A photo of elderly people learning to use their iPhones at what appears to be an Apple store has gone viral.
Comedian Solé shared an image of a group of people sitting around a tall bench as a man stood at the end of it pointing to a screen and appearing to explain something to the group.
“Nah apple dead got a class on how to use ya iPhone for old people,” Solé captioned the tweet alongside a series of crying-face emojis to signify it was a cute thing to see.
Matt Cardy/Getty Images Europe
The photo obviously resonated because it has almost 22 million views and 304,000 likes at time of writing.
People replied to the tweet saying they loved the idea and shared stories of relatives they knew that had gone through a similar course.
“My granddad did this a couple times. He knew EVERYTHING about that phone. He was a jazz musician, born in the 20s, played with the greats, and before he died, he was using Skype to play drums with his former bandmate in europe. Jamming across continents in his living room,” wrote one Twitter user.
Another added: “I need this class.”
And a third wrote: “That’s so cute! LOW KEY THATS GONNA BE ALL OF US with something one day.”
Apple does run 60-minute “Getting Started with iPhone” courses in its stores, according to its website.
It described the course as featuring to “learn how to navigate your device and customize your settings, and we’ll take you through the latest apps and features. Recommended for those new to iPhone. For sessions with amplified sound, hearing loop technology is available on request.”
The company also offers online and free personal-support sessions to “help you get the most out of your new device. Tailor your session around what you want to explore and get answers to any questions you may have.”
The Apple courses can be a necessity for senior citizens who wish to remain ,
According to findings from the Pew Research Center, 13 percent of people in the over-65 age group owned a smartphone in 2013. By 2021, 61 percent of survey respondents said they owned a smartphone.
But while screen time and smartphone usage was up for senior citizens, there was still a long way to go for them to be caught up with the intricacies of the new technology.
Research in 2021 by the AARP—an interest group dedicated to people aged over 50—found that older people were falling behind in terms of access when it comes to digital skills for banking, travel and even medical needs.
The AARP found three in four people over 50 relied on technology to stay connected, but also that 42 percent did not believe technology was designed for all ages.
“That’s a big number and a big problem,” Michael Phillips, AARP’s director for technology strategy and partnerships, told Axios. “If people don’t trust the technology, they’re not going to use the technology, even if it will help them live a little bit healthier life.”
