Highlights of 2013: Accessibility in mainstream devices
Samsung Galaxy S4
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The Moto G, an Android phone, runs on Jelly Bean 4.3, but Motorola has stated that it will be upgraded to the most recent version, KitKat, in January. This means that the phone includes accessibility features such as Android’s built-in screen reader and screen magnifier. In addition, other apps can be installed to help you customise the phone to suit your needs.
Leading up to the announcement, it was hoped that the lower cost iPhone 5C would allow low income earners access to a smartphone with impressive accessibility features. This would have been a significant development for Australians with disabilities.
It’s an amazing thing to watch how new platforms and devices move from ‘niche developer tool’ to ‘fad’, then ‘trend’ and finally ‘commonplace’. In recent years devices such as netbooks and the iPad, along with platforms such as Google Android, have certainly followed this path. Android in particular seems to have gone from a hobby OS to a dominant mobile platform in about a year.