How Accessibility Became the Future of UX and How Apple Set the Pace

Design for the Edges, Win the Middle Part 1

The shift: from compliance checklist to growth engine

Accessibility is no longer an add-on at the end of a sprint or a box to check before launch. It’s a market reality and a design accelerant. The World Health Organisation estimates 1.3 billion people, about 16% of the world's population, live with a significant disability. That's not a niche; that's every sixth person on the planet, and the figure is rising as populations age and non-communicable diseases become more prevalent. 

The business case is equally blunt. In Accenture's landmark analyses of disability inclusion across DEI "leader" companies, the top cohort outperformed its peers, achieving 28% higher revenue, twice the net income, and 30% higher economic profit margins over a four-year period. At the macro level, the “purple economy” (encompassing the disability market and its extended influence) is routinely pegged in the multi-trillion-dollar range; recent industry commentary ties it to a roughly US$13 trillion opportunity, an economic gravity well that’s pulling design and product strategy into its orbit.

Meanwhile, regulation is tightening. The European Accessibility Act moved from horizon to here on 28 June 2025, extending accessibility obligations to consumer electronics, websites, mobile apps and more across the EU single market. For global products, this is not optional table stakes. In the U.S., litigation has made the cost of inaction visible: industry trackers estimate ~4,000+ digital accessibility lawsuits annually across state and federal courts in recent years (with 2,452 in U.S. federal court alone in 2024, down 13% YoY but still material). 

What accessibility means in UX research (and why “universal” beats “average”)

At research time, accessibility is not a checklist; it’s a mindset and a method. Practically, it means designing and evaluating experiences that are:

• Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust, the WCAG backbone that turns principles into testable criteria. 
• Inclusive by design and by test, recruiting participants with diverse vision, hearing, mobility and cognitive profiles; running moderated/unmoderated sessions with screen readers, switch access, captions, voice control, and reduced-motion settings in the loop; and validating “edge cases” as primary use cases rather than exceptions.

Why this works commercially: the "edge" is where ubiquitous use lives. Consider captions. Multiple datasets demonstrate the mainstreaming of captions: a 2019 Verizon/Publicis study found that 80% of caption users are not deaf or hard of hearing, and 80% stated that captions make them more likely to watch a video; Gen-Z usage rates reach as high as 80%.

Accessibility patterns: high contrast, clear focus states, keyboardable flows, and reduce friction for everyone.

There's also cost logic: industry data show that catching accessibility issues in design is ~1.5 times the price; in development, it's ~5 times; in QA, it's ~15 times; and in production, it can be up to 30 times. Shift-left is not just ethical or fiscal. 

A decade of proof: how Apple operationalised accessibility (2015–2025)

Apple didn’t invent accessibility, but the company spent the last ten years productising it at platform scale, especially on iPhone.

Usage proof: Among mobile screen-reader users globally, iOS is the primary platform for ~70.6%, with Safari being the primary mobile browser for 58%. Evidence that Apple's investment translates into day-to-day adoption for blind/low-vision users. 

Sources 

• WHO. DisabilityOverview (1.3B / 16%). 
• Accenture / Disability: IN. Getting to EqualThe Disability Inclusion Advantage (+28% revenue; 2× net income; +30% EP). 
• Level Access / Industry coverage: rising priority (44% higher YoY). 
• WebAIM. Screen Reader User Survey #10 (2024) (iOS primary 70.6%; Safari 58% for mobile SR users). 
• Apple Newsroom. 2023–2025 accessibility releases (Assistive Access, Personal Voice, Point and Speak; Eye Tracking, Music Haptics, Vocal Shortcuts; Accessibility Nutrition Labels, Braille Access, Magnifier for Mac, Accessibility Reader). 
• EU Accessible-EU Centre & legal analyses EAA in force 28 June 2025. 
• Litigation trackers and law firms~4,000+ digital accessibility suits annually; 2,452 in U.S. federal court 2024. 
• Verizon/Publicis; Gen-Z caption usage patterns. 
• Deque. Semi-Automated Coverage Report (~57% issues detectable via automated/semi-automated tests).

Accessibility has moved from a compliance exercise to a core driver of innovation, growth, and user trust. The data is clear, the regulations are in force, and the business outcomes speak for themselves. Companies that prioritise inclusive design are not only reducing legal and operational risk but also unlocking products that work better for everyone. Apple’s decade of investment demonstrates what happens when accessibility is built into the platform rather than added as an afterthought.

The lesson is simple. When you design for the edges, you create solutions that scale to the middle. Accessibility is not only the future of UX, it is already the foundation of products that win markets and set new standards for usability.

Link to Part 2

About Dr Asma Qureshi

"I’m a customer-centric researcher who blends UX, CX, and data-driven insights to uncover what truly drives consumer behaviour. With expertise in strategic research planning, stakeholder engagement, and vendor partnerships, I translate complex data into actionable strategies that drive results. Passionate about improving experiences, I help businesses tap into customer needs and deliver game-changing outcomes."
Link to LinkedIn Profile