Joseph, As Sieghard has said, I'm not one for such things, and have been a positive advocate of our community online and off line for many, many years now… I would recommend that you check out my web-site; neilbarnfather.com for some information and this might explain a little more about myself and my work.
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: - [email protected] Phone: - +44 844 999 4199 On 11 Sep 2013, at 17:13, Joseph FreeTech <[email protected]> wrote: > Very smart suggestion. Let's say we all jump on this bandwagon (once again), > and in the end we discover that whoever the original person this happened to > was very nasty and demanding to the Apple customer service employees; hence > the poor service. We're all going to be very embarrassed and not likely to > take this issue up again in the future. We first need proof of a pattern of > poor service and not just some single person's complaint. > > Joseph > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Lisa belville" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 7:59 AM > Subject: Re: Apple App Store & Refunds for inaccessible Apps > > > Hi. Is there any way you could share a letter showing how the Apple people > were patronizing/unhelpful in this regard? I understand the frustration of > not getting a refund for something inaccessible and how a clueless rep makes > this all the more annoying, but IMO there's a difference between > politely/patiently conveying a policy and being patronizing. Obviously, you > can take out any names in this letter, but it would be good to see an > example of this attitude. Could it possibly be this particular rep's issue > and not necessarily one of Apple itself? I'm referring to the > patronizing/unsympathetic attitude and not the policy itself. > > Lisa > > > > There is a fine line between genius and insanity and that difference is a > paycheck! > Lisa Belville > [email protected] > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Neil Barnfather - TalkNav" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>; "The > Accessible Phones Discussion List" <[email protected]> > Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2013 8:58 AM > Subject: Apple App Store & Refunds for inaccessible Apps > > > 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… > ([email protected]). > > 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: - [email protected] > Phone: - +44 844 999 4199 > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google > Group. > > Post a new message to VIPhone by emailing [email protected]. > > Search and view the VIPhone archives by visiting > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. > > Reach the VIPhone owner and moderators by emailing > [email protected]. > > Unsubscribe and leave VIPhone by emailing > [email protected]. > > More VIPhone group options can be found by visiting > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > --- > 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 [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google > Group. > > Post a new message to VIPhone by emailing [email protected]. > > Search and view the VIPhone archives by visiting > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. > > Reach the VIPhone owner and moderators by emailing > [email protected]. > > Unsubscribe and leave VIPhone by emailing > [email protected]. > > More VIPhone group options can be found by visiting > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > --- > 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 [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google > Group. > > Post a new message to VIPhone by emailing [email protected]. > > Search and view the VIPhone archives by visiting > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. > > Reach the VIPhone owner and moderators by emailing > [email protected]. > > Unsubscribe and leave VIPhone by emailing > [email protected]. > > More VIPhone group options can be found by visiting > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > --- > 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 [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google Group. Post a new message to VIPhone by emailing [email protected]. Search and view the VIPhone archives by visiting http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. Reach the VIPhone owner and moderators by emailing [email protected]. Unsubscribe and leave VIPhone by emailing [email protected]. More VIPhone group options can be found by visiting http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. --- 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 [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
