[nfbmi-talk] Apple Eases Restrictions On iOS Application Development Tools - May Reduce App Accessibility For Blind & Others With Disabilities

Thu Sep 9 22:35:56 UTC 2010

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Mika Pyyhkala 
To: coataccess at yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 2:55 PM
Subject: [coataccess] Apple Eases Restrictions On iOS Application Development Tools - May Reduce App Accessibility For Blind & Others With Disabilities

Greetings,

Apple recently published the following press release concerning an
expansion of the tools that can be used to develop iOS applications
for iDevices such as iPod, iPhone, and iPad.

The concern is that this more open ended architecture will facilitate
increased lack of accessibility for blind users. For example,
presumably, iOS devices will now accept applications written in
largely inaccessible code such as those created by Adobe Flash.

The closed development architecture, tools, and platforms previously
on iOS devices helped largely ensure that interfaces were built with
consistent controls that did include accessibility. By and large,
under the previous closed system, applications tended to be
accessible.

The press release was just published today, so details are still
scant. However, this may require vigillance and actions with Apple,
third party development tool organizations like Adobe, and
organizations that publish iOS applications.

Apple should be urged to promulgate requirements for accessible and
universal design before they approve iOS applications.

Best,
Mika Pyyhkala
http://twitter.com/pyyhkala
(617) 202-3497

http://bit.ly/bK7FFE
"September 9, 2010
Statement by Apple on App Store Review Guidelines

The App Store? has revolutionized the way mobile applications are
developed and distributed. With over 250,000 apps and 6.5 billion
downloads, the App Store
has become the world's largest mobile application platform and App
Store developers have earned over one billion dollars from the sales
of their apps.

We are continually trying to make the App Store even better. We have
listened to our developers and taken much of their feedback to heart.
Based on their
input, today we are making some important changes to our iOS Developer
Program license in sections 3.3.1, 3.3.2 and 3.3.9 to relax some
restrictions we
put in place earlier this year.

In particular, we are relaxing all restrictions on the development
tools used to create iOS apps, as long as the resulting apps do not
download any code.
This should give developers the flexibility they want, while
preserving the security we need.

In addition, for the first time we are publishing the App Store Review
Guidelines to help developers understand how we review submitted apps.
We hope it
will make us more transparent and help our developers create even more
successful apps for the App Store.

The App Store is perhaps the most important milestone in the history
of mobile software. Working together with our developers, we will
continue to surprise
and delight our users with innovative mobile apps.

Press Contacts:
Natalie Kerris
Apple
nat at apple.com
(408) 974-6877

Trudy Muller
Apple
tmuller at apple.com
(408) 862-7426

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple's
PR website,
or call Apple's Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042."

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Mika Pyyhkala 
To: coataccess at yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 2:55 PM
Subject: [coataccess] Apple Eases Restrictions On iOS Application Development Tools - May Reduce App Accessibility For Blind & Others With Disabilities

Greetings,