Is the user experience deteriorating? Tech user experience experts focus on everyone except older adults. But there’s a problem: from AARP’s tech trends survey from 2024 and their 2023 guidance from AARP on inclusive design practices, it’s clear and as the AARP report notes, “No one prefers badly designed, over-complicated products.” Despite preferences, surveys show that today’s user experience for older adults is more problematic than ever. All are confronted with buggy software and frequent bug fix releases, such a problem on iPhones that an embarrassed Apple redirected software work towards fixing. And Google is no better with Pixel phones.
The 2024 survey is out – some might say it is positive about tech adoption. Older adults (age 50+) own nearly every tech owned by those age 18-49. They have smartphones, tablets, Smart TVs, wearables – with the same disinterest in smart home technologies. The cynical among us might say that some tech change (like the 3G to 5G cutover) forced smartphone adoption. And so the growth in smartphone ownership is led by older adults And it’s pretty tough to buy a ‘dumb TV’ these days even if you wanted one, though it’s feasible.
GrandPad, the purpose-built tablet solution designed for people over the age of 75, announced today that seniors and family caregivers can now purchase the GrandPad tablet online at Amazon.com. Product details, pricing, and order access can be found here: https://amzn.to/3MS5Ujo.
ORANGE, Calif., June 3, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- GrandPad, creator of the first purpose-built tablet for people over 75, announced today the addition of connected device capabilities to its mobile device and telehealth platform to support virtual care and remote monitoring for healthcare providers. The expanded capabilities come at a time when an increasing number of home health agencies and other healthcare companies are turning to GrandPad to facilitate video visits during COVID-19 restrictions that prohibit in-person care.
What does it mean when offerings and consumers aren’t aligned? For older consumers and their families, the technology market and senior housing industry are two cases in point. Consider the slower-growing 8(8% occupied) senior housing industry – where in ten years, 81% of couples will not be able to afford the $60,000 average cost of assisted living (a number that does not reflect higher cost memory care). Or mull over the technology industry, which is releasing new versions of every category faster than you can Google them, filling voids like adding mouse for the iPad. Why did it not have a mouse in the first place? Oh, yes, and it is an accessibility feature. Still no headphone jack on the phone. Or creating a folding phone (without much testing) with a screen that breaks within days of announcement. Did anyone ask for a phone that folds? So in that vein, here are five blog posts, mostly rants, from May, 2019:
Is the user experience deteriorating? 
The 2024 survey is out – some might say it is positive about tech adoption. Older adults (age 50+) 
What does it mean when offerings and consumers aren’t aligned? For older consumers and their families, the technology market and senior housing industry are two cases in point. Consider 