Android is also an accessible smart phone platform. I hear lots of 
people say that it's for techy types and that it requires a lot of 
customization. I disagree with both statements. The Samsung phone your 
brother has is probably an Android.

I would say that iPhone accessibility is still a little more polished 
than Android's, but I think the difference is small. iPhone 
accessibility also has better documentation, so it's probably easier to 
get started without joining a mailing list. As an Android user, however, 
I think these are minor considerations.

Whatever OS you choose, a Bluetooth keyboard is a good idea if you plan 
to do a lot of typing, but I think that, if you plan to use a touch 
screen device, you should really try hard to go touch screen all the 
way, at least for the first few months. The experience is very different 
from what we're used to, so the adjustment is a big one, which takes 
time and may involve some frustration. But once you understand how touch 
screens work and get used to relying on muscle memory to locate icons 
and perform tasks, things can go very quickly and fairly smoothly. 
on-screen Typing is slow, but it's good enough for short tasks like text 
messages and searches. For longer writing tasks, you can use voice input 
and on-screen editing or you can use a Bluetooth keyboard.

Whether you go Android or iOS, it'll probably take about two weeks to 
learn the basics (i.e., use common gestures successfully and perform 
some common tasks, like making phone calls and checking email). It'll 
take another two or three weeks to really feel comfortable with most 
aspects of the device, though proficient on-screen typing may take an 
additional month or two.


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