I am pulling a very rough estimate based on iPhone sales here in the US (some 40 million units were sold last year alone). That figure has also been consistent over the last several years. Given how accessible these devices are, friends and families of those who are blind will sometimes give them as a gift or help them to purchase one. I started out with an iPhone 3gs given to me used from a friend. I am now using an iPhone 5s. I am not so interested in the 6 as it is too big to carry conveniently in a pocket. so far, over the years, I have spent about $1,500 on contract fees to own one of these. so, its very possible for a blind person to get one (if they don't mind paying over inflated contractual agreement prices).
-eric On Feb 21, 2016, at 9:19 AM, Kevin Chao wrote: > Curious, is there a verifiable source for the data point cited of 6 million > blind iPhone users? I've heard ranges from 10,000 - 100,000, but millions is > a new one. > Thanks! > On Sun, Feb 21, 2016 at 3:36 AM Rajmund <brajmund2...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hello, > I take as they never have, and are not about to, care, either. > > > > Sent from an iPad > > > On 20 Feb 2016, at 8:12 pm, Eric Oyen <eric.o...@icloud.com> wrote: > > > > I wouldn't exactly call their statement "honest". THe first part of their > > statement is actually a bold faced lie. The tools are very available to > > make their app accessible. the second half is more a statement of intent > > than anything else. Its more likely that they never considered use by the > > blind and are now being forced to admit to it (in a roundabout fashion). > > btw, I haven't sent that letter yet. I was hoping to see more responses on > > this before I did so. > > > > -eric > > > >> On Feb 20, 2016, at 6:40 AM, rajmund wrote: > >> > >> Hi, > >> LOL, least they were honest, and didn't just say, "Will do it in the next > >> update." > >> > >> Sent from a BrailleNote > >> > >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> From: Eric Oyen <eric.o...@icloud.com > >> To: viphone@googlegroups.com > >> Date sent: Fri, 19 Feb 2016 10:54:38 -0700 > >> Subject: Re: Unacceptable Response from Issuu Support Team Regarding > >> VoiceOverAccessibility > >> > >> here is a copy of a letter that I propose sending to this company. Might > >> I also suggest hitting up their ratings area on the app store and posting > >> a 0 star rating with a list of complaints. the more that show up there, > >> the greater their incentive to change their attitude (and development > >> cycle). Also, for anyone using the Android version of this app, doing the > >> same on the android store should also have a similar impact. SOmeone > >> could also start a change.org petition. The more attention that is > >> brought to bear on this, the more likely it is that they will be forced to > >> deal with this.. > >> > >> here is the letter: > >> > >> *** > >> Gentlemen, > >> I recently read a response you sent another user about accessibility (or > >> the lack of it) in your application platform. I would also like to be > >> able to use your platform, but find that none of the controls or options > >> are accessible. Considering that apple published (free of charge mind > >> you) their API on how to interface with their screen reader, there is no > >> excuse for your lack of accessibility. In fact, your statement: " > >> > >> Unfortunately we don't have a way for those with visual impairments to use > >> screen reading technology or have a way to make our site accessible at > >> this time. We also haven't been informed of any plans to add that > >> functionality any time soon." > >> > >> I must point out that your statement above is a slap in the face of any > >> blind user who may have to depend on your application to read specific > >> publications. Also, as you do business in the US and contract with public > >> institutions (schools, colleges, etc.), you are required to abide by the > >> terms of the US AMericans with Disabilities act (as amended 1996). I am > >> only pointing this out to you to bring to your attention that someone else > >> might decide your wallet would make a tempting target. This is not a > >> threat, this is advice you really should heed. Now, the way I see it, you > >> don't have any choice. THere is already a push on to get other blind > >> users to write in and hit you u up on this issue. Considering the number > >> of blindness related blogs, email lists and social pages (on Facebook and > >> other social media), this means you might be forced to deal with this > >> sooner (rather than later). > >> > >> FYI, data regarding accessibility on iOS is available here: > >> https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/UserExperie > >> nce/Conceptual/iPhoneAccessibility/Making_Application_Accessible/ > >> Making_Application_Accessible.html > >> > >> please do not do me the disservice of sending a response like the one > >> quoted above. Might I suggest that you change your plans now, while you > >> still can. Considering the number of blind iPhone users (at last count, > >> somewhere north of 6 million or so), I would hate for you to have to drop > >> everything to start dealing with 6 million angry blind people. so, your > >> direction is now clear. take the steps (now) to make your product > >> accessible. > >> > >> thank you, > >> > >> Eric Oyen > >> *** > >> > >> > >> > >> On Feb 19, 2016, at 8:31 AM, Christine Grassman wrote: > >> > >> > >> Dear All: > >> > >> Issuu is an app which provides access to millions of magazines, > >> newsletters, etc., on virtually any topic you can think of. My son, who > >> is also a VoiceOver user, wanted to access his high school's newspaper > >> which is on the platform. However, it is in an image pdf. Furthermore, > >> trying to get around the app is nightmarish, and it does not appear that > >> any of the available resources is accessible. > >> I wrote to their support center, and this is the response I received. My > >> response to that unhelpful response is first, with the response in the > >> middle, with my original message at the bottom. I think this is > >> absolutely something which should be available to those who use screen > >> readers. If others agree, I think we should bombard them with requests to > >> make their platform accessible. > >> Christine > >> > >> > >> Begin forwarded message: > >> > >> From: "Christine Grassman (issuu Support Team)" <feedb...@issuu.com > >> Subject: Update from issuu Support Re: Poor VoiceOver accessibility > >> Date: February 19, 2016 at 10:16:27 AM EST > >> To: Christine Grassman <cgrassman1...@gmail.com > >> Reply-To: issuu Support Team <feedb...@issuu.com > >> > >> ## Please do not write below this line ## > >> > >> > >> Christine Grassman > >> Feb 19, 16:16 > >> > >> With all due respect, there is no excuse for this. Apple makes available > >> to developers, free of charge, guidelines for making apps accessible. > >> There's absolutely no reason not to do this. > >> Christine > >> > >> Sent from my iPhone > >> > >> > >> > >> Angel (Help Center) > >> Feb 19, 11:51 > >> > >> Hi Christine, > >> > >> Unfortunately we don't have a way for those with visual impairments to use > >> screen reading technology or have a way to make our site accessible at > >> this time. We also haven't been informed of any plans to add that > >> functionality any time soon. I'm so very sorry about that. > >> > >> If we do introduce this functionality at any point, we will put up an > >> announcement on our blog (blog.issuu.com) and on our help center > >> (help.issuu.com), so please do keep checking these places for updates. > >> > >> Please don't hesitate to write back if you have any other questions, and > >> we'd be happy to assist you. > >> > >> Best regards, > >> Angel > >> > >> issuu is on iOS and Android. > >> > >> To learn more about issuu, please visit our Help Center. > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> Christine Grassman > >> Feb 15, 22:42 > >> > >> I am blind, as are my children. We use iPhones with VoiceOver > >> accessibility to access text. I am deeply disappointed that Issuu is not > >> voiceover accessible. Only some features are accessible, and one cannot > >> find and read magazines. In this day and age, this is unacceptable. > >> Information should be accessible to us just as to others. > >> There is no reason why the text of your millions of publications should > >> not be accessible using a screen reader. I hope that you will address > >> this as quickly as possible. > >> Christine Grassman > >> > >> Sent from my iPhone > >> > >> > >> This email is a service from Help Center. Delivered by Zendesk. > >> [J5P6X7-GL7J] > >> > >> > >> -- > >> The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone > >> list. > >> > >> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or > >> if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the > >> owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > >> > >> Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor and your owner is Cara Quinn - > >> you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com > >> > >> The archives for this list can be searched at: > >> http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ > >> --- > >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > >> "VIPhone" group. > >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > >> email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > >> To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > >> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/viphone. > >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > >> > >> -- > >> The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone > >> list.. > >> > >> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or > >> if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the > >> owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > >> > >> Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor and your owner is Cara Quinn - 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> you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com > > The archives for this list can be searched at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "VIPhone" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/viphone. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. Your V iPhone list moderator is Mark Taylor and your owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com The archives for this list can be searched at: http://www.mail-archive.com/viphone@googlegroups.com/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VIPhone" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to viphone+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to viphone@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/viphone. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
