Global Mobile App Accessibility: A Comparative Study of WCAG Compliance Across 12 Countries

Abstract

This study assesses the accessibility of mobile applications across twelve countries, including the USA, Vietnam, Turkey, Ireland, and South Korea. Our evaluation of 60 popular apps reveals a widespread failure to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), with Vietnam exhibiting the highest average of 41.2 violations per app. These violations were particularly prevalent in essential areas such as touch target size and color contrast, critical for users with visual and motor impairments. Despite robust accessibility laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the USA and the European Accessibility Act (EAA) in the EU, our findings indicate a significant gap between these legal frameworks and their practical application. Our study highlights the urgent need for a multifaceted approach that includes strict enforcement, enhanced developer education with a focus on cross-cultural accessibility, and international cooperation. This research underscores the importance of integrating accessibility as a core component of digital infrastructure development to ensure mobile applications are truly accessible to all users.