8 Best Cell Phone For Visually Impaired Seniors

For low-vision elderly persons, the need to use low-visual settings or built-in screen readers in their device adds to the complexity of finding the right cell phone. Although modern-day smartphones have the greatest hardware on-board, they may not be suitable for someone with a visual impairment. If you are seeking to buy the best cell phone for visually impaired seniors, we recommend that you look for brands with low-vision settings.

Depending on who is going to use the phone, ease of use is a crucial feature to consider. For instance, a modern smartphone may be too intimidating for older users. Furthermore, seniors with extremely low visual might struggle to use a smartphone. Read below for the features you should be looking for before you start searching for a low-vision cell phone.

Features To Look For In The Best Cell Phone For Visually Impaired Seniors

There is a fair chance that poor vision users, more so seniors, will have other challenges preventing them from using regular phones. For that reason, you will have to think of a few special needs before you buy them a cell phone. They include;

• Screen Size: A larger screen is easier to read and vice versa
• Screen contrast: A screen with a sharp, adjustable contrast, often found in smartphones, will make a significant difference in how easy it is to read text
• Button Style and Size: If you are looking for a button phone, do not get the flat-button type. We recommend finding one with large rounded buttons because they are simple to find and easy to orient.
• Speech Recognition: Seniors with vision loss will find it easier to speak to a phone. We advise that you consider a cell phone’s ability to recognize speech and speak. The majority of modern smartphones integrate digital voice recognition and a digital assistant feature. Some unique cell phones for visually impaired seniors have a voice to text recognition along with the ability to read aloud letters and numbers.
• Battery Life: It is difficult for a senior with vision impairment to see battery capacity. Shoppers should buy a cell phone with a decent battery life. Consider getting a battery life that lasts all day, so it becomes a habit to charge the phone in the evening.
• Durability: There is a high chance that a poor vision elderly will accidentally sit on the phone, place items on top of it, or drop their phone. For that reason, the more rugged the cell phone, the better.
• Ease of Use: Depending on the ability of the person you are buying the phone for, the cell phone’s ease of use may be crucial. Some seniors often prefer basic phones because they find modern phones intimidating. We suggest that you look into a phone’s intuitiveness before purchasing.

The above are all essential features to consider when buying a cell phone for visually impaired seniors. But depending on the needs of the end-user, there are other vital features to consider, including:

• Panic Buttons or SOS: Many of the low-vision and senior-friendly cell phones have panic or SOS buttons. Panic buttons allow end-users to contact their emergency contact or emergency service providers by pressing the key. The SOS button can result in great peace of mind.
• Excellent Audio: Someone with bad eyesight will be doing more of listening than watching; therefore having a cell phone with excellent speakers is a good thing.

While most phones for vision loss seniors might not help legally blind persons, they can enhance the user’s cell phone experience.

How We Selected The Best Cell Phone For Visually Impaired Seniors

After going through the features and considerations to look for, which model should you pick? There are plenty of cell phone models for which to opt, and we have gathered a few of our favorites to assist you in making that critical decision. Before providing our recommendations, we would like to show you how we chose them.

As we were searching for suitable devices, release dates for the phones were our first concern because the latest models have better specifications with improved support for updates. We did also consider price, to make sure that our list caters to every budget. We reviewed different specs and features that would be necessary to provide an excellent phone for various categories of vision impairment, including the types of users. Customer reviews and feedback informed a significant part of our selection criteria.

Knowing how satisfied other customers are is an excellent way to tell if the phone is reliable. In some cases, the high spec numbers do not give the whole story. We spent plenty of time reviewing phones, talking to phone users and experts, as well as interviewing tech specialists. We gathered a lot of useful information from there as well. We will now take you through the eight best models we recommend for visually impaired seniors.

Top 8 Best Cell Phone For Visually Impaired Seniors

1. Alcatel 3C 5026D 3G Dual Sim

Visual Impaired Features
Display	Screen Size :- 6.7-inch Screen Resolution (Max) :- 1440×720 Pixels Per Inch (PPI) :- 268
Speech and Reading Aid	Speech recognition: Voice typing with voice-activated control Dedicated Keys: Google Assistant Button Ease of Use: Simple Launcher + Magnifying Glass for easy reading
Audio Quality	Speakerphone: Built-in Sound Quality: Integrated, immersive dual speaker
Connectivity Interfaces	Bluetooth: 4.2 Wi-Fi: 802.11n, Wi-Fi Direct
Power Supply	Type : Built-in Li-ion Capacity: 3000 mAh Charging system: micro-USB Talk time: 18.5 hours Standby time: 375 hours Charging time : 3 hours & 30 minutes

2. Galaxy Note 8

Visual Impaired Features
Display	Screen Size :- 6.3-inch Screen Resolution (Max) :- 1440×2960 Pixels Per Inch (PPI) :- 521
Speech and Reading Aid	Speech recognition: Voice typing with voice-activated control, Text-to-speech Dedicated Keys: Google Assistant App Ease of Use: Text magnifier app for easy reading
Audio Quality	Speakerphone: Built-in for clear calls Sound Quality:  Integrated, immersive front-facing speaker
Connectivity Interfaces	Bluetooth: 5.0 Wi-Fi: 802.11ac, Wi-Fi Direct
Power Supply	Type : Li-ion Capacity: 3300 mAh Charging system: USB-C, and wireless fast charging Talk time: 24.5 hours Standby time: 72 hours Charging time : 1 hour & 50 minutes

3. iPhone SE

Visual Impaired Features
Display	Screen Size :- 4.0-inch Screen Resolution (Max) :- 640×1136 pixels Pixels Per Inch (PPI) :- 326
Speech and Reading Aid	Speech recognition: Full voice-activated control Dedicated Keys: Google Assistant App Ease of Use: Magnifying glass for easy reading
Audio Quality	Speakerphone: Built-in for clear calls Sound Quality: 44.1kHz audio with active noise cancellation
Connectivity Interfaces	Bluetooth: Version 4.2 Wi-Fi: 802.11ac and Wi-Fi Direct
Power Supply	Type : Built-in Li-Po Capacity: 1624 mAh Charging system: USB-C, Fast charging Talk time: 14.5 hours Standby time: 240 hours

4. Moto G6

Visual Impaired Features
Display	Screen Size :-5.9-inches of Full High-Definition Screen Resolution (Max) :- 1080 by 2160 Pixels Per Inch (PPI) :- 424
Speech and Reading Aid	Speech recognition: Full voice control Dedicated Keys: Google Assistant App Ease of Use: Magnifying glass for easy reading
Audio Quality	Speakerphone: Built-in speakerphone Sound Quality: Integrated Dolby Audio with active noise cancellation
Connectivity Interfaces	Bluetooth: 4.2, A2DP, LE, EDR Wi-Fi: 802.11ac, Wi-Fi Direct
Power Supply	Type : Built-in Li-ion Capacity: 3200 mAh Charging system: USB-C, USB 2.0 Fast charging Talk time: 36 hours Standby time: 13 days

5. Binatone Blade Retro Flip Phone

Visual Impaired Features
Display	Screen Size :- 2.4-inch QVGA LCD Screen Resolution (Max) :- N/A Pixels Per Inch (PPI) :- N/A
Speech and Reading Aid	Speech recognition: Talking buttons Dedicated Keys: SOS key with three memory fast dial  buttons Ease of Use: Large raised buttons, a backlit keypad for low-vision,
Audio Quality	Speakerphone: Built-in handsfree speakerphone
Connectivity Interfaces	Bluetooth: enabled  Wi-Fi: N/A
Power Supply	Type : N/A Capacity: 600 mAh Charging system: micro-USB Talk time: 3 hours Standby time: 120 hours Charging time : N/A

6. Binatone M250

Visual Impaired Features
Display	Screen Size :- 1.8-inch color LCD Screen Resolution (Max) :- N/A Pixels Per Inch (PPI) :- N/A
Speech and Reading Aid	Speech recognition: Talking buttons Dedicated Keys: SOS key with three memory fast dial  buttons Ease of Use: Large raised buttons, a backlit keypad for low-vision,
Audio Quality	Speakerphone: Built-in handsfree speakerphone
Connectivity Interfaces	Bluetooth: enabled  Wi-Fi: N/A
Power Supply	Type : Li-ion Capacity: 800 mAh Charging system: micro-USB

7. Doro 8040

Visual Impaired Features
Display	Screen Size :- 5-inch, High Definition LCD Screen Resolution (Max) :- 1280 x 720 Pixels Per Inch (PPI) :- 294
Speech and Reading Aid	Speech recognition: Voice typing with voice-activated control Dedicated Keys: Google Assistant Tool Ease of Use: Magnifier for easy reading
Audio Quality	Speakerphone: Handsfree speakerphone  Sound Quality: up to 35dB
Connectivity Interfaces	Bluetooth: 4.0  Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi Direct, 802.11n enabled
Power Supply	Type : Li-ion Capacity: 2920 mAh Charging system: USB Talk time: 28 hours Standby time: 500 hours Charging time : N/A

8. Big Digit SOS Phone

Visual Impaired Features
Display	Screen Size :- 2.4-inch QVGA high contrast display Screen Resolution (Max) :- N/A Pixels Per Inch (PPI) :- N/A
Speech and Reading Aid	Speech recognition: N/A Dedicated Keys: SOS key Ease of Use: Large raised keypad digits, speaking dial option
Audio Quality	Speakerphone: Built-in extra loudspeaker  Sound Quality: Integrated Dolby Audio with active noise cancellation
Connectivity Interfaces	Bluetooth: enabled Wi-Fi: N/A
Power Supply	Type : Built-in Li-ion Capacity: 900 mAh Charging system: USB 2.0  Talk time: 4 hours Standby time: 150 hours

My Opinion For Visually Impaired Seniors

Cell phones are a necessary tool that everyone needs for effective communication. Since people are different, they will also have different technology needs. Our list of the best cell phone for visually impaired seniors ensures there is something for everyone. If you were unable to pick a cell phone for your vision impairment loved one, you can opt for one from this list. However, if the phones don’t match your criteria; you can use our recommended tips to find the right cell phone for the low vision senior.