Books by Apple
- Reading System Books
- Vendor Apple
- Assistive Technology: Voiceover
- OS: iOS
- Tested with Braille: No
- Tested with Screenreader: Yes
- Input type: Touch
Results for Extended Descriptions: 0%
Last updated: 20 January 2022
Test book used: Accessibility Tests Extended Descriptions, version 1.1.1 .
Summary
Books 4.2.1 Apple Books Assistive Technology: Voiceover OS: iOS 13.5.1
| 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. | Fail | The description can be expanded by using line/word navigation and tapping on it. However the focus moves to the previous page and description cannot be read immediately. |
| 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 | The main difficulty is that Voiceover does not announce the text to be activated as a link. On tapping it the focus moves to top of target page and the return link also brings focus to the bar chart. |
Results for Basic Functionality: 73.33%
Last updated: 26 March 2025
Test book used: Fundamental Accessibility Tests: Basic Functionality, version 2.0.0 .
These tests were done by Prashant Ranjan Verma.
Summary
IOS version 17.5.1 apple book latest version tested on 26/03/2025 Tested on iPad
| 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 | App was downloaded from app store |
| 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 | account making was accessible. |
| file-210 | Open content | Open the Fundamental Accessibility Test book in the reading system. | Pass | The test files were sideloaded from email attachments |
| file-310 | Access list of available content in the reading system | Check if you can navigate inside the bookshelf. | Pass | Book shelf was navigable with voiceover. |
| 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 | Pass | In the TOC Voiceover announces "Indentation level" as 0 or 1 to indicate the hierarchy of the sections. It will be better when Voiceover will not say indentation level but only heading level. |
| 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 | Voiceover focus is not moving to the sub-section selected in TOC. It seems that when the heading is contained in separate HTML file, the TOC navigation works but not otherwise. When i tried to go to a sub section from TOC the Voiceover focus moves to the menu button. the visual display does not change and required sub section is not displayed. |
| nav-110 | Navigate content by pages | Check if you can navigate the content by pages. | Pass | In Table of Contents view tap to view printed page numbers". Then the search feature can be used to type and go to desired page. |
| nav-210 | Navigate forward and backward through reflowed content | Use any control or command to navigate forward and backwards in the book content. | Pass | Works as expected. |
| 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 cannot be determined without losing the reading position. |
| 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. | Pass | Voiceover focus does not move precisely to the searched item, the reading starts from the top of the screen containing the searched term. |
| nav-510 | Move across chapters without using TOC | Check if you can move across chapters without having to use the Table of Contents. | Pass | The reading stops at the end of the Chapter. Page navigation gesture is required to start reading the 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 | App has a accessible bookmark feature. |
| anno-110 | Review and navigate Bookmarks or Highlights | Check if you can review and navigate Bookmarks or Highlights. | Fail | The screen reader reads the highlighted text, including the color, date, and page number However, when double-tapping on the highlighted text, the page visually changes, but the VoiceOver focus moves to the menu button instead of the text. |
| anno-210 | Add a note | Add a Note at this location in the book. Provide a few lines of text in the Note. | Pass | It is not possible to precisely select text and then bring up the context menu with add note option. However, on double tap and hold on any piece of text, the add note button appears and can be activated. |
| anno-310 | Review and navigate Notes | Check if you can review and navigate Notes. | Fail | If notes have been added, then they can be reviewed and navigated to using the Notes tab in the TOC view with Voiceover. On selecting a note, the Voiceover focus does not move directly to the passage where note has been added, but it is displayed on screen. |
Results for Non-visual Reading: 81.25%
Last updated: 26 March 2025
Test book used: Fundamental Accessibility Tests: Non-Visual Reading, version 2.0.1 .
These tests were done by Prashant Ranjan Verma.
| 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. | Pass | |
| reading-110 | Stop and resume reading at the same reading location | 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 at the same location using the two finger single tap gesture of Voiceover. |
| 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 | working as expected. |
| reading-310 | Image alternate text reading | Ensure that the alternate text for the image is available. | Pass | The Alt text is read out during continuous reading of Voiceover. However, it cannot be navigated using words or characters and the image alt text is not available using navigation gestures. |
| reading-420 | Footnote Reading | This tests the usability and functionality of footnotes. The markup includes the semantics that the reference is to a note,which could be announced to the reader. The destination could be a footnote or an endnote and announced to the reader. The link back to the original position has the semantics that it is a backlink and could also be announced to the reader. | Pass | In the Apple Books app, when clicking on a footnote, a 'Return to note reference' text appears on the screen. However, clicking on it does not seem to work. Instead, there is a 'Dismiss popup' button in the top right corner that functions correctly |
| reading-510 | TTS allows pause for indicating 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 | working as expected. |
| 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 | Fail | Voiceover is not recognizing the table and navigation between cells is not working as desired. |
| reading-710 | Navigate between internal hyperlinks | Check if you can navigate between internal hyperlinks. | Fail | The hyperlinks cannot be accessed using touch exploration, and when tapped, the focus does not move to the 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 | Navigation by lines and headings is working (limited to current page. By default right swipe is reading one paragraph/block. |
| 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 | working as expected. |
| 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 | working as expected. |
| 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 | working as expected. |
| 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 | Even in scroll mode, Voiceover heading navigation does not move to next heading, it remains confined to the 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. | Pass | Selection and copy of text is supported with Voiceover. |
| reading-1410 | MathML Reading | The block and inline math expressions below are in the MathML format. We want to determine that the Assistive Technology (AT) identifies the math and enables the detailed exploration of the math with the chosen AT. | Pass | Voiceover is giving options to navigate inside the equitation in the rotter. it is also reading the alt text of equation. |
| reading-1510 | TTS Change Languages Automatically | Screen readers and other Assistive Technology that use TTS should be able to detect language changes marked in XHTML content. A screen reader should be able to be configured to automatically change the TTS speaking language when it encounters a language change in the XHTML. This test contains English, German, French, and Italian. | Pass | Works as desired. |