Re: WCAG2Mobile Text-spacing

Hi Alastair, Gundula,

Thanks for raising this issue.

For this SC we might need to make a distinction between hybrid apps and
native apps; or replace *mobile platform *with something else.
The intent is that a mobile application is exempt, if there is no support
for text spacing properties.
E.g. for native apps, there are no text styling properties available in
Android and iOS.
But for a hybrid app, or mobile web app, there might be styling properties
available in the host app, e.g. Safari, Chrome, etc. for mobile web app, or
the Native App in case of a hybrid app. In that case, I agree that the SC
should not be exempt.

We will need to update our wording to reflect these situations.

It might be addressed when we define *mobile platform* in our key terms,
e.g. it refers to the operating system such as Android or iOS.

But that might still confuse readers, because a Web browser also runs on a
mobile platform.

We might need to add a second note to clarify that mobile applications are
not exempt if text style properties are available.

Anyways, given that there is now an issue on Github, it will be addressed
in one of the next draft publications.


Op ma 24 mrt 2025 om 18:09 schreef Alastair Campbell <acampbell@nomensa.com
>:

> Hi Gundula,
>
>
>
> I’m afraid you just missed the deadline on this CFC.
>
>
>
> I recommend opening an issue on this in the MATF repo, in fact, I’ve done
> that quickly here:
>
> https://github.com/w3c/matf/issues/104
>
>
>
> Overall, this is the first (public) publication of the draft note, and
> this is a very specific issue within one criterion, so I don’t think it
> should block the publication. It’s an issue that can be tracked for the
> next publication.
>
>
>
> Kind regards,
>
>
>
> -Alastair
>
>
>
>
>
> *From: *Niemann, Gundula <gundula.niemann@sap.com>
> *Date: *Monday, 24 March 2025 at 16:57
> *To: *Alastair Campbell <acampbell@nomensa.com>, WCAG list (
> w3c-wai-gl@w3.org) <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>
> *Subject: *RE: CFC - Guidance on Applying WCAG 2.2 to Mobile Applications
> (WCAG2Mobile)
>
> -1
>
>
>
> Reason:
>
> *Success Criterion 1.4.12 Text Spacing*
>
> Says: “This applies directly as written”
>
> It was explicitly stated in the abstract that the guidance also applies to
> hybrid application, more precisely it says: “including but not limited to
> native mobile apps, mobile web apps and hybrid apps using web components
> inside native mobile apps. “
>
>
>
> In hybrid applications, this leads to an inconsistent user experience.
>
> Therefore, hybrid applications should be excluded.
>
>
>
> The note “If a mobile platform does not include a way for users to
> override text style properties, this success criterion is not applicable.”
> basically says the SC is applicable to none of the three app technologies
> (Web on mobile, native, hybrid), which doesn’t make sense and thus opens
> room for a variety of interpretations, as neither Android nor iOS provide
> this possibility.
>
> This should be clarified before publication.
>
> (Note neither Windows nor Mac offer such a setting, yet still the success
> criterion is applicable for web applications running on these platorms.)
>
>
>
> Best regards,
>
> Gundula
>
> ----------
>
> Dr. Gundula Niemann
>
> SAP PE UX Accessibility
>
> SAP SE
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Alastair Campbell <acampbell@nomensa.com>
> *Sent:* Monday, 17 March 2025 16:38
> *To:* WCAG list (w3c-wai-gl@w3.org) <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>
> *Subject:* CFC - Guidance on Applying WCAG 2.2 to Mobile Applications
> (WCAG2Mobile)
> *Importance:* High
>
>
>
> Call For Consensus — ends Monday March 24th at Mid-day Boston time.
>
>
>
> The Mobile Accessibility Task Force would like to publish the *First
> Public* Working Draft of “Guidance on Applying WCAG 2.2 to Mobile
> (WCAG2Mobile)”
>
> https://w3c.github.io/matf/
>
>
>
> Call minutes: https://www.w3.org/2024/12/10-ag-minutes.html#851d
>
> (There was also a pre-CFC:
> https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-gl/2025JanMar/0060.html )
>
>
>
> Since the pre-CFC the only change has been to adjust the name of the
> document (adding “applications”).
>
>
>
> If you have concerns about this proposed consensus position that have not
> been discussed already and feel that those concerns result in you not being
> able to accept this decision, please let the group know before the CfC
> deadline.
>
>
>
> Kind regards,
>
>
>
> -Alastair
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
> alastairc.uk / www.nomensa.com
>
>
>
>
>


-- 
Met vriendelijke groet / Kind regards
Jan Jaap de Groot
MSc. Human Computer Interaction
<https://abra.ai>
Abra makes apps accessible
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