Apple CEO Tim Cook Talks Accessibility With Three Accessibility Activists

In honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, which takes place tomorrow, Apple CEO Tim Cook sat down with three YouTubers to discuss the Accessibility features built into Apple's iOS and Mac devices.

Each of the three YouTubers, who met Cook at Apple's campus for coffee, have shared their conversations with the CEO on their respective YouTube channels. All three, including legally blind filmmaker James Rath, deaf advocate and vlogger Rikki Poynter, and actress Tatiana Lee, who was born with Spina Bifida, talked about the Apple products that they use in their daily lives. The three interviews can be watched below.




During his meeting with Poynter, Cook explained Apple's stance on accessibility and why the company goes to great lengths to make sure its devices are available to everyone.

Apple is founded on giving people power to create things, to do things that they couldn't do without those tools. And we've always viewed accessibility as a human right. And so just like human rights are for everyone, we want our products to be accessible for everyone. And so it's a basic core value of Apple. We don't make products for a particular group of people. We make products for everybody.

We feel very strongly that everyone deserves an equal opportunity and equal access. So we don't look at this thing from a return on investment point of view -- I've been asked that before. The answer is no, I've never looked at that. We don't care about that.

In addition to Cook's meetings, Apple also recently published a series of "Designed for" accessibility videos, highlighting the different ways Apple's Accessibility features are used to make Apple devices available to everyone, and there's currently an Accessibility feature in the App Store promoting Accessibility apps.

Since October, Apple has had a detailed Accessibility website that demonstrates and promotes the extensive Accessibility options built into Apple products.

Top Rated Comments

Uaaerospace2 Avatar
90 months ago
Go to http://www.aapd.com
(American Association of People with Disabilities)
Click on employment, which takes you to : http://jobs.aapd.com/jobs
Search for Apple jobs in CA
Find no jobs listed by Apple

Now you understand Apple does not really give a sh1z about the disabled, and just uses this garbage as part of their faux "we care" emotional marketing strategy. Period.
Really? Why don't you inform your "opinion" by observing or working with people who actually need and use accessibility features in tech. Spend a day or two at Accessing Higher Ground and meet people who use the features. Work with students through an office of disability services for a day or two. Then come back and share an informed opinion. Apple's tech is pretty darn good at allowing people to access content and get on with their lives. Is it perfect? No, but few things are. Apple has been a longtime provider of accessible tech and, I would guess, has done more to promote accessibility in technology than...say...you.

Your posting of the aapd job board goes to show how desperate you are to criticizee. Why would apple post there? My place of employment has many people with the sole responsibility of providing accommodations and ensuring web, etc. accessibility. There are many, many others who have the responsibility as part of our normal job because we create content. You won't find any of our jobs posted there either. So, the logical conclusion is that we don't care about accessibility? What?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
christarp Avatar
90 months ago
Jeez, Everyone here is so mad about these videos for some reason. It's a few feel good videos with real people with real disabilities and how they've had things improve for them with Apple. Can you not just be happy about something for once in your life? This is one of those feel good moments you can just sit back and watch.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
consoleboi Avatar
90 months ago
Sorry Tim, I'm not buying the Kool-Aid you're selling.

"we don't look at ROI", "we want to make Apple products accessible to everyone".

How about making it cheaper so everyone can afford it would be a good start!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
-BigMac- Avatar
90 months ago
"Everyone should have equal access"

Proceeds to increase every products base price for the last 5 years.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
developer13245 Avatar
90 months ago
Really? Why don't you inform your "opinion" by observing or working with people who actually need and use accessibility features in tech. Spend a day or two at Accessing Higher Ground and meet people who use the features. Work with students through an office of disability services for a day or two. Then come back and share an informed opinion. Apple's tech is pretty darn good at allowing people to access content and get on with their lives. Is it perfect? No, but few things are. Apple has been a longtime provider of accessible tech and, I would guess, has done more to promote accessibility in technology than...say...you.

Your posting of the aapd job board goes to show how desperate you are to criticizee. Why would apple post there? My place of employment has many people with the sole responsibility of providing accommodations and ensuring web, etc. accessibility. There are many, many others who have the responsibility as part of our normal job because we create content. You won't find any of our jobs posted there either. So, the logical conclusion is that we don't care about accessibility? What?
see:

http://www.aapd.com/disability-equality-index/

Apple is nowhere on the list, which is unacceptable for a company of their 'stature' that prattles on about how socially conscious they claim to be.

Sure, a lot of companies are not on the list, but until Apple IS on the list, they have no credibility to publish this type of emotional advertising.

Essentially, they can sell to the disabled, but do not support them as an employer.

Apple's performance in the area of disability support does not match their message.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
amegicfox Avatar
90 months ago
when does this man work ? he is a wanna be politician and really bad at it too

Tim resign from Apple so can a young smart person can make Apple great again
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Delta Feature

Delta Game Emulator Now Available From App Store on iPhone

Wednesday April 17, 2024 9:58 am PDT by
Game emulator apps have come and gone since Apple announced App Store support for them on April 5, but now popular game emulator Delta from developer Riley Testut is available for download. Testut is known as the developer behind GBA4iOS, an open-source emulator that was available for a brief time more than a decade ago. GBA4iOS led to Delta, an emulator that has been available outside of...
iOS NES Emulator Bimmy Feature

NES Emulator for iPhone and iPad Now Available on App Store [Removed]

Tuesday April 16, 2024 11:33 am PDT by
The first approved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator for the iPhone and iPad was made available on the App Store today following Apple's rule change. The emulator is called Bimmy, and it was developed by Tom Salvo. On the App Store, Bimmy is described as a tool for testing and playing public domain/"homebrew" games created for the NES, but the app allows you to load ROMs for any...
iPhone 15 Pro Action Button Translate

All iPhone 16 Models to Feature Action Button, But Usefulness Debated

Tuesday April 16, 2024 6:54 am PDT by
Last September, Apple's iPhone 15 Pro models debuted with a new customizable Action button, offering faster access to a handful of functions, as well as the ability to assign Shortcuts. Apple is poised to include the feature on all upcoming iPhone 16 models, so we asked iPhone 15 Pro users what their experience has been with the additional button so far. The Action button replaces the switch ...
maxresdefault

Hands-On With the New App Store Delta Game Emulator

Wednesday April 17, 2024 12:19 pm PDT by
A decade ago, developer Riley Testut released the GBA4iOS emulator for iOS, and since it was against the rules at the time, Apple put a stop to downloads. Emulators have been a violation of the App Store rules for years, but that changed on April 5 when Apple suddenly reversed course and said that it was allowing retro game emulators on the App Store. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel ...
iOS 18 Siri Integrated Feature

iOS 18 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Friday April 12, 2024 11:11 am PDT by
iOS 18 is expected to be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. iOS 18 is rumored to include new generative AI features for Siri and many apps, and Apple plans to add RCS support to the Messages app for an improved texting experience between iPhones and Android devices. The update is also expected to introduce a more...