Developing Inclusive Mobile Apps: Building Accessible Apps for iOS and Android

by Rob Whitaker

By failing to consider those with needs different to ourselves, we are telling these people they are not welcome in our app, and therefore that technology as a whole, is not for them. This is not hyperbole—23% of people in the US with a registered disability aren't online at all, that's three times more likely than the general population. When asked why they're not online, disabled respondents say their disability prevents them or that using the internet is too hard.



To help your apps combat the issue of digital exclusion, this book covers considerations and tools mobile developers, or anyone creating mobile experiences, can use to make mobile work better for those with disabilities—mental or physical—and how to create a better experience for everyone.



Software is not made up of cold, unthinking algorithms. Software is a craft in the truest sense of the word, and one of the greatesttools you can have as a craftsperson is empathy for the people who will be using your app. Each one of whom is an individual with different abilities, experiences, knowledge, and circumstances.


What You'll Learn

Create mobile experiences that work for as many people as possible
Incorporate a worldview of accessibility and customer service into your design 
Work with accessibility tools and techniques commonly available for developers



Who This Book Is For
Mobile developers working solo or as part of a team. UX designers, quality engineers, product owners, and anybody working in mobile.

379 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 25, 2020

Reviews

[Quintin Balsdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broad sweeps and specific detail without overwhelming

The book covers a wide range of topics in the accessibility field, and provides a much needed specific look at the generation of mobile content. It’s wonderful to be able to have a resource like this.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for anyone looking to build or evaluate an accessible mobile app. The author outlines the accessibility model and features of both iOS and Android, along with clear examples and downloadable coding resources to follow along with. iOS is given slightly more attention, mainly due to the maturity of Apple’s platform when it comes to accessibility, although Android is not far behind. My only criticism is that the author tops and tails the book with fairly generic chapters on accessibility and digital inclusion, which anyone with more than a passing interest in the subject will already be familiar with. But anyone wondering how to make their app accessible (or how to test it), will find this a great place to start.