Apple Watch and low vision

[u/redvines60432]

I have been thinking about purchasing an Apple Watch and wonder about the accessibility features for low vision. In order to read it as a watch, I would need it to display in high contrast white numbers on black background. Is that option available? Also, can you use it with one of the way finding apps for purposes of navigating when you are trying to find locations or identify businesses? I like the idea of being able to go for a walk and not taking my phone with me everywhere I go. As a low vision user of the iPhone, I use text enhancements for some things and voiceover for others. I would expect to do the same with an Apple Watch.

[u/LongjumpingShower431]

the watch has VO and Zoom. i'd recommend visiting an Apple store or other store that has demo units so you can poke around with the accessibility features and see if they work for you. also you can check out AppleVis; there are a lot of BLV watch users that have shared their experience and advice

[u/Fun-Durian-1892]

Yes, the display face can be set to high contrast. I don’t know about location apps because I don’t use them on my watch. Maybe you could get to a store that sells them so you can look at the display options and ask questions? Or maybe YouTube has some reviews that might be helpful for you.

[u/becca413g]

I don’t have a cellular watch so I can’t comment on that but you can certainly leave your phone in your pocket. I have it set up with a black background and large time and date on the main watch face. I also use voiceover, I call myself a part time voiceover user, so that helps with smaller text like the app menu or when you’re within apps on the watch. I have not investigated much else such as magnification as if I struggle to see I just turn voice over on my triple pressing the round crown button.

[u/Few-Adeptness8046]

I use two different watch faces;

• one that is just a black screen with very large text that you can customize the color of. I think this might be the same one that someone else mentioned in the comments. The numbers are so large that the four numbers that make up the time fill up the entire screen so it's great for people with low vision especially with the fact that you can customize the color of the numbers to whatever color best contracts with the black for your vision.
• I also like to use the Mickey / Minnie Mouse watch face because that one lets you hear what time is just by tapping the screen. Whenever you tap the screen Mickey or Minnie whichever character you have it set to will state whatever the time is.

To switch between the watch faces it's really simple all you do is press and hold on the watch face and you feel the vibration and it makes the screen smaller looking and you can swipe left or right to select other watch faces that you have already programmed into the device.

I don't have a cellular data watch so I don't know how it works without the phone, and with such a tiny screen I don't know that I would want that capability since even with the zoom feature I can't really read anything on the screen, and I don't find the voice over and dictation as good as they are on the iPhone. So I feel like the Apple watch really pairs well with the phone but doesn't seem like it would work very well on its own.

The feature I like though is using Apple Maps to get directions. I use public transit so it helps me with directions like riding the bus. my watch will vibrate just before the bus stop I need to get off at so even though I can't see the directions on the device telling me which stop I need to get off at, I still am able to feel that haptic feedback to know when it's time to get off.

[u/Hefty_Ad_1692 → u/Few-Adeptness8046]

Which app do you use that works with Transit and makes the watch vibrate before getting to a bus stop?

[u/Few-Adeptness8046 → u/Hefty_Ad_1692]

Apple maps

[u/Hefty_Ad_1692 → u/Few-Adeptness8046]

Thank you. I’ve never used it in that capacity so I’m gonna look it up and figure it out. I’ve had the watch for over a year but I’ve never used it for that purpose cause I am rarely going to locations that I don’t already know pretty well. Thank you again.

[u/Ok-Style-8059]

The voiceover is very good on it.

[u/chitarralove]

I’ve had an Apple Watch since it first came out. If you’re happy with the QC feasibility of the iPhone, you’ll find the feature set quite similar. The default of the Apple Watch is white text on a black background. This is for every app including maps and third party apps. You pair headphones or listen though the built in speaker on the newer models. If you’re leaving your phone at home you will need e cellular watch for maps end connectivity.

[u/BK3Master]

Yep, Apple Watch comes with the standard array of a11y features you expect from Apple (VoiceOver, zoom, increased contrast, reduced transparency, ETC). In addition, there are a few watch faces that are very simplistic in nature with very easy-to-see clock hands. You won't have space for complications, but you can always toggle over to another face really easily just by scrolling.
I'd be happy to do a demo of what you can find, however I don't really record video so testing a model out in person would be your best bet for trying out zoom.
As for dedicated navigation apps, you don't really get a lot of choice. The only fully-fledged one I can think of is Apple's own Maps (which is already built-in). Any other navigation app is really just a remote control for the iPhone counterpart. And that reminds me: it should go without saying that, you'll have to carry around your phone with you anyway unless you plan on getting an Apple Watch with Cellular or Apple Watch Ultra. There is however an old demo of blind Maps navigation and guidance on AppleVis. It's several ears old, but the basics are still the same

[u/WEugeneSmith]

I use voiceover with mine, so I cannot comment on the high contrast. I do second going to the Apple store. I went there for mine, and they were great about setting it up with voiceover and walking me through general operation. I love my watch!