Re: Orientation for mobile apps (smartphone vs. tablet)

From the examples  that follow the SC it appears "essential" is sort
of restricted to situations where there is a physical aspect connected
with the use of the app.
"Examples where a particular display orientation may be essential are
a bank check, a piano application, slides for a projector or
television, or virtual reality content where binary display
orientation is not applicable".
No, one cannot switch a device! It has to work in both modes  on a
phone / tablet.
Also see definition:
essential
if removed, would fundamentally change the information or
functionality of the content, and information and functionality cannot
be achieved in another way that would conform
Thanks,
-- 
Sailesh Panchang
Principal Accessibility Consultant
Deque Systems Inc
381 Elden Street, Suite 2000, Herndon, VA 20170
Mobile: 571-344-1765


On 6/4/20, Monica Dinehart <mdinehart@tsys.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I recently conducted testing for a mobile application where the orientation
> is restricted. From my use of the app in testing, I did not see any
> exception that could be made for essential functionality that would require
> such restriction to one orientation.  I wrote this up as an issue citing
> the WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.3.4 Orientation and reported it back to
> the development team.
>
> There has been some back and forth conversation regarding what is
> essential, as well as the development team checking other apps that they
> use personally and seeing that not all apps allow for both orientations.
>
> The development team seems interested in making changes though they seem to
> be looking at this from the perspective of a smartphone vs. tablet. Their
> latest exchange with me is:
>
> *Presume we need to change the app to support landscape mode. What if it
> was already done on tablets (various Android tablets and iPad). Does that
> satisfy the requirement? In other words, the phone would be portrait-mode
> only but if someone wanted it in landscape-mode they could use a tablet -
> same functionality, same everything, just on a tablet. *
>
> My initial response was that based on the W3C's definition of mobile there
> is not a distinction between a smartphone or a tablet that would allow you
> to orient in both landscape and portrait for one but not the other. In my
> mind, this approach actually highlights the fact that there is no essential
> use/function as to why the application cannot accommodate both
> orientations.
>
> I am looking for thoughts on this development team's approach as well as
> suggestions on what has worked for others when taking orientation into
> consideration for mobile applications.
>
> Responses are greatly appreciated!
>
> Thanks,
>
> --
>
> *Monica Dinehart*
>
> *Test Consultant*
>
>
>
> *TSYS *
>
>
>
> +1 706.644.8465 O
>
> mdinehart@tsys.com
>
>
>
> *A Global Payments Company *
>

Received on Tuesday, 9 June 2020 14:35:07 UTC