This is so well written as is, that barring the personalization of it, I think it could well stand as it now exists. This is a measure which all blind Apple users should support.
Sent from my mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the blind built-in! Sincerely, The Constantly Barefooted Ray Still a very proud and happy Mac and Iphone user! On Sep 11, 2013, at 8:58 AM, Neil Barnfather - TalkNav <for...@talknav.com> wrote: > The below should prove a concern to all Apple accessibility feature users, > and I would urge as many of you who can do so, to please write to Apple > yourselves to express your concern along the same lines where possible… > (accessibil...@apple.com). > > For years now Apple has led the way in accessibility standards and > application of methods in interacting with all of its product range. > Internationally within many disability arenas Apple is celebrated as the > defacto standard and is widely acknowledged as users preferred platform for > persons with accessibility issues. > > Whether or not the App Store had an unofficial policy towards customers with > accessibility needs or not, is unknown to me. What I am aware of is that > where I've bought Apps which turn out not to be accessible, Apple App Store > has always been prompt to refund the purchase immediately without question. > > Since Apple do not enforce accessibility standards, nor in anyway whatsoever > offer a method of a disabled user to know whether or not an App is, or is > not, accessible in advance of purchase, this seemed to be a most reasonable > compromise. > > However, in correspondence over the past week with Apple iTunes support staff > via e-mail in relation to an App I have purchased which is inaccessible, > Apple's stance has been both surprising and frankly highly dismissive of our > needs and vulnerability when using Apple's App Store. > > I have been point blank refused a refund upon this occasion, with staff > suggesting that I could leave a review for the App which others could read, > and or write to the developer. Whilst I understand that the second suggestion > may illicit a positive response, and sometimes it does… In many instances > developers haven't even heard of Voice Over let alone understand what it does > and how they aught to address compliance with Apple's Accessibility API's. > > Of course, the best approach would be for Apple to make compliance with its > Accessibility API's a requirement for all new Apps being approved to the App > Store, indeed a range of other options would also work, such as; a discount > on the 30% cut that Apple takes for compliant Apps, a penalty higher fee (35% > etc) for those that do not comply and perhaps indicating with a marker in the > App store which Apps do meet the requirements. > > Since Apple do none of these, despite so publicly professing to up holding > and supporting some of the most well implemented accessibility innovation and > support seen in the industry, it seemed like a fair compromise that Apple > voluntarily and without complication offered a refund to customers who had > accessibility needs where an App proved to be inaccessible. > > The situation now, though is that Apple is refusing in an uncompromising and > frankly shocking way to refund such purchases, with patronising and > unsympathetic suggestions as to how we, as blind users, go about reviewing > Apps etc. > > I would ask that Apple firstly developed a robust policy in this regard, and > secondly, reviews options as to improving the compliance uptake of developers > within their iOS and Mac App Stores. > > So that I can convey your response to the ViPhone, Macvisionaries and other > Apple Accessibility user forums promptly, I would sincerely appreciate your > earliest feedback and response on this issue. > > Yours kindly. > > Regards, > > Neil Barnfather > > http://www.NeilBarnfather.com > > > > > Regards, > > Neil Barnfather > > Talks List Administrator > Twitter @neilbarnfather > > TalkNav is a Nuance, Code Factory and Sendero dealer, as well as an Apple > iOS, Macintosh and Android accessibility specialist. For all your > accessible phone, PDA and GPS related enquiries visit www.talknav.com > > URL: - www.talknav.com > e-mail: - serv...@talknav.com > Phone: - +44 844 999 4199 > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
