Author: Eyal Bar, Head of accessibility, Allyable.
Surprisingly, mobile apps require availability checks as much as websites or program platforms. EspeciA11y now, due to the whole world quarantine, when mobile apps became an excellent outlet from boredom. That’s why it is so important to make your apps as available as possible for different people.
Accessibility of digital content is a basic requirement set by most governments and is strictly written in Section 508. It is made for disabled people, and not providing a good enough level of accessibility on your mobile app can be seen as discrimination and lead to some lawsuits. So, compliance with these rules is not some voluntary wish but a critical code of laws, which you are obliged to comply with.
But how can you check out your app for availability? Does it differ from the website’s accessibility check? Well, the process of accessibility testing for apps is quite alike. However, it still has some differences. Let’s take a closer look at the necessity of providing app availability and see a small checklist of how to fulfill it.
Mobile apps usage is increasing worldwide, and since the pandemic, they’re a necessity
The popularity of mobile apps has grown significantly in recent years, and that’s another reason to worry about their accessibility. The reason for that is not only the surplus of spare time, which you don’t know how to spend but the actual necessity. What are the necessary things that apps are useful for?
- Shopping. Online shopping isn’t a new thing. A lot of people buy clothes and shoes in the e-shops, as they usuA11y have a wider choice and reasonable price. But, because of the lockdown, we buy online not only garments, yet food and other necessary products.
- Transport. Times when you had to know the taxi number are gone. Now you simply have to download an Uber app and order it in a few clicks.
- Communication. There are various messengers that reA11y facilitate the process of communication.
The number of impaired people is growing worldwide
The harsh truth of the modern world is that the number of disabled people is supposed to magnify considerably by 2050. You probably have some friends who struggle with poor hearing or vision. In fact, about 1B of people.
And this number is assumed to grow significantly as more and more people lose their health, partly due to modern realities and terrible ecological conditions of particular regions. For instance, the constant use of smartphones has affected the level of vision, lowering it significantly. Listening to music at maximum volume has negatively affected hearing.
The importance of providing equal rights and opportunities for all citizens is the reason for establishing section 508. And nowadays, the accessibility of mobile apps is extremely important, as people can use them as assistance in some routine things. Besides, most apps can be used offline, which makes them somehow even more important than websites.
Accessibility lawsuits continue at high numbers
According to statistics, a great part of mobile apps does not adapt to use by impaired people. This issue led to the significant growth of availability lawsuits in the last few years. In 2021 there are more than 4,000 lawsuit cases concerning the level of accessibility of apps. So, you should put some effort into checking your app for its availability.
Download your Definitive Checklist for Mobile Accessibility
Understanding the significance of accessibility testing for apps, it is time to find out the key points you should consider while the availability checks out. Here is a list with complete info about all the necessary tools and functions you should present. We will give you a brief checklist to generalize the information above:
- Visible. Make sure the text is big enough to see.
- Adaptable. The content must be adapted for different devices.
- Distinguishable. You should consider the colors and the place of your media content.
- Navigable. Your mobile app should be easy to navigate.
FAQ’s
- What is mobile app accessibility ?
First of all, mobile app accessibility is the level of its availability for impaired people. But generA11y, it can be applied to all people.
- Do mobile apps need to be accessible ?
Yes, they must be accessible, as it is a basic right for all people and written in Section 508. Non-compliance with it can lead to lawsuit charges.
- How do I make my mobile app accessible?
You should do an availability check to see whether the content is visible. Also, it must be easy to navigate.
- What makes an app accessible ?
There is a list of some simple points for apps that you should consider while doing accessibility testing.
Conclusion
All in all, availability is an essential requirement for all digital content, as it is the primary right in the modern world for all people. Therefore, you should reA11y put some effort into making your app as available as possible. As we mentioned above, these apps have become a considerable part of our lives, and noncompliance can lead to severe consequences and even penalties. The importance will only continue to grow with time.