second appearance this year. The discussion centers around Envision’s newest wearable: the Ally Solos Smart Glasses, developed in partnership with Solos. The conversation covers design, functionality, pricing, and how these glasses differ from Envision’s previous offerings and other competing smart glasses.

Key Topics Covered

Background on Envision

The Ally Solos Smart Glasses

In this episode of Apple Crunch, Thomas Domville, John Gassman, and Desiree Renae discuss Apple news and other topics of interest.

Chapters:

Resources:

Episode Title: AppleVis Extra 109: Interview with Klemens Strasser, Developer of Art of Fauna

Guest: Klemens Strasser, Indie iOS Developer and Winner of the 2025 Apple Design Award

Hosts: David Nason (Dave) and Thomas Domville(AnonyMouse)

Length: \~45 minutes

Episode Summary

In this inspiring and insightful episode, Dave and Thomas speak with Klemens Strasser, the creative mind behind Art of Fauna, a beautifully designed and highly accessible educational puzzle game for iOS. Klemens shares the journey of his app from concept to being honored with an Apple Design Award for Best Design...

In this podcast episode, host Seamus introduces the SoSecure app by ADT, a free iOS emergency assistance application designed to connect users quickly with ADT agents who can contact emergency services on their behalf. Seamus offers a detailed walkthrough of the app’s features, accessibility, and functionality, highlighting its usefulness—especially for those who rely on VoiceOver or have specific communication needs.

Listeners are guided through the app’s setup, key functions, and helpful tips to maximize its effectiveness and accessibility. Whether you are visually impaired, need a silent way to communicate during emergencies, or simply want a reli...

In this episode of Apple Crunch, Thomas Domville, John Gassman, Marty Sobo, and Desiree Renae discuss recent Apple news and other topics of interest.

Chapters:

Resources:

If you have feedback or questions for the Apple Crunch team, you can reach them at AppleCrunch@AppleVis.com

Transcript

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI...

In this episode, Tunmi offers an in-depth review of µBrowser: Watch Web Browser, a lightweight and efficient web browser designed specifically for the Apple Watch. Ideal for quick web searches and browsing simple websites on the go, µBrowser focuses on speed and ease of use rather than heavy browsing tasks like social media or account management.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

Introduction to µBrowser

A...