Accessibility is more than just these numbers. It is about people. However, the subject can seem fairly abstract to people who do not have a disability. It is difficult to imagine the importance of digital features and other tools for people with disabilities.
That was the motivation behind this accessibility research: to show that digital accessibility is far closer than you think. We hope that the results will help you to recognise accessibility as an important component of product development.
Our accessibility research consists of two parts. First, in 2020 we surveyed 268 respondents about the use of certain features on their phones. Second, we conducted a quantitative study into activated accessibility features in iOS apps we had developed.
To this end, we added a small script to these apps in consultation with our customers. When the app starts, this script runs a completely anonymous check to see which accessibility options users have activated on their iPhone. Such a check cannot be traced back to individuals: it is normally used to check which phone settings an app needs to support.
Some of Q42’s major customers participated in the quantitative research. Their apps serve a significant portion of the Dutch population. This allowed us to conduct the study initially among upwards of one million unique iPhone users. Since 2020, this number has grown to 1.5 million Dutch residents with the addition of apps from more customers, making the research ever more accurate.
Owing to the high absolute numbers, we felt it was justified to extrapolate to all Dutch residents, regardless of whether they have an iPhone or Android device. This put us in a position to say something meaningful about the use of accessibility features on mobile phones in the Netherlands.
Our research demonstrates that accessibility settings are used much more widely than you might expect. The results help us to increase customer focus in this area. We hope that our research will help you and your team to develop digital products that everyone can use.
Would you like to know how we can contribute, or do you have questions about our research? If so, email Johan or call +31 70 445 2342.
This is a project by Q42
Do you have questions about this site or would you like to know more about accessibility?
If so, email Johan or call +31 70 445 2342.