iOS VoiceControl does not focus on text input saying "tap [accessible name]" if label hidden #70
Description
Problem
Issue first seen https://github.com/hmrc/accessibility-audits-external/issues/1539
Quick tests carried out in June 2022 with Mac VoiceControl, Dragon and Android VoiceAccess - successfully focused on text input even when label was visually hidden - example page used to test https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/forms/labels/#hiding-label-text
Note, show numbers work with iOS VoiceControl so this would not be classed as inaccessible.
Comments from Adam:
So, I’d want to put together a test-case to compare the two side-by-side.
But from that page it looks like when the label is hidden the name exposed to VC becomes “text”, whereas when the label is visible the name becomes the label’s.
You can see this by saying “Show names” in iOS.
So when the label is hidden, saying “tap text” selects the input.
...
I often use “tap text” when testing with VC and you can see it in UR videos of people using speech recognition in real-world tests too.
Comments from Shabana:
Investigating a few things with Voice Control on iOS and have noticed:
- “text” is assigned to all text inputs so saying “tap text” where there are multiple, e.g. https://design-system.service.gov.uk/components/date-input/default/index.html it displays numbers against them to make your selection. You can use the label also.
- Checkboxes as assigned the “button” name so saying “tap button” where there are multiple it displays number against them. You can use the label also.
- Nothing for radios or buttons
So iOS Voice Control seems to have these extra commands but a “bug” not supporting when label is hidden.
Solution
Outcome of this investigation is whether:
- need to report this iOS support
- when providing guidance, do not recommend visually-hiding label