KakaoTalk app error disrupts visually impaired users for three days

Visually impaired users of KakaoTalk experienced significant disruption for three days due to a bug in the app's latest iPhone version. The issue affected the 'VoiceOver' function, a crucial accessibility feature that reads screen content aloud for users who cannot see it.

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The voice guidance is strange.

The problem arose after the app was updated on September 12th for iOS devices. Users reported that the VoiceOver function, which normally provides immediate audio feedback for typed text, began lagging by about one line. This delay made it extremely difficult for visually impaired individuals to accurately compose messages, as they could not confirm what they were typing in real-time.

Some users resorted to using the iPhone's native messaging app to type their messages, then copying and pasting the text into KakaoTalk to overcome the accessibility barrier. This workaround highlighted the severity of the disruption and the essential nature of the VoiceOver feature for their daily communication.

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An error occurred with voice output during the iOS version update, and we fixed the error immediately on the 14th.

Kakao acknowledged the problem and acted swiftly to resolve it. The company released a corrected version of the app on September 14th, just two days after the issue was identified. A Kakao representative stated that the company is committed to continuously improving digital accessibility for all users, including those with disabilities.

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We will continue to strive to improve accessibility for digital marginalized groups such as the disabled.