For more than a decade, I relied on voice-enabled old button phones, and they undeniably helped me overcome my disability to a significant extent. In one of a previous blog post, I detailed how a visually impaired person can use a mobile phone and how beneficial it can be. However, it’s no secret that the mobile phone industry has disregarded old button phones entirely and has moved onto touch-only phones. Nowadays, touch phones are in vogue, particularly among the young generation, as they offer numerous features that help us fulfill our day-to-day needs.

A few weeks ago, my old button phone, which had been my faithful companion for the last five years, suddenly stopped working. Despite its age, I was reluctant to switch to a touch-only phone and wanted to get it repaired somehow. I anxiously waited for a couple of weeks, hoping for a positive response from the service center, but unfortunately, they informed me that it was not worth fixing.

To be honest, during that period, I felt losing the phone was worse than losing my eyesight. I couldn’t always get sighted assistance to find a number whenever I needed it, which was frustrating. As a blind person, I heavily rely on my mobile phone to coordinate most of my activities. It’s a known fact that before talking phones were available, we used to remember a lot of numbers, but unfortunately, we don’t do it anymore. It’s undoubtedly the downside of new technology, isn’t it? I don’t use my brain enough as I always rely on these devices.

In that context, I had no other option but to go for a touch phone as it was pointless to think of getting a second-hand button phone. I started researching online and talking to a few blind friends who were already familiar with touch phones, and I thought I might give it a try. If they could do it, why not me?

When it comes to accessibility for the visually impaired, the Apple iPhone is widely known to have the best support. However, Android devices have also made significant strides in this area. Due to my financial situation, I opted for an Android phone and purchased the Samsung Galaxy S Duos 3 with the Android 4.4 KitKat version. I watched numerous online tutorials to learn how to use the Android with “Talkback” and also sought assistance from a friend who was already familiar with Android devices. Despite feeling frustrated during the first few days, I persisted and eventually learned how to navigate the touch screen, which then became a hobby of mine.

While I was experimenting with the Android, I received a Skype call from my friend Mr. Karunarathna Kaluarachi, who lives in the USA. I asked him about the prices of iPhones in the USA, as I was interested in acquiring a touch phone. He told me that he had recently purchased a new iPhone and would send me his old one. He also inquired about how visually impaired individuals use iPhones, and I explained the “Voiceover” feature. After doing some research, he asked if I preferred the iPhone or Blackberry, as the latter also has an inbuilt screen reader. I chose the iPhone, and he arranged for his brother-in-law, Mr. Jayawardana, to bring it with him during his upcoming visit to Sri Lanka. Mr. Jayawardana was also very helpful and made arrangements to send the iPhone to my location in Kurunegala.

After using an Android touch phone for just two weeks, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to learn how to use an iPhone as well. However, I quickly realized that controlling the iPhone required a different set of gestures than what I was used to with the Android phone. To prepare myself, I went through several iPhone tutorials and learned about the specific gestures required to operate the device effectively.

Transitioning from an older style cell phone to a touch phone can be challenging for blind individuals. However, as technology advances, we must adapt to using touch-screens eventually. Apple has done an excellent job of making the iPhone accessible for individuals with visual impairments like me, but I still feel that basic tasks such as making calls and texting could be accomplished more quickly with an old button phone.

Nevertheless, the time has come to bid farewell to old button phones because phones with Symbian operating systems or third-party talking software for the blind are no longer being developed. As someone who mentors almost all blind soldiers in the SL Army on technical matters, I advise them to go for Android or iPhone as they are now within our reach. I will certainly be able to teach them how to get the most out of these devices.