Stop giving your unwanted technology to an elderly loved one. It may not help as much as you think

In addition to their regular work, many ZDNET readers can act as unofficial CIOs for their family and friends, offering advice on purchasing, setting up, using, and maintaining all of their devices. consumer technology suite.

A particular concern for these tech-savvy people — let’s call them ‘Family Information Officers’ (FIOs) — is getting the older generation (65+) involved and comfortable. comfortable using digital devices and software to interact with a world that is rapidly disappearing alternative analog routes.

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Banking is a prime example: as society becomes increasingly cashless and banks close more and more traditional branches, the pressure to switch to a digital version increases.

Health care is another matter: access to health services is rapidly shifting online through mobile apps and websites, at the risk of excluding underprivileged older adults. smart devices or internet access, or confidence and know-how in their use. One particular fault of mine is the diverse and ambiguous nature of many parking apps, as well as the lack of popular cash or card options.

While most tech companies strive to make their products as usable as possible, few explicitly take people over 65 into account. In addition, the relentless pursuit of more features and functions in most devices continually adds to both pricing and user experience issues for older adults.

A technology company for the older generation based in Austria Emporia, was founded in 1991 and currently operates in more than 30 European countries. Emporia offers a wide range of landline phone, smartphones and feature phones, and accessory. In 2022, the company added a Android tablet into my portfolio and also launched my first product smart watchoriginally in Germany.

According to Emporia, 52 million people in Europe still do not have an internet connection, including 9.6 million in the UK. And of the roughly 13 million people over 65 in the UK, less than 40% own a smartphone, the company said. So there’s a lot of addressable markets for a company with the right mix of age-related products and services.

The company argues that, across Europe, about 50 million people over the age of 65 are excluded from digital applications because they do not own or know how to use a smartphone or tablet.

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At a press event in November 2022, Chris Millington, Emporia’s chief executive officer for the UK and Ireland, outlined one reason why things can go bad with a smartphone. for the elderly. He calls it ‘Hand Me Upping’.

This happens when younger family members give their old phones to their parents or grandparents to help them stay connected digitally.

“So they give them a phone that’s two or three years old and is no longer updated or supported, doesn’t work with banking apps and doesn’t have an easy-to-use interface and doesn’t work. .

Adding to the problem is the rapid evolution of mobile technology, which means that younger generations quickly forget how things work on older devices, making it difficult for them to support older users alone. effectively. It’s better, says Millington, to “recycle or trade in used smartphones and look at a suitable product geared towards the needs and desires of adult users.”

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Emporia offers entry-level/low-cost mobile hardware with three layers of age-friendly usability: simplified user interface, printed and most recent training books, Coach — a training app.

Emporia’s UI overlays sits on top of Android on their smartphones and tablets, and offers large, clearly labeled, customizable buttons that point to key apps and functions — unlike Android Simple Mode. This is the main screen on 10.1 inch Emporia Tablet:

And here is the list of All Apps on 5.5 inch screen Smart Emporia 5 phone:

There’s no customization when you’re using regular Android apps, other than a bar at the top with a large Back button and icons for accessing the home screen and swiping through recently used apps.

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The second usability factor is an unusual sight these days: a printed book that goes beyond the traditional manual (also available), covering everything from setting up the device and connecting to Wi-Fi , to sections on Google Play Store and the internet, email and messaging, social networking, photo and video, video calling, streaming with YouTube and basic apps.

The book was hugely popular with Emporia’s target user base, Millington said, acknowledging that it was expensive and the content didn’t change.

The new one Coach the app is designed to solve these problems, offers a 30 day training course that offers many lessons in easy to understand daily chapters, with lots of gamification to make the process enjoyable and attractive. Learning can proceed at the user’s pace, with repeated use helping to build confidence with the device. The beginner course comes pre-installed on Emporia Smart devices, with further courses available for download.

Here are some of Emporia’s flagship products.

alternative choice

Apple’s cheapest new smartphone is iPhone SE 4.7 inch, which starts at £449 in the UK — just over double the price of the 5-inch Emporia Super Easy. However, used iPhone SEs can cost between £150 and £250 with 64GB of storage and are a major competitor to Emporia, Millington said.

Another European company specializing in technology for the elderly based in Sweden doro, which also manufactures smartphones, feature phones, landlines, tablets, and smart watches. If you are looking for phones from major phone manufacturers for your elderly family or friends, you will need to consider factors such as price, device size, weight and ergonomics, touchscreen responsiveness, sound quality, IP rating, GPS support and more.