During Samsung’s Unpacked event, which featured the unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, the company also announced the inclusion of Gemini-based image descriptions and Braille HID
support. These features will appear first on the new phones. A Google blog post
later reiterated the announcements, stating that HID support would reach other Android 15 devices in the coming weeks. While it is not uncommon for new devices to receive exclusive features that are sometimes considered key selling points, the situation with screen reader features is different. Following this trend for screen readers tends to hurt more than it helps.
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The Gemini Image Descriptions and HID Support Example
In September 2024, Google rolled out version 15.0
of TalkBack, Android’s built-in screen reader with Gemini detailed image descriptions
as the main feature. Only the Pixel 9 series received the offline Gemini Nano descriptions, while other devices relied on the online 1.5 Flash descriptions. Samsung devices were the only ones excluded, with speculation and complaints from users met with silence. All current Samsung devices lack any form of image descriptions, including those running the One UI 7 beta.
With the new Samsung announcement, it is now confirmed that the Galaxy S25 will be the first Samsung device to receive Gemini image descriptions in its version of TalkBack. The device is expected to support the same Gemini Nano descriptions found in the Pixel 9 series, enabling offline image descriptions. While other Samsung devices are expected to receive Gemini descriptions later, there is no information about the waiting period. If the current pattern of tying Samsung TalkBack updates to One UI major releases continues, this could mean that only devices updated to One UI 7 will receive the feature.
Regarding HID support over Bluetooth, this feature was expected to be included with Android 15. However, Google ignored it after the initial announcement, leaving Android 15 devices without HID over Bluetooth support. While Google has promised that this feature will come to devices beyond the Galaxy S25, no timeline has been provided.
Why Delaying Screen Reader Features Is Worrying
As already mentioned in the introduction, debuting certain features and options on a new device, with plans to roll them out to other devices later, isn’t new. This approach is widely used to set the new device apart, especially when hardware upgrades are relatively minor. However, including screen reader features in this trend is a different story.
A screen reader is what allows a blind person to use their device. Every new feature and option has the potential to improve the life and experience of this person, making their interaction with the device more convenient. A screen reader is not an AI assistant that one may or may not use, nor is it an app that varies between devices to make a shiny new product more appealing. It is the cornerstone of inclusivity, where experiences should remain consistent across all devices, within the practical limits of APIs and hardware capabilities.
The Unjustified Delays
To give Samsung something to showcase as part of its accessibility efforts, users were deprived of one of TalkBack’s best additions since its early releases. While Google and Samsung are making a big deal about including Gemini descriptions in the S25, they seem to forget that at least online descriptions have been available to non-Samsung users for over three months. Those who aren’t upgrading to the S25 will have to wait even longer, especially if the update remains tied to the One UI 7 rollout, which could take months to reach all eligible devices.
Although HID over Bluetooth support doesn’t impact as many users, the same principle applies regardless of the number of beneficiaries. Google, which stayed silent for months, now claims that HID will arrive first on the S25 before reaching other Android 15 devices. Speculation over the delay included blaming braille display companies, which could have contributed to the delay, though it became apparent that HID support was also held back for Samsung to use as a showpiece for its accessibility care.
A Blow in the Face of Equality
It is a known fact that not everyone can afford the most expensive flagship devices, a reality even more pronounced within the blind community due to well-known challenges. This isn’t about calling for idealistic social justice, but the inability to afford flagships shouldn’t mean being treated as second-class citizens. Equality doesn’t require everyone to have the money for the best devices or for high-end devices to resemble midrange or low-spec offerings. Instead, equality means respecting basic rights, and I won’t be exaggerating by saying that having a similar set of features in the screen reader is a basic right.
When it comes to Gemini descriptions, those who need this feature the most might be the very people who cannot afford flagship devices, rather than those who can.
The Concerning Future
This isn’t the first time Samsung and Google have taken such an approach. The example of Android 11’s multi-finger gestures, which worked well only on certain Pixel devices and Samsung phones but was delayed until Android 12 for other devices for no apparent reason, is still fresh in the minds of many users. The alarming reality is that this mindset isn’t going away. Now, its destructive effects on inclusivity and equality are becoming more pronounced.
Users who chose Samsung phones have already experienced what it means to wait, only to discover that the awaited feature is being released first to flagships. What does this mean for the future? Will Samsung and Google repeat this pattern again and again? What about other manufacturers that rely on Google for screen reader features—will they also be left behind? And for those who are not using Samsung devices and feel safe for now, are they going to be the next victims when new TalkBack releases arrive?
Every blind Android user has the right to worry, to ask these questions, and to demand clear answers.
Final Remarks
TalkBack is the built-in screen reader on Android devices that enables blind users to operate their devices. Any feature added to this screen reader could be a life-changer for someone. This screen reader is not a commodity; it is a necessity. Screen reader features must be available for everyone without delays, with real hardware and software limitations being the only reasons for not making a feature available. Samsung and Google should understand this and work accordingly. They should stop treating the blind experience as unimportant, putting their marketing strategy first.
Reading the Gemini-related announcement, I couldn’t help but feel real frustration, knowing that the feature is already playing its role in improving the experience of many non-Samsung users—or those who don’t mind taking the risk of removing Samsung’s TalkBack to install Google’s version. This workaround is still possible for now, with no assurance that it will remain functional and not become so buggy that it is rendered useless.
With current developments, we see blind people in a valley, while the big players—Google and Samsung—are in a completely different, faraway valley. Instead of focusing on fixing serious accessibility issues, Big players focus on making accessibility a marketing topic to improve sales, even if this strategy relies on manipulating facts and harming those who need accessibility features the most.
In the end, I should clarify that I am not against exclusive additional accessibility features, as Android is open to innovations, and Samsung’s old Voice Assistant screen reader was an illustration of this welcome strategy. What I cannot justify, though, is when these features are core to the screen reader experience and when the culprit is Google itself—the developer of TalkBack, the screen reader that many Android users rely on. If priorities are not set correctly, the future of accessibility on Android is at risk.
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