“With tablet sales declining, Apple and IBM are hoping to give iPad sales a boost by targeting senior citizens,” Patrick Seitz reports for Investor’s Business Daily. “Apple, IBM and Japan Post Group on Thursday announced an initiative aimed at improving the quality of life for millions of Japanese senior citizens. The initiative will deliver iPads with IBM-developed apps and analytics to connect millions of seniors with services, health care, community and their families, the companies said.”
“‘As a percentage of global population, the elderly will increase from 11.7% in 2013 to more than 21% by 2050,’ Apple said in a press release. ‘Every day, 10,000 people turn 65, and 40% of seniors live alone or with their spouse only,'” Seitz reports. “Apple, IBM and Japan Post Group on Thursday announced an initiative aimed at improving the quality of life for millions of Japanese senior citizens. The initiative will deliver iPads with IBM-developed apps and analytics to connect millions of seniors with services, health care, community and their families, the companies said.”
“Built-in iPad applications of interest to senior citizens include FaceTime, Messages, Mail and Photos, as well as digital books from the iBooks Store,” Seitz reports. “The iPad has such accessibility features as settings for low vision and hearing-impaired users.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: As populations age in many developed countries, this is obviously a smart move by Apple and IBM.
Related article:
Apple, IBM, and Japan Post Group deliver iPads and custom apps to connect elderly in Japan to services, family and community – April 30, 2015
i am about to turn 70 on the 8th of may so i fit right into this category; i’m still using tha iPad 2 – will upgrade later this year.
what i really wanted to do is encourage all those who are waiting for their apple watches to ship: i received an e-mail this afternoon to say i will be receiving my apple watch on tuesday, may 5th; i ordered it on april 10 at 3:24 a.m. it is a 38mm sport watch, space grey with black sport band, it will arrive 8 days earlier than scheduled (13th).
Thanks for posting the Watch info. Nice to know the dates are improving.
Also nice to know I’m not the only geezer with a penchant for Apple goodies.
I got my elderly mother an iPad. after a few months she loves it and plays scrabble on it all the time
I wish the iPad was around when my dad was. It has a very short learning curve…and you can surf the internet laying on the couch.:)
Apple will have to lower prices. Seniors will not blow money, especially this type of money on this device. Apple must be expecting the 40, 50 something year old kids to buy these devices at the current price points. Seniors in the states have much more important things to do with their limit funds. Medical bills, food, medicine, electrical bills, …, Japan must have different issues facing its seniors.
There is POOR, CHEAP, and there is frugal. Many seniors know the difference. I see many seniors with a mostly new car cause there is no repair or servicing to do. And with the limited miles they drive, it may last longer than they do.
And many have more money than you may think. Unlike todays youth, they do not buy everything they see. But if something makes good sense, they have the cash.
Many more Seniors (Baby Boomers) have money to spend on worthwhile objects of desire, unlike today’s free-spending “let’s live for today” youth doomed to poverty in THEIR senior years.
An elderly person who will not “blow money” on a potentially life-enhancing device is not being “frugal”—they’re being stupid.
It’s perfect for seniors. Everything they need in a computer without the headaches of viruses and software maintenance.