Play Books by Google
- Reading System Play Books
- Vendor Google
- Assistive Technology: TalkBack
- OS: Android
- Tested with Braille: No
- Tested with Screenreader: Yes
- Input type: Touch
Results for Basic Functionality: 66.67%
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 2023.6.12.0.1 Android 12 The app is more suited for using the Read Aloud feature instead of Talkback for reading. Due to the unique design of the app, many features although supported are not useful for the Talkback users. The Talkback reading and navigation is confined to the current page and because of this the app cannot be used for regular continuous reading.
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 device memory |
file-310 | Listing documents | Check if you can navigate inside the bookshelf. | Pass | |
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 | The app provides controls to expand and collapse the chapters in the TOC. The Talkback users can get some information about the hierarchy from this. |
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, the page preview is shown. It is not possible to start Talkback reading from the desired section. |
nav-110 | Navigate content by pages | Check if you can navigate the content by pages. | Fail | |
nav-210 | Navigate forward and backward through reflowed content | Use any control or command to navigate forward and backwards in the book content. | Pass | Reflowed page navigation is available. |
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 | All desired information cannot be obtained without losing 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. | Fail | Reading cannot be started precisely from 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 | With page navigation chapters can be navigated. |
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 added 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 containing the bookmark. |
anno-210 | Add a note | Add a Note at this location in the book. Provide a few lines of text in the Note. | Pass | On double tap and hold a menu pops up. With Talkback add note option can be activated. However, precise text selection is not supported with Talkback. |
anno-310 | Review and navigate Notes | Check if you can review and navigate Notes. | Fail | It is not possible to determine the text on which note was added. |
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 2023.6.12.0.1 Android 12 The app is more suited for using the Read Aloud feature instead of Talkback for reading. Due to the unique design of the app, many features although supported are not useful for the Talkback users. The Talkback reading and navigation is confined to the current page and because of this the app cannot be used for regular continuous 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 | The Talkback reading is limited to the current screen/page. It does not proceed to the next screen/page. |
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 | Talkback reading is limited to current screen only. Hence resume feature is of not much relevance. |
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 | |
reading-310 | Image alternate text reading | Ensure that the alternate text for the image is available. | Pass | |
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 | |
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 cells can be navigated using the default Talkback gesture. Talkback also reads the column headers during navigation. Navigation by orws and columns should also be provided.provide |
reading-710 | Navigate between internal hyperlinks | Check if you can navigate between internal hyperlinks. | Fail | On using the back link, Talkback focus does not land on the correct 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 with different Talkback commands. |
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 navigation with Talkback although supported is confined to the current screen only and hence is not useful. |
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 selection cannot be expanded or contracted with Talkback. |
Results for Extended Descriptions: 0%
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 2023.6.12.0.1 Android 12
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 details element cannot be expanded or collapsed |
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 focus does not go to the desired heading although image description can be read from beginning since it is the only content on the page. The back link takes focus to the top of page where link was activated. |
Results for Mathematics: 25%
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 2023.6.12.0.1 Android 12
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. | Fail | I was able to read the text in the math expression but it did not make sense because you do not hear subscript or the information about being in the numerator or denominator of the fraction. Visual: the math expression is displayed correctly |
mathml-020 | Navigating inline MathML with assistive technology and other technologies | The test checks if inline MathML works with assistive technology and related technologies. | Fail | I was able to read the text in the math expression but it did not make sense because you do not hear subscript or the information about being in the numerator or denominator of the fraction. Visual: the math expression is displayed correctly |
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. | Fail | I was able to hear the alt text. The details were collapsed, I was unable to expand it with Talkback. Visual: the math expression is displayed correctly |
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 | I could read the alt text and navigate word by word and character by character. Visual: the math expression is displayed correctly |