BlindPhone – as a modern solution and a godsend for blind users who prefer push-button smartphones

The BlindPhone project has started in August 2021 when blind people acknowledged the need in having a buttoned cellphone with all functions of a modern smartphone. They wanted to have an up-to-date device with the familiar interface while being fully accessible to a blind person. Old cellphones with buttons and just very basic functions were not able to satisfy their needs any longer and modern smartphones were either too complicate for them to use, in terms of navigation, or inaccessible for someone who cannot see the screen. But our teem has managed to find the solution. We were able to combine the old interface and navigational simplicity of a buttoned cellphone with modern multifunctioning of an up-to-date smartphone.

Our project is also a unique experience, as all our specialists are visually disabled and understand our clients’ needs pretty well. So, at the beginning of 2023, we fulfilled our dream by adapting two smartphones on Android  operationsystem, AGM M7 and AGM M7 PRO, to satisfy the needs of blind and partially sighted users. These two models have both the familiar buttons and sensory screens, and are also waterproof and drop proof. Another peculiar feature of these two smartphones is also their powerful speakers, that will allow listen to favorite music or any other soundtracks in a high volume without headphones.  

These smartphones are operating in three languages, Ukrainian, English and Russian, and in future, we also plan to provide the Polish and German localizations, as well. Having one of these models, you can enjoy communication via all modern messengers. The unique feature of our BlindPhone software is that it gives an opportunity to access Play Market allowing a user to install a variety of apps. And the User’s Manual we provide helps understand the interface of the smartphone pretty fast, giving clear instructions on settings’ control.

Who will be interested in these buttoned smartphones?

First of all, such smartphones will be a good option for physically active persons who are blind and value their time, as using a buttoned device you can make calls very fast and don’t have to listen carefully to the screen-reader, that is especially good in a noisy environment. Many of our blind clients, who had previously used a sensory device, are now choosing to buy one of our adapted smartphones, saying that they prefer a buttoned cell phone which is easier, quicker,more comfortable and pleasant to use. Some clients purchase our adapted models as an additional device to use together with a sensory smartphone. And they are absolutely right in doing so, because our teem of the blind professionals has developed a wide range of apps for these adapted devices, that are extremely easy and comfortable to use on a buttoned smartphone. We do everything as for ourselves!

Besides, our adapted buttoned smartphones will be handy for people who live not only with the sight loss but also with a limb loss or any motor issues (such as hand trembling or muscle retardation etc.), as well as for elderly persons who got used to have a buttoned cell phone.

Last fall, we started to adapt another model of a modern smartphone, Conquest F3, also having traditional buttons and sensory screen. This model is much newer on the marked, has better technical characteristics and more modern functions than the two models we have adapted before. Conquest F3 has a much better battery, and onboard and operational memory. You can use a 2 tb memory card and NFC on this smartphone which means that you can keep all your music and films on this device and also pay for your purchases in shops. This smartphone also has a built-in compass which will be a useful option for blind and partially sighted persons when navigating through any environment.

And that is not it, as we are going to continue our work in the field of adapting the buttoned smartphones to special needs of our clients. We do wish to pleasantly surprise visually disabled people with more and more new accessible devices.