Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Apple iPhone Apps for oldies?

On what I suspect will be the inevitable migration to Apple I have just started using an Apple iPhone. What can I say? It is an amazing device. Beautiful interface, both on the device and the computer, with the marvellous innovation of access to zillions of Apps.

I thought I would have a look around and see what has been written about the iPhone and older users.

Mmm, maybe there is a shed load of stuff out there but the only thing of substance I could find was by Mark Sigal where he discusses why an Apple Tablet, if it is ever launched, would be more useful to Boomers than an iPhone.

The basis of his argument is the iPhone is physically too small for older fingers and eyes. From my personal experience, this is not true, but then my basic law of marketing tells me never to extrapolate the universe of the market from your own experience.

I had a look around to see if there were any Apps for older people. No success.

I feel sure that somebody has really researched this subject, if so, can you tell me where to look.
If indeed none of the 50,000 Apps are aimed at making life easier, amusing, safer, exciting, inclusive ….. for people with physiological ageing issues – like 50% of the population – then it seems to me that there is one hell of market waiting to be attacked. Am I right or am I right?

Sure, many of the Apps are age neutral but are any targeted at older users? Dick Stroud

2 comments:

mokisdad said...

Dick, I too have found very little information on the iPhone applications specifically aimed at older adults. The comments regarding small keys can be negated by making everything on the phone voice activated-including an easy to use zoom function for the small screen. I cannot see replacing my cell phone with the tablet (it's way too large). Thanks!

Unknown said...

Dick, here's something I wrote about an App that turns the iPhone into a hearing aid. http://www.silvergroup.asia/blog/App-turns-iPhone-into-a-hearing-aid.php