I'm not sure how I feel about this proposed resolution. I admit I have
mixed feelings about it. From the Applevis Web site ..
Proposed NFB Resolution Characterizes Apple's Software Testing as
'Inadequate'
Submitted by AppleVis on 2 July, 2016 - 16:49 and last modified on 2
July, 2016 - 17:32
Member of the AppleVis Editorial Team
At its annual convention, members of the National Federation of the
Blind (NFB)—a United States organization of, for, and lead by blind
people—are considering passage of a proposed resolution concerning
accessibility bugs in Apple Software.
The proposed resolution, Resolution 2016-04, calls on Apple to "make
nonvisual access a major priority in its new and updated software by
improving its testing of new releases to ensure that nonvisual access is
not limited or compromised." The resolution further calls on Apple to
"work actively to incorporate feedback from testers who use VoiceOver
during the beta testing phase of software development to ensure that
accessibility for blind individuals is properly and fully addressed."
This is not the first time that Apple has been the subject of an NFB
resolution:
• In 2014, Resolution 2014-12 was passed, calling on Apple to require
that all iOS apps be made accessible. This included stock iOS apps
developed by Apple, as well as a desire for a requirement that
accessibility would not be lost during an app update.
• In 2013, Resolution 2013-12 was passed, urging Apple to fully expand
accessibility to the iWork productivity suite--specifically Pages,
Numbers, and Keynote.
• In 2011, Resolution 2011-03 was passed, expressing the organization's
"frustration and deep disappointment" with Apple for allowing the
release of inaccessible apps on the App Store. The resolution further
urged Apple, "in the strongest possible terms," to work with the NFB to
develop a set of guidelines that would establish a minimum required
level of accessibility for an app.
•
While not a resolution, in September 2009, the NFB presented Apple with
a special award for its work making the iPhone accessible.
The full text of proposed Resolution 2016-04, which will be debated and
voted on by the convention on July 4, 2016, is below:
Resolution 2016-04
Regarding Apple’s Inadequate Testing of Software Releases
WHEREAS, Apple, Inc. has made VoiceOver, a free and powerful
screen-access program, an integral part of many of its products,
including the Apple Macintosh, iPhone, iPod Touch, Apple TV, and iPad; and
WHEREAS, when a significant software update for one of these products is
released, there are often accessibility bugs that impact the usability
of the product by blind users, causing them to lose their productivity
or their ability to perform certain job duties when the use of Apple
devices is required; and
WHEREAS, recent updates have included a large number of serious,
moderate, and minor bugs that have made it difficult or impossible for
blind people to perform various tasks such as answering calls, browsing
the internet, entering text into forms, or adding individuals to the
Contacts Favorites list; and
WHEREAS, for example, after iOS 9.0 was released, some iPhones running
VoiceOver occasionally became unresponsive when getting a phone call,
and there was no way to choose any option on screen; and
WHEREAS, although this issue was fixed in a new release of iOS, it would
not have occurred if Apple had conducted more thorough testing with
VoiceOver; and
WHEREAS, another example of inadequate testing by Apple involves
VoiceOver failing to render the contents of the screen when a user
attempts to add a contact to the Favorites list in the phone app and has
multiple contact groups from which to select; and
WHEREAS, because Apple products and its accessibility tools are built by
the same company, there is no need to share confidential information
with partners that may affect the normal development of the software; and
WHEREAS, we recognize the efforts made by Apple to inform developers
about the accessibility features built into Apple products and encourage
the company to keep working in that direction; however several
accessibility issues still appear with new software releases even when
they have been reported during beta testing; and
WHEREAS, it is vital that Apple give priority to addressing bugs that
have an impact on accessibility before releasing software updates: Now,
therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this fourth day of July, 2016, in the City of Orlando,
Florida, that this organization call upon Apple to make nonvisual access
a major priority in its new and updated software by improving its
testing of new releases to ensure that nonvisual access is not limited
or compromised; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon Apple to work
actively to incorporate feedback from testers who use VoiceOver during
the beta testing phase of software development to ensure that
accessibility for blind individuals is properly and fully addressed.
We've reached out to Apple for comment.
--
David Goldfield,
Assistive Technology Specialist
Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.Info
You are invited to visit the moderator's Web site at WWW.DavidGoldfield.Info
for additional resources and information about assistive technology training
services.
To unsubscribe from this list, please email
blind-philly-comp-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the
subject line.
To subscribe from another email address, send email to
blind-philly-comp-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word subscribe in the subject
line.
To contact the list administrator, please email
blind-philly-comp-moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
