For a lot of people, the cellular phone is a necessary communication tool, and using apps has become an everyday necessity for millions, but there’s a problem for a bunch who number over 285m worldwide. Blind and partially-sighted people around the globe routinely encounter apps that may be life-transforming – if only they can use them.
Our sight could be compromised by injury, illness or age. Many folks will suffer significant sight-loss during our lifetime, and we have to act to make sure that mobile technology use remains possible for us, in that event.
The complexity and design of cell phones has often made them difficult for blind and partially-sighted people to take advantage of. plenty of factors, including the scale and shape of buttons and the dimensions of text and icons on their screens, combine to make their use difficult, or in lots of cases, impossible.
Mobile experience
The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) was working alongside the mobile technology world for decades, helping device manufacturers, network operators and, more recently, app developers, in order to make the mobile experience that we know and love equally accessible to those that are blind or partially-sighted.
Try this little test: turn on your device, shut your eyes, and check out and navigate around your favourite app. Try using an app this is critical to way of life, like a banking app. It won’t take long so that you can see how easily an app could be rendered useless to someone who has impaired vision, if it has not been designed to take full good thing about the handset’s sound output capability.
Gary Readfern-Grey, accessibility specialist at RNIB, is blind, and has worked for RNIB for 15 years. Advancements in mobile technology have transformed everyday life for Gary. His first-hand knowledge is invaluable, and he’s keen about ensuring that developers create apps that meet the purposes of blind and partially-sighted people.
Gary, and RNIB Innovation colleagues annually attend Mobile World Congress, to connect with major (and minor) industry players, but this year there has been particular excitement, as Mobile Marketing invited us to offer at its Barca Starta competition for startups.
There, Gary demonstrated that it’s possible for a blind or partially-sighted person to take advantage of a smartphone – an idea which, when initially introduced to the developers, was met with both surprise and intrigue! Many weren’t acutely aware of the best way to turn on the Voiceover (iOS Users) or TalkBack (Android Users) function, not to mention use it to navigate around their smartphone.
The competition for app developers provided a superb platform for RNIB to share our passion for maximising the possibility of technology to enhance quality of life. We are hoping the audience was enthused and inspired to attack accessibility issues when designing apps in a proactive way. We wish to see many more blind and partially-sighted people confidently using mobile technology in all areas of life.
RNIB is not any stranger to such competitions, having taken part in several events and conferences held by mobile industry leaders. Subsequently, we’re frequently called upon to share our expertise on accessibility in a hands-on way, even bringing developers together at our own RNIB Hackathon event.
We can be attending the Mobile Retail Summit in London this week, and would really like to talk to app developers and retailers in regards to the opportunity that it can be being missed to handle blind and partially-sighted mobile users.
Sadly, nearly all of app developers have never considered the issues of blind and partially-sighted users, or would not have the understanding to construct accessible apps. Indeed, many think that building in accessibility is complicated, time consuming and/or not financially viable. However, there are relatively simple solutions, and RNIB can offer technical support, user testing and advice.
RNIB has recently done some great work with John Lewis, that’s relaunching its app. The timing was perfect; we met them for the 1st time at an event earlier this year. Crucially, the corporate was at an early stage of drawing up its launch strategy, so it was possible to include accessibility from the onset of the relaunch project.
Tom Rooney, mobile development manager at John Lewis, said: “Working with RNIB’s Innovation team have been really worthwhile, and has given us the information and talents to make accessibility just a part of the method when developing apps.”
Gary Readfern-Grey has also contributed a chapter on accessibility to the Mobile Developer’s Guide to the Galaxy. This publication contains useful pointers and easy-to-implement ideas in order for you may build an accessible app.
Accessible apps
All developers can contribute and do their bit by caring enough to recollect the significance of making accessible apps. In years yet to come, it could possibly be you whose eyesight starts to deteriorate. Within the UK alone, 100 people lose their sight day by day, so get your eyes regularly checked.
The responsibility to make mobile technology accessible lies with each person on this fast-moving industry. In order for you to speak to us about how we are able to support your work and make sure that it remains robust enough to satisfy the purposes of blind and partially sighted people please contact Steve Jones on the RNIB Innovation Team.
Steve Jones is resource manager at RNIB Innovation