Blind/Low for iOS Marketing Research

By MagicBeens, 30 May, 2011

Forum
App Development and Programming
Hi all, I am an iOS developer with an idea for several apps targeted toward low-vision/blind users. However, I need to get some marketing research to back-up the viability of these apps for the powers that be. Does anyone know of marketing research that has been performed about the adoption rate of iOS devices by the LV community? I have anecdotal evidence, but would need market-wide numbers to sell the concepts. Also, would anyone here be interested in participating in focus group/beta testing of apps specifically for LV/Blind users? Thanks, Ben

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Comments

By DPinWI on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

I would be more than happy to help out with this stuff. You can contact me at dpartrick (at) hotmail.com. I think it's great there are developers out there interested in creating apps for low vision and blind iOS users. It would be great to be a part of the process.

By Grace on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

I would be happy to help with beta testing/ research.

By Florian on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

I'd like to help test this as well. I can't tell you marketing numbers, but I can tell you that currently IOS is the most viable solution for blind phone users because windows mobile is far from accessible with there windows mobile 7, blackberry has it in the works but i dont believe it works all thatwell yet, and android is getting there but is certainly not yet up to the level of IOS when it comes to accessibility and the ease of making apps accessible.

By Mohammed Al-shara on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

hi Ben. unfortunately I don't have numbers as for the adobtion of IOS devices by this community, however, I do know for sure that this adobtion is growing, especially that other mobile manufacturers are becoming more inaccessible, or their implimentation of touch screen technology accessibility isn't satisfactory. I am very sure you will get many yeses for beta testers for such apps. count me one :) thank you Mohammed.

By Esan on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

You can count me in as well.

By Pat Pound on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

The Bureau of Engraving says that 100,000 blind andvisually impaired folks are usig i-devices but I don't know where they got their numbers. They make the eyenote money reader so google that and it's in one of their press releases. I too would be interested in beta testing.

By Pat Pound on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

I know this is beyond your request but here is a link that gives market data for all disabilities re impact of universal design worldwide hope it is helpful http://www.ncd.gov/publications/2004/Oct2004 Pat Pound

By Sean Terry on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

Hi, I would love to beta test any apps that you create after your research. I would only be able to beta test the apps that are self voicing, or that completely work with VoiceOver as I do not have enough vision to read any kind of prent or even to see the screen well enough to detect that there is anything there. in fact, I leave the screen curtain on so, the screen doesn't show anything anyways. One things that may help you is that I have heard that there is and API specifically for VoiceOver use, It is so that apps can be made accessible to VoiceOver. This may help later on when you are confident enough to start your work on an app. PS. My email address is: [email protected]

By Ed Worrell on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

Hello Ben, I believe the Buerro of printing and engraving have done a study on that matter and they have found that there are now over 100000 blind iphone users in the United States alone. I don't remember the website off the top of my head. I would also love to help out with beta testing your apps, the apps that are made for the blind and the iphone amaze me and everyone that I show them to. Thanks for the chance to be involved with the process. You can contact me at [email protected] Thanks again ed Worrell

Hey Ben, First off, I'm game to help test anything if you'll have me. my email is [email protected] and I'm more than willing to beta test anything so long as it's usable with voiceover. As for blind people using IOS devices, all I can say is it's the most promising mobile phone platform for us so far. Android has potential (if google actually gave a crap it ight be competitive with IOS), but this is the most accessible moddern phone OS so it's probably your best bet if you're looking to reach the blind/visually impaired market.

By Deng on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

Hi Ben, I wouldn't mind being a tester for your apps as well. Like everyone so far on this poast has said, Voice-Over has been a great improvement in the blind comunity, and it has changed everything drasticly within the mobile technology world as well. The OS is very easy to get use to, and apps can easily be made accessibal if needed. I would love to be a tester if you need them.

By Maia on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

Hello, It would be fabulous to be a part of your process in a focus group or as a beta tester. Definitely keep me in mind - I'm really good at making things crash. I don't know of numbers for you... but when I was at CSUN, I seemed to constantly hear voiceover running on someone's divice. I opted for i-divices because it was the first time ever when I was able to open a box, take my shiny new divice out, and use it right away like anyone else - without throwing down a few hundred dollars more for added software and finding a sighted person to set it up. Questions for you... Have you gone to Apple for stats? They have people specifically working on accessibility)? Have you been to or do you know about CSUN? Might be a great forum for you to share your wares and get feedback from consumers and professionals alike. Oh, now I'm so curious to know what wonders you have in mind. Thanks for your future contributions and your current go-ge-'em to see them come to life.

By MagicBeens on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

Thank you all for your support, interest, ideas, and ideas of marketing resources. I cannot comment on the nature of the app ideas "in the open" as that would break some fundamental laws of an iOS app creed that I probably uttered under my breath sometime in the past. However, I will shortly put together a private forum for discussing the topic(s) and will give responders the link. Look for that in a few days. Again, thanks, and I look forward to chatting with you soon! Ben Vegiard www.activeinfosys.com Twitter: benvegiard

By Lisa Salinger on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

I would also be interested in beta testing any apps you devise. My email is lisasali at ptd.net . (Writing it out rather than creating a link to hopefully lessen spam; my apologies).

While I cannot comment as far as numbers are concerned for usage of the IOS platform among persons who are blind or low vision, I do know that it is very popular, as is the consensus from the above posts. I, too, would be willing to beta test any app that doesn't rely on vision as I myself have none. My e-mail address is liz . bottner at gmail . com - spelled out to hopefully minimize spam. Thank you, and take care.

By advisor on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 20:23

Hello, I don't know of any market evidence, but, I will tell you that I am most interested in testing your concepts. You may contact me at [email protected] at any time regarding these concepts and other apps you are interested in having beta testers for. Thank you, Johnathan Nolan

Hi, I would certainly be interested in helping to test, but it would depend what the app was and if I would find it useful in my daily life, what concepts do you have in mind? As for market research I have no idea, but my general feeling is that the majority of blind people use iPhones, while a minority use android and as for symbian and talks I suspect that talks has a declining market share. Windows phone of course basically doesn't really have full accessibility at this time although it does have magnification it has no screen reader. Although screen readers are available for the blackbury I have never met anybody who owns one. I would suspect the majority of iPhone users tend to be younger and that older people tend to stick with symbian and talks because those phones tend to be simpler.