The rulings have little to do with accessibility on the iPhone. The
iPhone was already accessible and Apple has guidelines for making
apps accessible that have been there since the iPhone 3gs, the first
to use the built in screen reader came out.
There would be little point for GW Micro to develop screen reading
software for the iPhone or accessibility features for apps since
the functionality is already there built in and free. The only part
of the ruling that might affect accessibility is the eBook ruling and
even that will have little or no effect on the iPhone since Apple has
already committed to iBooks accessibility.
For the iPhone the ramifications are in the area of using
non-approved apps and unlocking the phone for service providers other
than AT&T rather than for accessibility.
Where the changes have a potential effect for blind users is an area
that has little to do with Apple, except where it has the same effect
for all devices. The new rules allow for the breaking of DRM on
eBooks to provide for accessibility. As I said previously, this is
not an issue for the iBooks, but it is an issue for Kindle books and
eBooks from other sites. While the rules do not require Amazon or
any other eBook provider to provide accessibility functionality, they
do allow for the breaking of DRM, so I think it is likely that we
will start getting third party eBook reading apps and the like that
either make use of a screen reading function or the built in screen
reader on a device. Certainly, such an app could appear for the
iPhone, giving iPhone users access to eBooks that were previously
inaccessible, but this is the only area that is likely to have any
effect on the already robust accessibility of the iPhone.
Regards,
Chris
At 02:30 PM 7/27/2010, Tactile Display wrote:
Hello
There was a news article today in the AJC about iPhone
accessibility. The Copyright Office has relaxed rules about
unlocking software and multimedia so blind readers can access it
with a screen reader. Namely, developers are now free to unlock
iPhone apps to make them accessible; in particular, a screen reader
on an iPhone can access its e-book software so e-books can be read
with a screen reader.
Does GW have any plans to work with Apple on iPhone and iPad
accessibility. (Apple does not approve of the Copyright Office's ruling.)
Peter Duran
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