Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPhone
Does the iPhone shaft the blind?
I spent a good hour or so this morning without my glasses. The little plastic nosie-thing fell off and I had to wait while a new plastic nosie-thing got installed. During that time, I was pretty much blind as a bat--assuming that bats are legally blind, extremely myopic, astigmatic, and can only see the world as one huge blur.
So I got to thinking. The new iPhone, with its completely sleek surface, how useless will that thing be for the visually impaired? Me, I can usually stick my eye up reaaaaaally close to something (assuming I can get my nose out of the way) and see what's going on but for anyone with worse vision (or a less foldable nose), the iPhone is going to be really hard to use. (Contrast this with the 5G iPod, which I can operate by touch, often in my pocket.)
So I googled for blind and iPhone, but didn't find much out there on Web search, and just a few hits here and there on blog search. Surely, there must be some usability experts out there willing to weigh in on the Universal Access aspects of the iPhone and the lack thereof. Thoughts?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
coalxman said 1:33PM on 1-10-2007
I hate to do it to you, but this is a DUMB blog, Why would the blind want this Phone as 90% of its function is visual. Try again.
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LittleJoe said 1:35PM on 1-10-2007
I dont mean to be an ass, but who cares?
There are plenty of cellular options out there for the visually impaired. This article is milking the iphone for TUAW coverage just like I'm sure at some point someone is going to try to milk apple for the lack of consideration for the blind.
Little Joe - Usability Expert, level 3.
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Erica Sadun said 1:28PM on 1-10-2007
Blind people listen to music and make phone calls just like the rest of us.
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Flash said 1:31PM on 1-10-2007
I don't know if there is a tactful way to say this, but, is it really Apple's responsibility to make sure of this? I mean c'mon.
Starving children in Africa won't be able to use it either.
There are hundreds of phones out there for the blind to use, and I think among all of the unfortunate disadvantages conferred on a blind person in our society, not being able to buy this particular gadget won't rank very highly.
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Richie said 1:35PM on 1-10-2007
Does EVERYTHING have to work for EVERYONE??? Come on... I'm an overweight guy, so should I expect every piece of clothing that fits slimmer people to work for me? I highly doubt it.
Before you say, "You can lose weight, but the blind can't do anything about their situation!", keep in mind obesity has been labeled a "disease", as well... :)
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Tony C said 1:51PM on 1-10-2007
I don't see why the iPhone couldn't be used as a device for the blind or sight impaired. In fact, I see it as a boon.
Since nearly everything is in the software, the multitouch interface could easily be adapted for speech feedback. Those same sensors that can tell when your finger is hovering over a keyboard key -- and visually enlarges it as confirmation -- can report to the user what key they're about to press.
Likewise, there can be audio feedback for every element and function of the iPhone's operating system, applications and widgets, to include reading chat, email and web site content.
Not too much of a further stretch for there to be voice recognition as well, right?
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Carniphage said 2:38PM on 1-10-2007
There are more people with visual impariment than full blindness. So the large screen of the iPhone is actually better than a small screen, and complex menus of Nokia.
Furthermore the programability of the iPhone could well mean that the phone is capable of text to speech - and other audio feedback.
So there!
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SteveH said 1:42PM on 1-10-2007
I agree that this is a somewhat extreme iPhone milking headline.
Apart from anything else, the functionality might not be there right now but
there is plenty of functionality in OS X under accessibility options
that you could imagine being utilised at some point down the road.
High contrast, enlarged text etc. What about voice recognition?
That'd turn this into the most accessible device for the impaired.
What amazes me is that within 24 hours of its launch, the device is
getting criticised when nobody has had it in their hands yet and
don't even know the full extent of the final functionality.
I expected better from TUAW.
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Mark said 1:43PM on 1-10-2007
Oww.
I expected at least 48 hours before the truly idiotic objections began to surface. THE BLIND? How about those who have lost their hands in industrial accidents? How about the mute? How about the chronologically impaired (infants)? Seriously - the BLIND?
On further reflection you are right. In fact I believe this should be extended to all products. I intend to open a class-action lawsuit against General Motors since they make no "blind friendly" automobiles. And how about the manufacturers of knives - those things can be dangerous to the "sight impaired".
WORST. BLOG. COMPLAINT. EVAH.
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Mark said 1:46PM on 1-10-2007
I can't imagine how people with significant visual impairment could use the iPhone. I also am very glad Apple didn't let that stop them from making the best phone interface they could for the rest of us.
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coalxman said 1:50PM on 1-10-2007
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A THREAD POSTED ON WHO WILL BE WILLING TO BRAKE THE PHONE CONTRACT TO GET THE JESUS < I MEAN APPLE PHONE.
Alltell wants $200.00 to brake out of their contract, No problem.
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mazola said 6:15PM on 1-10-2007
Well, the iPhone is built on some varient of OS X and it might theoretically be possible at some point to tap into Voice Recognition / Universal Access to meet those needs.
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Tim said 1:52PM on 1-10-2007
Dang! You're right! And people without fingers won't be able to use it either! Apple should just cancel the whole project.
I'm a photographer, should my studio be criticized or even shut down for not providing our best products and services to the blind? Sheesh. You guys have been brainwashed by too much politically correct liberal pap.
C'mon...this is ridiculous. Accessibility for the impaired refers to public services and safety issues. Beyond that if a company doesn't want to serve a particular sector, they can choose not to. It's called capitalism. If there's such a huge and desperate need for cutting edge phones for the blind, then someone can fill it and make a living doing so.
Maybe it will pay better than lame blog entries.
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Will said 1:57PM on 1-10-2007
What a travesty, since the iPod was so friendly to the visually impaired.
Oh wait, no it wasn't. It was an entirely visual interface with an ephemeral wheel to spin up and down and a single button to navigate the whole system.
Of course, if the iPhone is built on OSX, and Leopard will have Universal Access for the handicapped including "lifelike" voice narration, then perhaps a future revision of the phone will have it?
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Shig the Unmentionable said 2:50PM on 1-10-2007
My wife and I were having this discussion last night. She's a usability expert, so these things are important to her. I pointed out that the thing is running OS X, which has some of the best voice recognition software on the planet, and that seemed to allay her concerns. If you can use voice commands to make phone calls as well as control 99% of the phone's functions, that'd make it the best phone imaginable for the blind.
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wWw said 1:59PM on 1-10-2007
ERICA SADUN - the iPhone features coverflow, touch-scrolling, touch-web browsing, etc... and Google Map. These are all VISUAL programs.
Touch-screen takes away the tactile buttons, which is something that Universal Access cannot compensate. The iPhone relies HEAVILY on Mac OS - its icons and Graphic User Interface.
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Jay said 2:29PM on 1-10-2007
This Blog entry is just stupid. If everything had to work for everyone immediately, we'd never get any cool tools. More memory and software will come in version 2. Extended voice control interface will come in version "later" after 20 million non-visually impaired bring the price point down to $300.
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Mark said 2:03PM on 1-10-2007
I just noticed the headline. That is truly bizarre. The blind SHAFTED?! What a way of looking at things. What's next? "Artist paints masterpiece: Blind shafted again!"?
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my_name_is_tudor said 2:16PM on 1-10-2007
Blind people encountering a disadvantage in their lives? Whodathunkit?
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Marc D. said 2:10PM on 1-10-2007
I was actually just thinking about a similar subject myself.
Ford, Dodge, Toyota heck none of the major automotive manufacturers have provisions in their vehicle for blind people either. Can you believe that? I can't fathom how they get that stuff out the door without testing the usability of said products with blind people first.
Lame!
If it's such a big deal, just wait and sign up with the class action lawsuit you know is coming.
While you're at it, file a suit for the hearing impaired who purchased ring tones.
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