Samsung goes after blind iPhone users

I recently met, and had the opportunity to speak to, an old family friend who has been blind for many years. He's had several guide dogs, and I was hearing for the first time what they actually do (they're far more incredible than I had imagined).

The subject turned to technology, which it normally does when I'm around family, and he showed me his "fancy" Nokia that was especially equipped to help him out. It was very expensive, I presume it came to him through an organisation that helps blind people (he did say, but I've forgotten those details), and he showed me it's special assistive features claiming (with humour) the he would be willing to bet mine couldn't do that.

I flipped out my iPhone (4 at the time I think) switched on the assistive settings (which I'd not done before) and handed it over to him. He had it figured out almost instantly. What blew him away was that the price of this fancy new phone brand new was still significantly cheaper than the phones available through his normal channels - and it was his opinion (after an admittedly short time with the phone) that this was more useful and easier to use than his current phone.

Accessibility is something I think is probably (note I said probably, I have no evidence either way) overlooked by most the startups around here - but I think Apple are trailblazing here too. For most of us these are features we may not even know exist, but for those who need them - they really need them. To take them away could literally be life changing.

The patent in question: http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?DB=...

Speech output device for data displayed on mobile telephone converts data from display into speech data for output via loudspeaker

So.. now that it may affect Apple consumers it's bad.