If you are not from India, You can use this LinkedIn Post for comment. I had tagged very senior executives of Samsung in this post: (2) Post | LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sugamyata-ashutosh-singhal-823543289_innovation-lab-54-accessibility-activity-7306247633289756673-zFCq/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAEYGaNsBRMelVAsVe0usYk1hxlY-d_ErcVY>
On Thu, 5 Jun 2025 at 00:13, Ashutosh Singhal <[email protected]> wrote: > Note: As I mentioned earlier, I specifically visited the Samsung Members > event to provide feedback to senior Samsung officials to help improve > Samsung's accessibility. There, I met a South Korean person who is the > Managing Director at Samsung Research India – Noida. I gave him my feedback > and took his contact number. I was gradually sharing further feedback with > him. > He told me that he had asked a Samsung engineer to call me and that I > would receive a call from Samsung. On 3rd June, I received a call from the > Samsung Community Team. The person said, "I am transferring your call." > When I asked who he was transferring it to, he replied, "the Business Team." > I then spoke with a new representative from Samsung. I gave him the > following feedback: > 1. Conduct a webinar where users with disabilities can directly share > feedback with Samsung team members who have knowledge of assistive apps > such as Samsung TalkBack, TTS, Bixby Vision, Live Transcribe, Live Caption, > etc. > 2. Decouple TalkBack updates from Samsung’s One UI updates so > accessibility improvements are not delayed. > 3. Develop Samsung's own screen reader, like the earlier Samsung Voice > Assistant. > 4. Create a Samsung Accessibility Answer Desk in India for faster support. > 5. Extend the deadline for InnovationLab #54, which was created after my > repeated requests two years ago to gather accessibility feedback. The > deadline has already been extended 2–3 times based on my requests. > He told me that Samsung is already working on my feedback. He also > mentioned that, because of my input, Samsung published two Quick Tips > regarding TalkBack on the Samsung Members app. They also provided Alt Text > (Image Description). You can access from here: 1. > https://r2.community.samsung.com/t5/Tech-Talk/Quick-Tip-Talk-Back-Switch-languages/td-p/19564754?src=ShareByUserCM, > 2. > https://r2.community.samsung.com/t5/Tech-Talk/Quick-Tip-Talk-Back-Turn-off-Automatic-image-descriptions/td-p/19630123?src=ShareByUserCM > > From our conversation, I understood that accessibility users should share > their feedback on the LinkedIn post where I have tagged senior Samsung > officials. If you also share your feedback on that post, the improvement > process could move faster, atleast please like and repost for the cause: > https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sugamyata-ashutosh-singhal-823543289_innovation-lab-54-accessibility-activity-7306247633289756673-zFCq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAEYGaNsBRMelVAsVe0usYk1hxlY-d_ErcVY > > On Wed, 12 Mar 2025 at 22:29, Ashutosh Singhal < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Note: I specifically visited the Samsung Members event yesterday to >> provide feedback regarding Samsung Accessibility. I repeatedly mentioned >> InnovationLab #54 during the event, encouraging them to collect all >> accessibility feedback from Samsung Accessibility users onto a single >> platform. >> Although many things happened yesterday, the highlight of the event was >> that after asking I received the contact number of Mr. Kyungyun Roo >> (commonly referred to as KY Roo), the Managing Director of Samsung R&D >> Institute in Noida. Mr. Roo, a South Korean, oversees more than 2,300 >> employees. I have already shared feedback with him regarding Samsung >> Accessibility. >> He responded to my message as follows: "Hi Ashutosh. Thanks for your >> valuable visit our RnD center. >> Hope good memory to you also. >> Please contact me when you have idea, issue any thing." >> >> I replied: ""Good evening and Thank you sir. >> I visited the Samsung Members Event at the Samsung RND Centre yesterday >> specially to provide feedback for improving accessibility features. Two >> years ago, following my repeated requests for an accessibility-focused >> Innovation Lab, Samsung launched InnovationLab #54. I also encouraged many >> users with disabilities—especially those with visual impairments—to share >> their input. Unfortunately, Samsung India lacks a dedicated team to address >> these needs, and our feedback is not being properly acted upon. >> While Samsung Korea and Samsung USA have Accessibility Teams, they focus >> on their local markets and do not respond to feedback from Indian users. >> Therefore, I request that Samsung India establish its own Accessibility >> Team or, at the very least, designate one knowledgeable and empowered >> representative to address accessibility issues. This is crucial since >> surveys reveal that India has over 19 million persons with visual >> impairments and more than 100 million persons with disabilities, >> representing a significant market for accessible technology. >> Previously, Samsung’s independent Accessibility Team, was a leader in >> accessibility. However, since its collaboration with the Google >> Accessibility Team, progress has declined over the past 5 years, prompting >> many users to switch to brands like Google Pixel and iPhone. Currently, >> Samsung TalkBack—a merger of Samsung Voice Assistant and Google >> TalkBack—receives infrequent updates, delivered only with Samsung UI >> updates. As a result, these updates lag behind Google TalkBack by six >> months to over a year, often introducing major bugs that take much longer >> to fix. >> In summary, Samsung should develop an independent screen reader to ensure >> continuous innovation in accessibility. A reliable screen reader is >> essential for effective mobile use, and timely updates and bug fixes are >> critical for user satisfaction. >> >> Importance of Accessibility Features: >> • Social Impact: Accessible tools empower independence, inclusion, and >> equal opportunity. >> >> • Economic Benefits: A commitment to accessibility expands the user base >> and drives long-term growth. >> >> • Innovation Catalyst: Innovations developed for accessibility often >> benefit all users. >> >> Samsung Members InnovationLab #54: In this Innovation Lab Samsung can get >> so many feedbacks of their Samsung India Accessibility Users: >> https://r2.community.samsung.com/t5/Tech-Talk/Innovation-Lab-54-Accessibility/td-p/13862814?src=ShareByUserCM >> >> I hope Samsung can regain its leadership in accessibility through >> independent innovation rather than relying solely on external teams." >> >> Mr. Roo responded: ""Ashutosh. Thanks for your message. >> We will review current status of Accessibility and will assign dedicated >> team or person in charge and will get opinion on the same. >> Will contact you soon." >> >> I concluded my correspondence by saying: ""Sure, sir. I have contacted >> Samsung more than 500 times through the Samsung Members App, Samsung Galaxy >> Store, Samsung Customer Care, emails, three visits to Samsung Service >> Centers, emails to the Samsung Service Head, and even on Twitter/X etc. I >> have tried everything I possibly could to fix the bugs of Samsung TalkBack >> and inaccessibility of Samsung Apps for Screen Reader Users like me. >> I hope to see Samsung regain its position as the champion of >> accessibility. This is very much achievable, as there is minimal >> competition in the accessibility field compared to other features. Please >> do not take this the wrong way—I am offering constructive criticism >> regarding Samsung. If Samsung needs any help regarding accessibility, >> please feel free to let me know. If Samsung implements the feedback and >> improves its accessibility, I would be one of the happiest Samsung >> Accessibility users in India. Thank you. I earlier sent all the emails from >> [email protected] email ID, Twitter/X account name is >> @Sugamyata and Samsung Members account name is Ashutosh-Singhal." >> >> I hope this time that Samsung will take action to increase it >> accessibility for Persons with Disabilities. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Accessible World" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/accessibleworld/CAFL6VgJYrO2B1UZSkGw4vQM4fQHbK8HD%2Boy9ycn-QnKxNJqiVg%40mail.gmail.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/accessibleworld/CAFL6VgJYrO2B1UZSkGw4vQM4fQHbK8HD%2Boy9ycn-QnKxNJqiVg%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AccessIndia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/a/accessindia.org.in/d/msgid/accessindia/CAFL6VgLeEHoVGHGk5grYt6qnk1zvrpWSrAdOOfvEvL0GEpmbxA%40mail.gmail.com.
