Note: This article is a preprint version. A revised and extended version will be submitted to an academic conference/journal.
Digital transformation has accelerated globally, with mobile applications becoming the primary interface for financial transactions and government services. However, this shift introduces a critical issue: users with older smartphones are increasingly unable to access essential services due to application incompatibility.
While devices remain physically functional, they are rendered obsolete by software constraints. This creates a paradox where digital systems designed to improve accessibility instead produce systemic exclusion.
Mobile applications depend heavily on operating system versions. As development frameworks evolve, older APIs are deprecated, resulting in reduced backward compatibility and increased minimum system requirements.
Modern applications must comply with strict security standards such as updated encryption protocols, secure key storage, and biometric authentication. Older devices often lack these capabilities, making them unsuitable for secure transactions.
Maintaining backward compatibility increases development complexity and security risks. As a result, developers prioritize maintainability and security over inclusivity, externalizing the social cost to end users.
Governments increasingly deploy digital-first services, often without providing adequate alternatives. This leads to exclusion for users who cannot access modern applications.
Replacing smartphones imposes a financial burden on low-income users. This creates a regressive effect where disadvantaged groups must spend disproportionately more to maintain access.
A reinforcing cycle emerges: limited income leads to outdated devices, which results in reduced access to services, further limiting economic opportunities.
AIDE is defined as a systemic condition in which software evolution renders functional hardware incapable of accessing essential services, thereby excluding users from socio-economic participation.
The key tension lies between security and accessibility. Current systems prioritize security and efficiency, often at the cost of inclusivity. Without corrective mechanisms, digital transformation may deepen inequality.
Application incompatibility is not merely a technical limitation but a systemic socio-technical issue. Ensuring equitable access must become a core design principle in future digital systems.