Hi everyone,

Version 1.9.0 of Perceive World Assist is now available on the App Store. This update is mainly about making longer reading tasks less frustrating and easier to return to later.

Many of the changes came from problems reported by blind and low-vision users, including people here on AppleVis. Thank you to everyone who tested the app, described where VoiceOver focus was confusing, or explained how easily a reading position can be lost in a long document.

Here is what has changed in this version:

- You can browse, search, download, and read public-domain books from Project Gutenberg. Downloaded books can be opened again offline, and the app reports download progress.
- You can import DRM-free EPUB and TXT files, as well as PDFs up to 200 MB.
- Original text, smart-recognized text, and translations are kept as separate versions. Switching between them is designed to preserve the corresponding reading position, bookmarks, notes, and search results.
- Follow Reading keeps the active line near the middle of the screen and highlights the current word. Listen mode can continue with the screen locked.
- For longer material, recognition and translation can continue in sections. The app announces progress and can return to saved translated content instead of starting from the beginning.
- Siri, lock-screen controls, and supported headset controls can be used for common reading actions.
- We have also worked on VoiceOver feedback, document search, bookmarks and notes, long-document positioning, and reducing unexpected scrolling while reading.

The environmental features are still part of the app, including Walking Guard, Observe Surroundings, Read Text, and Reading Camera. This release simply puts more attention on reading books, documents, scanned pages, and other longer material.

If you try the update, the feedback that would help us most is:

- How well VoiceOver moves through long PDFs and EPUB books.
- Whether Follow Reading keeps the spoken line in a useful place.
- Whether bookmarks, notes, search results, and translations return you to the expected passage.
- Whether the progress announcements are clear when recognition or translation takes longer.

Please include the device model, iOS version, document type, and the steps that caused a problem when possible. Those details make a large difference when we try to reproduce an accessibility issue.

A few practical notes: recognition and translation can still contain mistakes, especially with complex layouts or poor images, so important information should be checked against the original. Project Gutenberg availability and public-domain status can vary by country. Walking Guard and other environmental features are assistive tools and should not be used as the sole basis for street crossing or navigation decisions.

Thank you again for the thoughtful and very specific feedback. It has helped us focus on the parts of the app that matter during real reading, rather than only adding more features.

App Store link:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/perceiveworld-assist/id6756039728

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