[Trainer-Talk] FW: The absolute importance of calling Apple accessibility directly | AppleVis

Thu Sep 14 20:49:14 UTC 2023

This was forwarded to members of my NFB affiliate and several other people in the community. Good advice for all users of Apple products.

Chris

From: Chris Nusbaum <cnusbaumnfb at gmail.com> 
Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2023 12:39 PM
To: cnusbaum at imagemd.org
Subject: FW: The absolute importance of calling Apple accessibility directly | AppleVis

From: Lloyd Schmitz <lloydschmitz at gmail.com <mailto:lloydschmitz at gmail.com> > 
Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2023 7:32 AM
To: Bonnie Miller <Bonnie.Miller at delaware.gov <mailto:Bonnie.Miller at delaware.gov> >; Chris Oakes <Chris.Oakes at delaware.gov <mailto:Chris.Oakes at delaware.gov> >; Karen Latimer <klatimer at udel.edu <mailto:klatimer at udel.edu> >; Sylvia Reid <shevra at verizon.net <mailto:shevra at verizon.net> >; Chris Nusbaum <cnusbaumnfb at gmail.com <mailto:cnusbaumnfb at gmail.com> >; Carol King-ries <cmkries at comcast.net <mailto:cmkries at comcast.net> >; Despina Wilson <DWilson at independentresources.org <mailto:DWilson at independentresources.org> >; Jody Hougentogler <jhougentogler at fcilde.org <mailto:jhougentogler at fcilde.org> >; Dee Rivard <Dee.Rivard at delaware.gov <mailto:Dee.Rivard at delaware.gov> >; Alyssa Moore <Alyssa.Moore at doe.k12.de.us <mailto:Alyssa.Moore at doe.k12.de.us> >; Jamie Towns <Jamie.Towns at delaware.gov <mailto:Jamie.Towns at delaware.gov> >; Lauren Trout <lauren.traub at ncs.k12.de.us <mailto:lauren.traub at ncs.k12.de.us> >; Anne Lattanzi <anne.lattanzi at delaware.gov <mailto:anne.lattanzi at delaware.gov> >; Matt Tseronis <Matt.Tseronis at state.de.us <mailto:Matt.Tseronis at state.de.us> >; Dave Lawson <Dave.Lawson at delaware.gov <mailto:Dave.Lawson at delaware.gov> >; Edward Osienski <Edward.Osienski at delaware.gov <mailto:Edward.Osienski at delaware.gov> >; Dale Matusevich <dale.matusevich at doe.k12.de.us <mailto:dale.matusevich at doe.k12.de.us> >; shawn musgrove <shawn.musgrove at irsd.k12.de.us <mailto:shawn.musgrove at irsd.k12.de.us> >; Sonya Lawrence <sflawrence1 at gmail.com <mailto:sflawrence1 at gmail.com> >; Sarah Celestin <sarah.celestin at redclay.k12.de.us <mailto:sarah.celestin at redclay.k12.de.us> >; Kevin Hensley <Kevin.Hensley at delaware.gov <mailto:Kevin.Hensley at delaware.gov> >; Kevin Thompson <kevin.thompson at cr.k12.de.us <mailto:kevin.thompson at cr.k12.de.us> >; Lisa Lawson <lisa.lawson1 at bsd.k12.de.us <mailto:lisa.lawson1 at bsd.k12.de.us> >; Christina Watson <Christina.Watson at colonial.k12.de.us <mailto:Christina.Watson at colonial.k12.de.us> >; Jerry Petroff <petroff at tcnj.edu <mailto:petroff at tcnj.edu> >; Bethany Hall-Long <bethany.hall-long at state.de.us <mailto:bethany.hall-long at state.de.us> >; dafne Carnright <dafne.carnright at delautism.org <mailto:dafne.carnright at delautism.org> >; Diane Delaney <delaneydw at verizon.net <mailto:delaneydw at verizon.net> >; Dava Newnam <Dava.Newnam at state.de.us <mailto:Dava.Newnam at state.de.us> >; Deborah Talley <Deborah.talley at delaware.gov <mailto:Deborah.talley at delaware.gov> >; Jon Sheehan <jon.sheehan at state.de.us <mailto:jon.sheehan at state.de.us> >; Laura Manges <LManges at msd.k12.de.us <mailto:LManges at msd.k12.de.us> >; Sandra Brown <sandra.brown at christina.k12.de.us <mailto:sandra.brown at christina.k12.de.us> >; Cindy Brown <Cindy.Brown at doe.k12.de.us <mailto:Cindy.Brown at doe.k12.de.us> >; Ellen Latronico <ellen.latronico at christina.k12.de.us <mailto:ellen.latronico at christina.k12.de.us> >; Christine Griswold <Christine.Griswold at bsd.k12.de.us <mailto:Christine.Griswold at bsd.k12.de.us> >; Jill Casey <JILL.CASEY at christina.k12.de.us <mailto:JILL.CASEY at christina.k12.de.us> >; Mark Campano <mark.campano at christina.k12.de.us <mailto:mark.campano at christina.k12.de.us> >; Beth Mineo <mineo at udel.edu <mailto:mineo at udel.edu> >; Cheri Woodall <Cheri.Woodall at colonial.k12.de.us <mailto:Cheri.Woodall at colonial.k12.de.us> >; Susan Campbell <Susan.Walters at delaware.gov <mailto:Susan.Walters at delaware.gov> >; Devvie Harrington <dvh123 at verizon.net <mailto:dvh123 at verizon.net> >; Pam Weir <Pam.D.Weir at delaware.gov <mailto:Pam.D.Weir at delaware.gov> >; Theresa Harris <theresa.harris at cr.k12.de.us <mailto:theresa.harris at cr.k12.de.us> >; Meedra Surratte <msurratte at picofdel.org <mailto:msurratte at picofdel.org> >; Amy Forrest <amy.forrest at irsd.k12.de.us <mailto:amy.forrest at irsd.k12.de.us> >; Martha McHenry <Martha.McHenry at bsd.k12.de.us <mailto:Martha.McHenry at bsd.k12.de.us> >; Barbara Mazza <Barbara.Mazza at doe.k12.de.us <mailto:Barbara.Mazza at doe.k12.de.us> >; Julie O'Donnell <Julie.ODonnell at delaware.gov <mailto:Julie.ODonnell at delaware.gov> >; Carmen Pollard <carmen.pollard at redclay.k12.de.us <mailto:carmen.pollard at redclay.k12.de.us> >; Susan Veenema <Susan.Veenema at doe.k12.de.us <mailto:Susan.Veenema at doe.k12.de.us> >; Michelle Guzik <michelle.guzik at redclay.k12.de.us <mailto:michelle.guzik at redclay.k12.de.us> >; Theresa Craig <Theresa.Craig at seaford.k12.de.us <mailto:Theresa.Craig at seaford.k12.de.us> >; Dr. Mark Holodick <mark.holodick at doe.k12.de.us <mailto:mark.holodick at doe.k12.de.us> >; Nicole Topper <nicole.topper at delaware.gov <mailto:nicole.topper at delaware.gov> >
Subject: The absolute importance of calling Apple accessibility directly | AppleVis

Please distribute widely to your network.

Thank you,

Lloyd Schmitz

https://www.applevis.com/forum/accessibility-advocacy/absolute-importance-calling-apple-accessibility-directly

The absolute importance of calling Apple accessibility directly

So I would like to relay something that I was told. The Apple accessibility team would actually prefer phone calls. Consider that when we actually called them, there’s almost no weight. That means that they’re not getting enough calls on a daily basis. Calling them and making them turn on voiceover and go through all of these issues will mean that they have to submit Reports that go directly to the engineers. And then they have to send you back a progress update. Imagine if 100 of you guys called them on a daily basis. They would be absolutely overwhelmed and have to place a more meaningful focus on these bugs. If you guys called more often, they would turn voiceover on, and never turn it off. Which means that they would be interacting with it constantly, and understanding the importance of fixing these issues.

I’m not posting this for a conversation. Although I’m always open to a dialogue. I am absolutely begging you guys to reach out directly to Apple accessibility. Call them at  <tel:1-877-204-3930> 1-877-204-3930. That is of course the United States phone number. I’m sure there’s a more local number in your own regions. Make them create case numbers and call them back about the case numbers. They gave us this tool. It’s really important that we use it.

I do not want to call Apple accessibility and have no wait. I want to call them and know that you guys are on the phone with them and giving them as much feedback as possible. I repeat myself one more time. Apple accessibilities phone number has a more direct connection to the software engineers. When they create a case and submit feedback to the engineers, the engineers have to look at the issue and, they have to get back to you within 24 to 48 hours. Even if it’s just to say that they’re still working on the issue. 

I know that some of you guys are using beta software. An Apple accessibility reps dont work on beta software. But most of you are running the most recent versions of iOS 16. And consider that iOS 17 is probably releasing in 3 to 4 weeks.

Please, please, please call them and call them often. I am literally begging you with all of my heart. Stop leaving just messages and comments if you’re going to submit, bug reports, regularly and consistently update them. But fundamentally, I think it’s more important to call Apple accessibility at  <tel:1-877-204-3930> 1-877-204-3930. Think if more of you guys did it, it would make a huge difference. Overwhelmed them. Exhaust them. Annoyed them. Make their lives focused on these bugs so that they actually have a reason to fix them. Call them.
I honestly do not care if there’s a language barrier. That is literally their problem. They created voiceover to work with multiple languages. Then they should have representatives that speak your language. If they don’t and you call them and you call them over and over again, that’s going to incentivize them to eventually higher people that do speak your language. Call them.

Albert Einstein once wrote on a chalkboard:
9 x 1 = 9
9 x 2 = 18
9 x 3 = 27
9 x 4 = 36
9 x 5 = 45
9 x 6 = 54
9 x 7 = 63
9 x 8 = 72
9 x 9 = 81
9 x 10 = 91
Suddenly chaos erupted in the classroom because Einstein made a mistake. Obviously, the correct answer to 9 × 10 isn’t 91. And all his students ridiculed him.
Einstein waited for everyone to be silent and said:
“Despite the fact that I analyzed nine problems correctly, no one congratulated me. But when I made one mistake, everyone started laughing. This means that even if a person is successful, society will notice his slightest mistake. And they'll like that.
So don't let criticism destroy your dreams. The only person who never makes a mistake is someone who does nothing."