Be My Eyes, the Danish-founded app for blind and low-vision people is acquiring AppleVis, the go-to online blindness website for accessibility advice on Apple and other technologies.
With a worldwide community of nearly 700,000 users, and 7.5 million volunteers, Be My Eyes connects blind and low-vision users with sighted volunteers and companies, through live video and AI to tackle the inaccessible parts of everyday life, whether at home or at work; all for free to the end user.
The future of AppleVis, a much-loved online community with its active and engaged user base and vast resource of podcasts, forums, and reviews, looked bleak when its founder, David Goodwin, announced in July that it would need to close permanently at the end of August 2024.
While Apple as a company has demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting users with visual impairments through various accessibility features and initiatives, AppleVis was run entirely on a voluntary and unpaid basis — surely given Apple's financial resources and commitment to accessibility, it could have provided paid staff to support this crucial initiative?
But following a fervent chorus of community wishes and support, Be My Eyes will ensure the website’s long-term stability and growth.
“David Goodwin built something remarkable and immensely valuable, and when the Be My Eyes team discussed the possible closure, we quickly concluded that we had to do something to keep such an important and loved community resource available,” said Mike Buckley, CEO of Be My Eyes.
“From the first call with the AppleVis team, we not only learned that we shared the same values and mission, but that we also had similar ideas for how to grow AppleVis and make it even more useful in the future. As always, we will listen and learn first, and then continue to build AppleVis with the direct input and leadership of the blind and low-vision community.”
Under the terms of the acquisition, Be My Eyes will acquire the website and brand, and a licence to all content.
Be My Eyes has also agreed to ensure complete editorial independence for the AppleVis team and contributors going forward. It will also add two paid staff positions and retain key AppleVis volunteers under the new structure to ensure continuity and maintain its institutional knowledge.
To retain the editorial authenticity for the blind and low vision community, the new AppleVis organisation will report directly to Bryan Bashin, Vice Chairman of Be My Eyes.
Bashin, himself blind, has been a former science journalist, Commissioner for the US AbilityONE Commission, and former CEO of the San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind.
AppleVis like all be My Eyes user features will continue to be free of charge for all of its users.
The acquisition means the site will be restored to full functionality on September 9th or before, in time for analysis of Apple’s autumn software releases. By then, all the traditional AppleVis content relevant to such upcoming releases as iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia, including articles detailing what’s new for blind and DeafBlind users, podcast episodes, and blog posts detailing new and resolved VoiceOver bugs in the respective updates, will be there as usual.
“Fourteen years ago, I along with several others set out to make AppleVis the go to online resource for individuals who are blind or have low vision who wanted to learn more about accessible technologies, " said David Goodwin, founder of AppleVis.
“But following the subsequent outpouring of support, we just knew we needed to find a way to keep AppleVis going. Partnering with such a globally trusted, and valued technology partner as Be My Eyes could not have been a better outcome, and I look forward to the ongoing growth and evolution of AppleVis under their stewardship.”
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