Accessibility in Motorola Moto G 3rd Generation

Friday, 6 November, 2015

By Amóvil

The Moto G in white

Motorola’s latest 3rd generation Moto G is a budget 4G smartphone that is water resistant and includes several interesting features. This device is also accessible to people with vision impairments and hearing disabilities. Amóvil reviewed this device thanks to a loan by Orange.

General features and specifications

The Moto G is powered by Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and can be upgraded to version 6 (Marshmallow) soon. It also runs on a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor at 1.4 GHz.

The handset measures 142.1x72.4x11.6 mm and weighs 155 grams. It has a 5-inches IPS LCD display with 720 x 1280 pixels resolution. In addition, it is equipped with two cameras: one on the rear-side with 13 mpx that includes autofocus and dual LED flash, and another one on the front with 5 mpx.

The 3rd generation of the Moto G comes in two versions. One includes a storage capacity of 8 GB and 1 GB of RAM, and the other has 16 GB and 2 GB, respectively. In both models the storage capacity can be expanded up to 32 GB with MicroSD card.

Accessibility Review

Unlike other smartphones run by Android 5.0, the Moto G offers no default accessibility shortcut when powered on for the first time. In order to configure these settings, users must go to the general settings menu, and tap on “accessibility”.

The Moto G’s accessibility options are not divided by type of disability. This can be problematic for users depending on assistive devices to control this smartphone.

Vision

The Moto G is accessible to users who are blind or have low vision. The version of TalkBack built-in meets the minimum accessibility requirements. However, some users may find TalkBack’s default voice unpleasant.

Users with low vision will be able to change the size of the text and configure the screen brightness to meet their needs. The model reviewed includes two native apps that allow reversing background and foreground colors and the color contrast. Although these apps are experimental, both worked satisfactorily during the tests.

Hearing

The Moto G has a compatibility rating of M4/T4. To use it with hearing aids, users must first enable this option under Call Settings. This device also supports instant messaging and video-calls.

Dexterity

We are unable to recommend the Moto G to people with dexterity disabilities. The device’s physical keys are not easy to press. People who lack sufficient strength on the upper extremities may have a hard time using the power button. Additionally, it has no voice recognition features or allows users to control it with writing sticks.

Comprehension

The Moto G is also not adequate for people with comprehension issues. The design of the touch keys at the bottom of the display do not conform to accessibility standards.

For more details about accessibility features included in the Moto G, please consult the full accessibility report.

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