People with visual impairments just got a new champion in the cell phone world. Odin Mobile launched on Wednesday with a vision of bringing specialized cell phones to customers with limited eyesight.
Accessibility features -- inputs meant especially for those with special needs -- are baked into nearly every cell phone and smartphone, but the three handsets that Odin Mobile stocks in its online shelves are specifically created for blind and low-vision customers.
The Huawei Vision ($300), a Project Ray device backed by Qualcomm and built on an Android phone, was designed specifically for the blind.
Phone owners will navigate using small swipes, with a heavy emphasis on voice readouts and voice-to-text. The Vision supports calls, texts, GPS navigation, object recognition, and 100,000 audio books.
The other two devices, the Emporia Essence ($49.99) and Emporia Click ($73.00), are simpler cell phones with the usual features of calling and speed dial, but with the added benefit of high-contrast screens and oversize numbers. The Click, a flip phone, targets low-vision individuals.
A T-Mobile MVNO, Odin Mobile sells is phones off-contract and can support 4G. Its unique product lineup and entire customer service experience will launch in July, and you'll be able to buy the Huawei Vision from Amazon on July 6 and from Odin Mobile on July 15.
Odin Mobile plans to add two more handsets by the year's end. Read even more details on the Huawei Vision with Ray.