Latest Version of SG Buses More Accessible To The Blind

In a boon to the blind and the visually handicapped, SG Buses developer Muh Hon Cheng has added new features to make the free bus guide and bus timing app more accessible.

In the new version of SG Buses, there is now better support for Apple's VoiceOver feature. According to Hon Cheng: "When VoiceOver is turned on, the app reads the tapped item in full sentences rather than in incomplete broken sentences."

He has also added additional support for accessibility in settings. When this is turned on, a pop-up window will ask users what action they want to take. This is meant for users with problems accessing the arrival time button, or difficulty accessing the switch that turns on auto-loading of arrival times.

Hon Cheng added these new features after reading the plea from blind user Alvin Ng that local developers make their apps accessible to the blind. He went on to contact Alvin to find out what could be done quickly to make the existing app more usable. Based on the feedback, Hon Cheng reworked SG Buses. "The improvements I made to SG Buses is actually a response to the post. I hope that it will get the attention of more developers to do the same thing."

This new version of SG Buses is now available on the App Store.

Note

Story was updated to include a quote from Hon Cheng on why he decided to retool SG Buses.