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Play Books   by Google 

  • Reading System Play Books  
  • Vendor Google
  • Assistive Technology: Voiceover 
  • OS: iOS 
  • Tested with Braille: No
  • Tested with Screenreader: Yes
  • Input type: Touch

Results for Basic Functionality: 60%

Last updated: 19 July 2023

Test book used: Fundamental Accessibility Tests: Basic Functionality, version 1.0.0

These tests were done by Prashant Ranjan Verma.

Summary

Play Books 6.4.0 (20230612208) iOS 16.5.1 Reading with Voiceover is limited to one screen after which the page needs to be changed manually.

Test results for Basic Functionality
Test ID Name Description Result Notes
file-010 Operating system/Platform accessibility If you are using a hardware device, it can be started independently and essential accessibility for starting and exiting applications is available. Pass
file-110 The reading system can be activated independently If you are using a reading app that requires you to create an online account then the complete getting started process should be accessible. Pass
file-210 Open content Open the Fundamental Accessibility Test book in the reading system. Pass The test book was uploaded to Play Books from email attachment.
file-310 Listing documents Check if you can navigate inside the bookshelf. Pass Works as expected.
nav-005 The table of contents in the app presents the content hierarchy Check if the table of Contents is accessible and its hierarchy is presented correctly by the reading system Fail The TOC hierarchy is not reported by Voiceover. All the sections and sub-sections are read similarly.
nav-010 Navigate to chapters through the Table of Contents Check if you can navigate to a section by using the table of contents. Fail After selecting a TOC item, Voiceover focus does not move to the desired location. Voiceover reading cannot be started from anywhere near the selected section.
nav-110 Navigate content by pages Check if you can navigate the content by pages. Fail Print page navigation is not supported.
nav-210 Navigate forward and backward through reflowed content Use any control or command to navigate forward and backwards in the book content. Pass Horizontal swiping with three fingers can be used to navigate by reflowed pages.
nav-310 Read navigation information Use the "Where am I?" or any other similar command available in the reading system and check if you can get information about your current position in the book. Fail Current section name and page number cannot be determined accurately.
nav-410 Perform a search, review the search results Perform a search, review the search results and navigate to the selected search result in the content. Fail After selecting a search result, Voiceover reads the destination page from top and not from the passage containing the searched text.
nav-510 Move across chapters without using TOC Check if you can move across chapters without having to use the Table of Contents. Pass With page navigation it is possible to move to next chapter.
anno-010 Add a Bookmark or Highlight Some reading systems may have a Highlight feature in place of Bookmarks. The tests for Bookmarks may then be performed with Highlights. Pass Bookmark can be placed at current screen/page level.
anno-110 Review and navigate Bookmarks or Highlights Check if you can review and navigate Bookmarks or Highlights. Pass It is possible to navigate to the screen/page where the bookmark was placed.
anno-210 Add a note Add a Note at this location in the book. Provide a few lines of text in the Note. Pass Precise text selection is not working with Voiceover. However, notes can be added after double tap and hold on any word.
anno-310 Review and navigate Notes Check if you can review and navigate Notes. Fail The notes list is accessible. After selecting a note in the list, its location in the text cannot be determined as all text is read similarly.

Results for Non-visual Reading: 71.43%

Last updated: 19 July 2023

Test book used: Fundamental Accessibility Tests: Non-Visual Reading, version 1.0.0

These tests were done by Prashant Ranjan Verma.

Summary

Play Books 6.4.0 (20230612208) iOS 16.5.1 Apart from the limitation of reading only one screen at a time, Voiceover works reasonably well.

Test results for Non-visual Reading
Test ID Name Description Result Notes
reading-010 Initiate "read from here" Focus on the beginning of a paragraph or a sentence and initiate reading. Reading should continue until interrupted by the user or at the end of the current document, e.g. current chapter. The text being read should preferably remain in view, but this is not a requirement to pass the test. Fail Voiceover reading is limited to the current screen.
reading-110 Stop and resume reading Initiate reading from any point in the book. Stop reading and note the last read position. Initiate reading again and check if reading starts at the last read location. Pass Reading can be stopped and started using the two finger single tap gesture. However, as the Voiceover reading is confined to the visible screen, this feature is not much useful.
reading-210 All text should be read in the proper order Sample text has been provided to test the reading order. The Paragraph 2 should be read after Paragraph 1. Note that visually Paragraph 2 is placed to the left of Paragraph 1 but it is second in the reading order. Pass Works as expected.
reading-310 Image alternate text reading Ensure that the alternate text for the image is available. Pass Alt text is read.
reading-410 Change reading speed It should be possible to adjust (increase/decrease) the speed of reading. This test should be performed using the Assistive Technology being used for accessibility evaluation. Pass Voiceover settings can be adjusted.
reading-510 TTS allows pause for headings, paragraphs, list items, etc The user should be able to identify the difference between content items such as headings, paragraphs or list items by sufficient pauses in the TTS reading or appropriate formatting in the Braille device. Pass
reading-610 Navigate between the cells, rows and columns in the table Check if you can navigate between the rows and columns of the table Pass Table is identified and read properly by Voiceover.
reading-710 Navigate between internal hyperlinks Check if you can navigate between internal hyperlinks. Fail Hyperlink can be selected and activated. However, Voiceover does not read from desired location.
reading-810 Move to the next block item Check if you can move to the next available page element e.g. paragraph, image or table by using a common key/gesture like swipe right, down arrow etc. Pass Text can be navigated by blocks of text, list etc.
reading-910 Navigate by characters Check if it is possible to navigate to next and previous character in the book text by way of any command or gesture. Pass
reading-1010 Navigate by words Check if it is possible to navigate to next and previous word in the book text by way of any command or gesture. Pass
reading-1110 Navigate by lines Check if it is possible to navigate to next and previous line in the book text by way of any command or gesture. Pass
reading-1210 Navigate the content by headings Check if you can move to the next and previous headings in this book without using the Table of Contents. Fail Heading is identified but navigation is limited to current screen.
reading-1310 Select and copy text Reading systems should provide the ability to copy pieces of text that could be used for notes, in quotations, or to facilitate searching terms contained in the book. In some cases, this could be achieved using an AT such as a screen reader, for instance with a dedicated cursor or other procedures. Fail Text cannot be selected precisely with Voiceover.

Results for Extended Descriptions: 50%

Last updated: 19 July 2023

Test book used: Accessibility Tests Extended Descriptions, version 1.1.1

These tests were done by Prashant Ranjan Verma.

Summary

Play Books 6.4.0 (20230612208) iOS 16.5.1 the details element technique for image description is working. The internal hyperlink navigation is not working.

Test results for Extended Descriptions
Test ID Name Description Result Notes
extdescription-010 Detection and Utilization of HTML Details and Summary elements Check if you can use HTML details and summary successfully and read the extended description contained in it. Pass The table in description is also recognized. Voiceover focus moves away from book content when the details element is expanded or collapsed. One needs to tap on screen again to bring the focus to book text.
extdescription-020 Technique for linking to a single extended description placed in a separate HTML file via text hyperlinks Check if activating the hyperlink placed under the image takes you to a separate HTML file with extended descriptions, and the back link there brings you back to the image. Fail On using the back link the Voiceover reading cannot be started from correct position even though it is visible on screen.

Results for Mathematics: 100%

Last updated: 19 July 2023

Test book used: Accessibility Tests Mathematics, version 1.1.1

These tests were done by Prashant Ranjan Verma.

Summary

Play Books 6.4.0 (20230612208) iOS 16.5.1 There is good support for Math reading and navigation. The Voiceover focus issue and reading limitation of one page at a time needs to be sorted out.

Test results for Mathematics
Test ID Name Description Result Notes
mathml-010 Navigating block MathML with assistive technology and other technologies The test checks if block MathML works with assistive technology and related technologies. Pass The MathML is read and it can be tapped to open fine navigation in a new window. However, the image alt text is also read by Voiceover.
mathml-020 Navigating inline MathML with assistive technology and other technologies The test checks if inline MathML works with assistive technology and related technologies. Pass The MathML is read and it can be tapped to open fine navigation in a new window. However, the image alt text is also read by Voiceover.
math-image-030 Navigating Block Math images followed by Summary/Details with MathML The test checks if block MathML works with assistive technology and related technologies in a HTML Summary/Details as an option to get at the native MathML. Pass Works as expected. The only issue is that on activating the details element Voiceover focus moves to the navigation controls of the app and then Voiceover focus needs to be manually taken to the description.
math-image-040 Navigating Inline Math images followed by commented out MathML This test shows an inline math expression as an image with only alt-text describing the math equation. This is not ideal but if a publisher can not use raw mathML directly this is an option for reprocessing in the future. Pass Works as expected.