Android 12 Fonts and Accessibility

[Cherenkov]

Like many people, I'm visually impaired. With Android 12 Google removed the option to use custom fonts, which means those with sight issues, people with dyslexia, etc. no longer have the ability to use custom fonts which help us interact with the device. I've spoken to several Google Support technicians, who inform me that while there have been complaints about this, there is no way to use a custom font in Android 12, nor is there an approved way to roll back to 11 (and even if you did you would no longer receive patches or updates without going back to 12).

They suggest we use the feedback forms to make ourselves heard. You can find the option here:

https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/6398243?hl=en

To be perfectly honest, I wonder if this isn't worthy of a class action lawsuit. In Android 11 we could use custom fonts as well as a broader range of colors, and the UI better adapted to increased font size (in 12 when I make the text as big as I need it, it breaks the new UI and words are cut off or run over). They have removed from persons like myself the accessibility options which our devices had when they were purchased.

If this is impacting you, please use the link above to let them know.

 

[Cherenkov]

For those who don't want to follow the link, here are the instructions to send feedback:

ANDROID DEVICES To submit feedback and feature requests on Android:

Open the device's Settings app.
Scroll to the bottom and tap System > About phone or About tablet > Send feedback about this device.
Enter your feedback.
Tap Send.

 

[anon(40376)]

Sounds like a legit problem; hopefully, a lot of people will come forward and complain.

However, the class action suit statement is ludicrous until other options are addressed. Class action lawsuits are extremely complicated and time is involved with research, waiting for people to sign onto the suit, etc. In most cases they might take years to get resolution. That's not considering an attorney (or more) looks at a class action suit as a cash cow for their benefits and not sure how much cash would be made on this type of suit with a limited number of complainants. And I have to assume, Alphabet (parent firm of Google) has more attorneys than I have blades of grass on my front lawn. Good luck, either way. I hope it is resolved.

(And believe me, I am not loving google and this Android 12 update and would love to see google lose a giant class action suit in the next few years. But sometimes it is just best to bite the bullet and jump ship.)

 

[bkdodger2]

This is one of the bummers. I don't have any issues with the font but I've always loved changing fonts on all my phones and one of the many reasons I like Samsung customization as I changed fonts all the time. I will be hitting the link feedback as well. Hopefully they listen to us and give us the ability again

 

[beantownsouth]

Sounds like a legit problem; hopefully, a lot of people will come forward and complain.

However, the class action suit statement is ludicrous until other options are addressed. Class action lawsuits are extremely complicated and time is involved with research, waiting for people to sign onto the suit, etc. In most cases they might take years to get resolution. That's not considering an attorney (or more) looks at a class action suit as a cash cow for their benefits and not sure how much cash would be made on this type of suit with a limited number of complainants. And I have to assume, Alphabet (parent firm of Google) has more attorneys than I have blades of grass on my front lawn. Good luck, either way. I hope it is resolved.

(And believe me, I am not loving google and this Android 12 update and would love to see google lose a giant class action suit in the next few years. But sometimes it is just best to bite the bullet and jump ship.)

I 100% percent agree with your post. It would take forever to have enough people signed up to make it worth a lawyers time and effort to take on the suit. As you said, Alphabet has more lawyers than blades of grass in my yard. I think the best thing to do is hammer the feedback option to Google. Be relentless about it, I mean everyday and multiple times if you have to.

I have to say this, if I could, I too, would go back to Android 11 in a heartbeat. 12 doesn't have enough changes in it for me to be thrilled about it at all. And there's a lot in 11 I prefer over 12. A lot of what they changed make no sense to me what so ever.

 

[Cherenkov]

Update - It appears that people with epilepsy are having seizures triggered due to some of the new animations and transition effects in Android 12. Disabling these animations only makes it worse for some people.

Tumblr thread which covers this issue: https://kalgalen.tumblr.com/post/66...ng-an-emotional-breakdown-while-having-having

Google Forum post about the issue: https://support.google.com/pixelpho...-design-changes-are-causing-me-seizures?hl=en

Even if this doesn't impact you, please help those who are impacted. Google will only act if enough voices are raised that it draws the attention of the media and starts costing them money.