It looks like Kobo is getting prepared to add some new accessibility features to their latest ereaders soon, according to this new help page on Kobo’s website, and there are some interesting details about the change.
Apparently they’re going to offer an optional software update, version 5.10, that adds the new accessibility features and it will require erasing everything from your Kobo device and basically starting over with the new software.
That’s not the only eyebrow raising detail. The help page also says the update will only be available for readers in Europe.
Only three current Kobo models will be getting the update. The Kobo Clara BW, the Clara Colour, and the Libra Colour.
According to Kobo, the update adds the option to increase the text size outside of ebooks (sound similar to Large Print Mode, which is a beta feature on Kobos). They’re also adding a Screen Reader feature that can read the contents of the screen aloud.
Kobo ereaders have never had any kind of text-to-speech or screen reading features before so that’s something entirely new.
However, it looks like using the Screen Reader is going to be pretty complicated, even more so than using VoiceView on Kindles. In order to use the Screen Reader you have to first connect Bluetooth speakers (or headphones) and a Bluetooth keyboard. And then you have to use the keyboard to navigate your Kobo device while using the Screen Reader function. Maybe it’s easier than the help page makes it sound, but having to use a Bluetooth keyboard to use the Screen Reader sounds rather cumbersome.
They also say the optional update with the new accessibility features has a number of limitations compared to the regular Kobo software. There’s a whole list of features that aren’t available with the 5.10 software, so you definitely want to check that before installing. They say it’s possible to go back to the original software so that’s an option too if you just want to test the new accessibility features, but again that requires basically doing a factory reset and starting over again from scratch.
Check out the new accessibility features help article on Kobo’s website for more details.
Interesting! Especially because the German Tolinos currently use the Kobo-developed firmware version 5.9. Could this perhaps be the beginning of a transition from the 4.x development branch to 5.x?
Maybe this will motivate Amazon to fix voiceview.
Probably not. Kobo’s implementation is even more cumbersome because it requires a keyboard to operate. They want their users to buy audiobooks instead of giving them a decent text-to-speech option. I don’t like this at all, it shows that they are capable of implementing TTS in order to comply with the EAA but they are not willing to make the feature easy to use.
Why only in Europe? Because of Tolino ?
About the keyboard needed for the new screen reading feature. In the French version, there’s no mention of any Bluetooth device, not even headphones.
I think it is related to the EU Accessibility Act.
Because of the European Accessibility act that came in effect on June 28th. Kobo would get fined if they didn’t comply.