back to article Siri, will Apple's App Store lock out blind people on iOS 6?

A website has broken the wall of silence surrounding version 6 of Apple's mobile operating system iOS - and alleged blind people will struggle to use the App Store software in the new build. iOS 6 rolls out tomorrow for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches - but it has been in the hands of selected developers since July, allowing …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Why comment on suposedely broken features of pre-release developer only software?

    The App Store on iOS 6 has been changing almost daily for a couple of weeks now, does apple need to put "Under construction" signs for journalists to understand this?

    1. handle

      Which bit of this don't you understand?

      "This release is commonly referred to as the Gold Master, and is effectively the final version."

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Which bit of this don't you understand?

        You should have kept reading...

        "David added that the changes required would be relatively simple - as the App Store is not hardcoded into the OS, but dynamically served up from Apple servers."

        The fact that it is the Golden Master version of iOS is totally irrelevant.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Which bit of this don't you understand?

        That release wasn't the "Golden Master" which is due to be released on the 19th and the problem has already been fixed. So we have a none story about some pre-release software having a problem that was fixed before before the reg posted the story.

    2. squilookle

      This close to the release date, you could argue they have either overlooked the issue and are not going to fix it in time, or that they are cutting it very fine to get it fixed. Whichever it is, the fuss may prompt them to get it fixed.

      If it turns out the issue does not get fixed before the release date, it is better that users who may be affected are warned so they can choose not to dive head first into updating the OS / upgrading to the iPhone 5 and then getting the unpleasant surprise that they can not use the service.

      For many users, this is basic functionality and there is no reason it should not be working. If a bug caused the screen to go black during normal use preventing those with sight from using the device, that would delay the release.

    3. Tom 35

      Why comment?

      If you need the broken features, you can hold off upgrading until you know it's fixed.

      If you find out after you upgrade your SOL (the hack to downgrade iOS is beyond most people).

  2. JDX Gold badge

    He did it a few days before release hoping it would be fixed in time? Rather than weeks/months ago?

    Call me cynical but it seems like attention-seeking to me.

    1. Pen-y-gors

      Not cynical at all...

      Just didn't read the article:

      "on the version of iOS 6 that was released to developers last week"

      ...bit tricky to have reported it months ago, unless he had a time machine.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    They're listening to it wrong.

  4. Euchrid

    Betteridge's Law of Headlines

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge's_Law_of_Headlines

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Samsung should give them all a free phone

    Samsung should bring them over from the 'dark side' to android, especially as according to Apple they wouldn't know the difference between the devices anyway (except maybe from the better signal and battery life).

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Samsung should give them all a free phone

      Except that Android's accessibility features are inferior?

      http://www.afb.org/afbpress/pub.asp?DocID=aw120605

      Android phones don't offer accessibility features by default, you have to install them. Given that Koreans love vastly over complex devices with millions of features I wouldn't imagine that the Samsung UI would be very nice to use with a visual impairment.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Samsung should give them all a free phone

        "Except that Android's accessibility features are inferior?"

        Compared to what? iOS6?

        Something is better than nothing.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Samsung should give them all a free phone

          iOS 6 improves upon the iPhone's already good story for accessibility. This article is about the iTunes app store, not iOS.

          The built-in accessibility of iOS devices is far better than for Android. Anyone interested in the facts, go here:

          https://www.ssbbartgroup.com/blog/2012/06/29/the-mobile-accessibility-landscape/

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Android accessibility has lagged shamefully, but no more....

            You should probably read that article again.....with respect to JB.

            ...but for neophyte VI users on Android I (and the RNIB) usually push people towards http://www.codefactory.es/en/products.asp?id=415

            This kind of thing isn't really possible on iOS - where accessibility is 'our way or the highway' like everything else........for other disabilities it's worse - try getting a non-standard input peripheral working on iOS sometime - gaze, switch, breath whatever. Accessibility is one area where being Open really does make a practical difference.

      2. Mark .

        Re: Samsung should give them all a free phone

        Even plain vanilla on my Samsung Galaxy Nexus has accessibility features as standard, easy to find there. Oh, and nice bit of nationalism there.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Samsung should give them all a free phone

      Is there actually any possibility AT ALL to discuss an issue without some alternative fanboi throwing in a comment about their preferred product as if that somehow addresses the specific issue at at hand?

      The fact that any other device does it better (only allegedly) is completely irrelevant to the issue at hand, is f*cking irritating to see every ime ANY report is made about ANY of the mobile devices, or an OS, or a gadget, or whatever and serves no purpose whatsoever other than act as a gratuitous w*nk which I hope serves to shortcircuit the alternative device in question.

      I breath - it works better with my device

      I use x - my "y" does it better/cheaper/more ecofriendly

      I use x - ha, all x users are bad/idiotic/moronic/fanbois who lack judgement/streetcred/my *cough* "insight"

      Did I cover all the useless answers? It is just annoying.

      So there. I'll take my medicine now.

    3. robin thakur 1
      FAIL

      Re: Samsung should give them all a free phone

      Iol, are we talking about the same device in the samsung galaxy 3? I can barely make calls from it while at home without them dropping (on the same network I might add as my work iPhone 4S which does just fine) and the battery life is a pale shadow of the apple device even with battery 2x installed with conservative settings. I lastly, very much doubt that Android supports blind users as much as iOs does (accessibility is one of Apple's traditional strengths) since the Play Store makes it hard to find things even when you know what you're looking for.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Only the dumb ones left then..

    and Apple won't have any customers left.

  7. Alan Denman

    So 100% of users affected?

    Obviously so.

    A white stick is mandatory to be even allowed to buy one.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I'm waiting for the maps comparison to see how much of a downgrade it will be...

    As it wasn't looking to rosy a while back.

    http://gizmodo.com/5918176/google-maps-vs-apple-maps-a-side-by-side-comparison

    And this is comparing it to the Apple version of Google Maps (which is significantly inferior to the Android version), and it's also US maps.

    I'm guessing that if you are a UK user, you will be getting a HUGE downgrade when iOS6 launches, and even bigger compared to what Android users have enjoyed for years (vector maps, turn by turn navigation, app integration).

  9. Pompey Diver

    Fixed?

    Looks like Apple have been in touch with the site that raised this issue and they're stating that it will be fixed for the Gold release tomorrow:

    http://www.applevis.com/applevis-blog/advocacy/apple-makes-last-minute-accessibility-fixes-app-store-ahead-ios-6-release

    1. Robert Helpmann??
      Childcatcher

      Re: Fixed?

      Those Apple folks: always looking out for all their fans!

      http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/06/26/app_/

      http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/06/13/app_store_apple_remove_speak_for_yourself/

      To be (grudgingly) fair, this refers to a patent dispute, not a direct support issue. It would be interesting to know if they file an amicus brief in the case.

  10. asdf
    Trollface

    politically incorrect

    I know this is very insensitive but on a roll today. Anybody else absolutely loathe stupid accessibility features that fire for us regular folks and get in the way? The first time windows turned that stupid ass sticky keys feature on for me it was an unpleasant half hour to figure out wtf just happened and how to fix it. I have no problems whatsoever with accessibility features as long as they are completely hidden from most users and I don't have to start worrying about them in my code.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Siri, will Apple's App Store lock out blind people on iOS 6?"

    I'm sorry I can't answer that now. All I have is a screenshot of a help file that may contain your answer. Should I display the screenshot now?

    -- Siri

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    And there's more faults in the App Store app

    Try pressing the 'more' button on the reviews section - it doesn't work. Also scroll events trigger other button presses.

    Just shows that even Apple can't get HTML5 apps to work properly.

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