Technology is evolving quickly, even much too quickly for certain categories of the population, starting with the oldest. Elderly people sometimes find it difficult to master smartphones. Aware of this problem, several manufacturers offer smartphones specially designed for seniors..
Simpler phones to use
The older generations of our society are struggling to familiarize themselves with new technological tools and in particular the smartphone. Many feel excluded even though this technology was created to bring social ties to a population that is sorely lacking.
But contrary to popular belief, the digital divide does not only affect seniors. An entire section of the population is experiencing difficulties with their smartphones. What do you want we can't all be good at the same things and that's good..
An interface suitable for the elderly
Many of these people would need to be guided when setting up their new mobile device. Some big cities offer free lessons but obviously this is not the case in all cities. Fortunately, several manufacturers offer modes on their phones specially adapted for the elderly whose interface has been simplified.
Android also has default accessibility options allowing you to purify the screen of your smartphone by removing all unnecessary options. We end up with a device whose screen seems clearer and no longer cluttered with dozens of buttons that nobody ever uses. We often forget that the use of a touch screen may seem natural for young people but not necessarily for a senior..
You can also remove the animations, increase the contrast of the screen and enlarge the font size for easier reading. Note that most Android smartphones have a function called TalkBack specially dedicated to people with vision problems.
Mobile phones for seniors
It is a fact, some smartphones end up at the bottom of a drawer because deemed too complicated to use by their owners. To avoid this type of situation, some manufacturers seek to offer phones offering more intuitive interfaces. This is the case, for example, of the Doro brand.
The Doro 8042
Assuming that today, everyone needs to stay connected at all times, including the elderly, the Swedish brand Doro specializes in the sale of mobile phones suitable for seniors. As the smartphone industry focuses more and more on artificial intelligence, this company has decided to focus on the specific needs of the elderly.
The Doro 8042 that we are going to present to you here is available exclusively in Orange stores for 199 euros. This model is intended to be accessible, but the technical specifications are far from being cheap. It has a 5-inch high-definition screen, a 8-megapixel photo sensor on the back cover and a 2-megapixel front camera for video conferencing.
The Doro 8042 runs on Android 7.0 Marshmallow. The mobile interface has been modified to make navigation more intuitive and easier to master. The location and size of the keys have been designed to allow the user to easily access the various menus on the phone.
Emporia Smart
The Smart is one of the rare smartphones available on the market combining a touch screen and a touch keyboard. The removable flap that covers part of the screen when closed has a keypad providing basic telephone functions. It includes the green button to take a call and the red button to hang up at the end of the call.
The phone also offers a stylus to facilitate typing on the screen. With age, the nerves at the fingertips become less sensitive. The touch keyboard is the biggest obstacle for seniors to overcome.
The Emporia Smart has an emergency call mode allowing you to dial up to five telephone numbers at the press of a button. Finally last important point, this phone also has the flashlight function and an FM radio.