Amazon continues adding new features to its Kindle for iOS app that make it easier to use for blind and visually impaired users. Features like X-Ray, End Actions, sharing, highlighting and bookmarking have all been tweaked to give visually impaired users easier access to the nearly 2 million titles in its catalog that feature text-to-voice VoiceOver narration. These complement the existing features for these users already built-in to iOS, like zoom, assistive touch and support for peripheral braille displays. While the features are currently only available on iOS, Amazon says it will make them available on more platforms in the future. Amazon has been criticized in the past for not doing enough for its visually impaired users and has even had blind users protesting in front of its headquarters over lack of support on the Kindle platform. This latest effort is a step in the right direction, as we all deserve the ability to succeed in the connected world.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.