Smartphones

A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing power, which increases the things you can do with smartphones well beyond simple telecommunication. In essence, it is like carrying around a small computer that allows you to communicate with others, access the internet and install advanced applications just like you would on your desktop computer.

There are many smartphones on the market, but few that come with accessibility features that are built in – that is, that are a standard feature of the smartphone.

Apple iPhone is recognised by the blind and vision impaired community as the most accessible smartphone to date. This smartphone includes a highly sophisticated screen reader, full-screen magnifier, white on black for higher contrast and many other accessibility features that assist people who are blind or vision impaired. It also has access features for people who are Deaf or hearing impaired including support for captioned video.

Read our access review of iPhone for more details about iPhone and its accessibility features.

Smartphones running Google’s mobile operating system Android also have some built in accessibility features, although they are not as advanced as those found in iPhone.

Read our access review of Android smartphones for more details Android smartphones and their accessibility features.

Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association offers the GARI database (Global Accessibility Reporting Initiative), which lists some of the most common mobile phone models and their accessibility features. It allows you to easily find a phone that has all the features you are searching for.