[ElCheapo]

Screenless smartphones could totally be viable as a product, especially for visually impaired folks.

The problem is only one: PROPRIETARY APPLICATIONS

Could you write a custom and simplified Facebook Messenger client that would allow clear and complete navigation through hardware buttons or vocal commands? Abso-fucking-lutely!

Can you do it without Facebook's approval which will never come? Abso-fucking-lutely not!

[sunbum]

Don't worry, it's coming soon with the Digital Markets Act [1]

[1] - https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/euro...

[yuvalr1]

Wow, this act looks amazing. I hope it will go through. What is the usual timeline for these kinds of acts?

You got me so thrilled that I posted it for a discussion. Right here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33309576

[sunbum]

It already has gone through, it goes into effect from the 1st of November and will become applicable in May.

[hourago]

That looks very good. And even if it starts in Europe it makes enough sense as to other countries to follow.

[thr0wawayf00]

Agreed that it looks great, but there is zero chance it gets implemented in the US. Not with the tech lobbying money floating around in Washington.

[teekert]

Open source as an accessibility feature. I never realized. It would be a nice HN frontpage post.

[2goodnot2post]

Here you go:

"What’s the Value of Hackable Hardware, Anyway?" https://www.bunniestudios.com/blog/?p=6031

Although the hardware, the precursor, is more akin to a PDA than a smartphone it very well allows for mods targeting e.g. impaired vision, as the featured prototype of a braille keyboard shows.

[NavinF]

Eh more like "open APIs as an accessibility feature".

Most open source software I've used has terrible accessibility, both for blind and sighted people.

[ta8903]

I'm sure you've used software with open APIs with terrible accessibility too, the point is that with enough interest, open APIs make it easier to make alternate frontends. And open source implies an open API with the additional advantage of making it easier to modify the frontend.

[CJefferson]

In principle this is true, but my experience for accessiblity is: Apple first (they are amazing), Windows second (although many use 3rd party apps like JAWS), then Linux a distant third.

[CJefferson]

Many blind people are already successfully using iPhones. The experience could be better of course, but many apps work really well (I will admit I haven't tried FB Messenger, and don't currently have an iPhone to hand).

This would actually create a nice loop, and it would (hopefully) make app Devs take supporting blind users more seriously.

[realusername]

It's clearly time to legally force those companies to open up apis, so many possibilities are lost.

[aqme28]

I'm not sure I agree. Those apps are already (somewhat) navigable for visually impaired people. This "phone" has all those same tools at its disposal.

[userbinator]

Or rather, you can with enough effort, but might get negative legal attention.

[charcircuit]

You could do it by hijacking accessibility features.