iOS 8.4 was released to developers last night offering the world further indication that Apple is wading more deeply into the competitive streaming space.
The app gives a more prominent position to iTunes Radio and Apple is expected to unveil a streaming service component at its World Wide Developers Conference in early June.
With the star-studded launch of Jay Z’s Tidal still fresh in mind and Spotify’s $8bn valuation leaked yesterday, this is clearly the industry to be in for the world’s biggest brands right now, but are these companies considering accessibility?
“There are 1bn disabled people worldwide, a huge number, and also a huge market,” says Fiona Jarvis, founder of Blue Badge Style, a network that seeks to promote the co-existence of disability and style.
“But it’s a real issue finding any kind of accessibility among services like this. Some sites have accessibility buttons but, as someone who’s lost some manual dexterity, I find Spotify difficult to use with both hands. So I just don’t use it.
The one she finds most easy to use is the BBC’s iPlayer Radio app. Whether it’s bigger buttons or making the app design simpler, Jarvis says there’s much that can be done to help people with impaired sight, hearing and mobility, as well as those with learning difficulties.
“I’ve worked in this space for 20 years and technology should be easy, but they’re not thinking of accessibility at all. Making apps accessible is not rocket science. It’s not even computer science.”
Blue Badge Style has just launched a new version of its app, designed to help disabled people find and rate cool, accessible venues. The organisation is hosting an ‘inclusive’ concert to celebrate this, along with its new Royal Academy of Music Scholarship for Musicians with Disabilities.
We’ve reached out to Apple and Spotify to find out how they’re addressing accessibility issues in their services.