Soroush+ TalkBack: A New Milestone in Digital Accessibility for the Visually Impaired

Soroush+ has introduced Persian TalkBack, delivering a seamless and accessible experience for visually impaired and low-vision users.

The homegrown Iranian messaging platform, Soroush+ , has taken a significant step toward enhancing digital accessibility by upgrading its TalkBack feature, an Android accessibility service, with Persian language support powered by the eSpeak NG engine. Initially implemented in the fourth generation of Soroush+ and refined based on feedback from visually impaired users, this feature makes over 95% of the application accessible, ensuring a comprehensive and uninterrupted user experience.

With Soroush+’s TalkBack, Persian-speaking users can navigate messages, menus, headings, and app content with clear, fluent audio feedback, eliminating the need for English proficiency. The intelligent text-to-speech functionality distinctly reads out page elements such as buttons, links, and polls, offering multiple reading modes, including continuous page reading and line-by-line navigation.

Additionally, intuitive touch gestures simplify navigation: swiping left or right to move between elements, double-tapping to select, and two-finger swipes to access settings. Users can customize audio output by adjusting speed, tone, and voice type (male or female) and access detailed information, such as list item counts or button statuses, through fine-tuned verbosity settings.

Soroush+ has also enhanced the accessibility of components like checkboxes, icons, polls, and rating submissions with custom labels and is currently developing its Stories feature to support visually impaired users. For deaf users, video messaging and video calls provide a streamlined, visual communication experience.

To fully leverage Persian text-to-speech, users can install the eSpeak NG application. Soroush+ invites everyone to explore this inclusive experience by downloading the app from Cafe Bazaar. For more information, contact the Soroush+ public relations team at info@soroushplus.ir.