Hi Meesha, I would like to share some recommendations regarding Android smartphones for blind and visually impaired users who rely on TalkBack. Based on my experience, I do not recommend phones running ColorOS-based software, especially devices from Oppo, Realme, and OnePlus. Recent versions, particularly those based on Android 16, have introduced accessibility challenges. Some previously available accessibility features and sliders have become difficult to use, and the notification panel can be less accessible, often requiring additional time to locate and activate buttons using TalkBack. For users who prioritize accessibility, I strongly recommend Google Pixel devices. Pixel phones provide an excellent stock Android experience and generally offer very good accessibility support for TalkBack users. If a Pixel device is not an option, I would also recommend: • Nothing Phones - They are close to stock Android and offer a clean user experience. • Motorola Phones - Motorola devices also provide a relatively stock Android experience with good accessibility. • In general, I recommend purchasing phones that use a less customized version of Android, as they tend to work more smoothly with accessibility features. I can also recommend Samsung premium devices, which generally offer good accessibility support. However, I would be cautious about Samsung's lower-budget phones, as some models may provide slower performance due to their processors, which can affect the overall user experience. If you would like more guidance or have specific questions, please feel free to reply to this email or contact me at +91-7404347074. Best Regards Aakash Singla Our Accessible World Contact: +91-7404347074 Folo us: Youtube<https://youtube.com/@ouraccessibleworld> | Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/share/177aUcSBGW/> | WhatsApp<https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaDZBbf0Qeah6I8uSH1R> | Telegram<https://t.me/accessibleworld>
From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Ajay Minocha Sent: Friday, October 2, 2026 8:58 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AI] Talkback accessibility on OnePlusNord 6 versus Iqoo15R One plus is a very low risk move considering I've used color OS a bit and did not find major accessibility issues. + we have a lot of users who can guide about the specifics specially in the early days. One note: Initially Android will feel a bit overwhelming, You have to keep at it for at least 2-3 weeks, you'll easily sail through. Cheers, Ajay On Tue, 29 Sept 2026 at 15:24, Meesha Arora <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Hi everyone, Thank you so much, Sameer, Nitin, Shankar, Sunil and Uma, for taking the time to share your experiences and thoughts. I really appreciate it. Hearing from people who actually use these phones with screen readers is much more useful than simply looking at specifications and reviews. The feedback has given me quite a lot to think about. The experience shared with the Nord -one plus phone was particularly reassuring — knowing that it has been used for three months with very good battery life and responsive TalkBack is exactly the kind of real-world feedback I was looking for. The other positive experiences with OnePlus have also been encouraging. I could especially relate to the comments about Samsung. When you’ve spent a significant amount on a flagship phone and then find yourself struggling with something as basic as navigating the device because TalkBack is lagging or the focus isn’t behaving properly, it must be incredibly frustrating. I think most of us who depend on accessibility have experienced that feeling at some point. Uma, the feedback about iQOO was particularly useful for me as I was seriously considering the iQOO 15R because of its processor, battery and specifications. Hearing about the accessibility problems experienced with OriginOS, especially after using it for almost two years, has definitely made me rethink that option. At the same time, the positive experiences with OnePlus have been reassuring. The concerns about OnePlus’s future and the move towards ColorOS are still something I’m keeping in mind. I’m currently using an iPhone 13, and although Apple’s accessibility is generally very good, it certainly isn’t perfect. My biggest frustration has been the battery. It wasn’t particularly strong for my usage even when the phone was newer, and with the battery getting older, even moderate use can leave me needing to recharge after only a few hours. Accessibility also varies considerably from app to app. Google apps, WhatsApp and Facebook generally work well for me; Amazon is mostly accessible, while Flipkart and some banking apps can be quite inconsistent. Sometimes it is difficult to tell whether the limitation is with the app itself or how it interacts with the accessibility framework. File management is another area where I find iOS restrictive. Photos can be transferred relatively easily, but moving things such as music, books and other content isn’t as straightforward as simply connecting the phone and copying files. I’m hoping Android will give me a little more flexibility in that respect. This will also be my first move from iPhone to Android, so I’ve never used TalkBack as my primary screen reader. That will probably be the biggest learning curve for me, although I’m hoping that with some help from the community I can get comfortable with it. Pixel is another option I’m considering because of Google’s strong accessibility support. My understanding is that its Tensor processors aren’t generally in the same performance class as the latest Snapdragon chips, so I’m weighing that against the accessibility advantages. At this point, OnePlus is still my strongest contender, although I’m keeping the ColorOS transition and the company’s future direction in mind. The feedback here has certainly made me more cautious about iQOO, despite its very attractive hardware. Thank you again, everyone. Your responses have genuinely given me a lot to think about, and I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences. Warm regards, Meesha On Tue, 29 Sep 2026 at 1:48 PM, Uma Shankar Veeravalli <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Hi Meesha, I have been an iQOO user for almost two years and have struggled significantly with its software accessibility. Even with their latest OriginOS, the experience has not improved. The TalkBack integration is half-baked and poorly executed. While it may be a great gaming phone for sighted users, it presents numerous bugs for visually impaired users. For instance, the screen refreshes every time you turn TalkBack on or off. If you are on an Amazon payment screen and need to turn off TalkBack so a sighted friend can click an inaccessible UI element, the screen refreshes and sends you back to the app's loading screen, forcing you to restart the process. This behavior is also inconsistent, making it hard to predict what will happen when toggling the screen reader. I previously used OnePlus for five years and always had a smooth experience with screen readers. While the software has since shifted closer to ColorOS, several visually impaired friends who currently use OnePlus devices continue to report good feedback. Although there are rumors about OnePlus leaving India—which they have strongly denied—I don't see it as a major dealbreaker if you plan to use the phone for 3 to 4 years. Long story short: skip iQOO and stay sane. Cheers, Uma Shankar On Tue, Sep 29, 2026 at 12:51 PM Sunil Sangtani. <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Hi, the reason I suggested not to go with OnePlus: list of 2 items 1. Future versions will come with ColorOS, so they may or may not be as accessible as they are today. They are giving up their simple and very popular OS. Also, based on media reports, OnePlus has already been discontinued in many countries, and chances are they will do the same for India in the future. This may create problems as they merge operations with Oppo phones. 2. Second, about the iQOO phones: they come with OriginOS, and I am not sure whether it is accessible or not. list end One more suggestion: even if you go with Pixel, you probably will not get a good experience with Google TTS; you would need to change the TTS for a better experience. Managing Director| Chandra bazaar|India|. E: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> workphone: +918233422212<tel:+91%2082334%2022212> website: www.chandrabazaar.com<http://www.chandrabazaar.com> lets get social! facebook.com/chandrabazaar<http://facebook.com/chandrabazaar> instagram.com/chandra_bazaar<http://instagram.com/chandra_bazaar> We Create The Lifestyle You Desire! On Mon, Sep 28, 2026 at 2:18 PM Meesha Arora <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Hi everyone, I’d really appreciate your first-hand experience with either of these two phones: • OnePlus Nord 6 • iQOO 15R If you are actually using either phone with TalkBack, I’d especially love to know how you find the overall accessibility experience—whether TalkBack is smooth and responsive, navigation and gestures work reliably, controls are properly labelled, and whether you face any significant issues with apps, typing, notifications or general use. I’d also be grateful for your thoughts on the phones overall, particularly performance, battery life, speaker quality and responsiveness. If possible, please mention which model and RAM variant you use, how long you’ve been using it, and your current OxygenOS/OriginOS version. I’m mainly looking for genuine day-to-day experiences from people who are actually using these phones, so even a few lines about what works well or what doesn’t would be extremely helpful. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I really appreciate it! Warm regards, Meesha -- Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. 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