Alibaba developed a silicone screen overlay called Smart Touch to help blind people use their smartphones. Once the overlay is placed on top of a phone screen, its three buttons become shortcuts for common commands such as ‘go back’ or ‘send’. The function of buttons changes depending on the app that is being used, and the buttons also work via touch against the ear, allowing users to listen to to text while continuing to use their phone. The device, developed as part of Alibaba’s Damo Academy research program, costs only RMB 0.25 (USD .36) to make. Smart Touch will roll out in 2019.

Pretty cool, right? But behind this super-cheap phone hack are a couple of epic takeaways for any business.

Inclusivity in action. First, Smart Touch is a great example of a trend we’ve been talking about for a while now; PRACTICAL POST-DEMOGRAPHICS is all about rising expectation of innovations that truly recognise, include and empower traditionally marginalised or overlooked groups. Brand messaging that proves that a woman who had polio can model lingerie or a superhero can be transgender is great (seriously, it is great). But consumers will increasingly expect brands to go beyond only messaging and reimagine their offering around the values of diversity and inclusion. Yep, you know the question that’s coming. When people hear about innovations such as Smart Touch, what changes will they start to expect from you?

Where can I get that? If Smart Touch stopped at making life easier for blind phone users, it would obviously be a highly worthwhile innovation. But here’s the thing: it kinda sounds as though it could be a useful device for anyone in certain contexts. Three easily accessible smart buttons on my phone? That I can use via my ear? Sign me up! As some guy who had something to do with the development of the smartphone once observed, ‘it takes a lot of hard work to make something simple.’ Designing for differently-abled or marginalized groups is the right thing to do. But it can also push designers to take beautiful simplicity and amazing UX to a whole new level. So here’s a potent question to take into 2019: how could a reimagining of your offering around a marginalized group end up improving what you offer to your entire community?