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Thread: Significance of External keyboard accessibility for Mobile native / hybrid apps

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Number of posts in this thread: 3 (In chronological order)

From: Ramakrishnan Subramanian
Date: Sat, Nov 20 2021 2:35AM
Subject: Significance of External keyboard accessibility for Mobile native / hybrid apps
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Hi,

I am seeing external keyboard testing being conducted widely for the
native/hybrid mobile apps. This commonly triggers issues like focus
indicator and operability issues. Hence wanted to understand the
importance of external keyboard support for the mobile app
accessibility. Considering the fact that most mobile apps are built
keeping only the touch interaction, I am trying to understand the
following so that I can guide the client better.
Who is the User group that get impacted the most with the lack of
external keyboard support for the mobile apps?
Is there any data or stat that indicates How crucial is external
keyboard accessibility for the mobile apps?
Whether lack of focus indicator or keyboard operability can be
considered A critical issue? keeping in mind the primary mode of
interaction is touch for these mobile apps.





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Thanks and Regards
Ramakrishnan

From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Sat, Nov 20 2021 2:40AM
Subject: Re: Significance of External keyboard accessibility for Mobile native / hybrid apps
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On 20/11/2021 09:35, Ramakrishnan Subramanian wrote:

> Who is the User group that get impacted the most with the lack of
> external keyboard support for the mobile apps?

The same group that gets impacted the most with the lack of keyboard
support on desktop/laptop apps where the "primary mode of interaction"
is the mouse.

Noting also that the line of "this is just a touch device" is quite
blurred (has been for many years already), as it's not uncommon for
people to use devices like large smartphones and tablets together with a
keyboard (and sometimes even a mouse) instead of traditional
laptops/desktops, even in their home (so not the classic "out and about
/ mobile" assumption either).

Partially related
https://css-tricks.com/interaction-media-features-and-their-potential-for-incorrect-assumptions/

P
--
Patrick H. Lauke

https://www.splintered.co.uk/ | https://github.com/patrickhlauke
https://flickr.com/photos/redux/ | https://www.deviantart.com/redux
twitter: @patrick_h_lauke | skype: patrick_h_lauke

From: Steve Green
Date: Sat, Nov 20 2021 10:26AM
Subject: Re: Significance of External keyboard accessibility for Mobile native / hybrid apps
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Blind people are rightly concerned that using mobile devices in public leaves them vulnerable to theft, so some of them use small Bluetooth devices like https://rivo.me/en/to control their phone, allowing them to keep both the phone and control device in their pockets.

Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd


-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > On Behalf Of Patrick H. Lauke
Sent: 20 November 2021 09:41
To: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Significance of External keyboard accessibility for Mobile native / hybrid apps

On 20/11/2021 09:35, Ramakrishnan Subramanian wrote:

> Who is the User group that get impacted the most with the lack of
> external keyboard support for the mobile apps?

The same group that gets impacted the most with the lack of keyboard support on desktop/laptop apps where the "primary mode of interaction"
is the mouse.

Noting also that the line of "this is just a touch device" is quite blurred (has been for many years already), as it's not uncommon for people to use devices like large smartphones and tablets together with a keyboard (and sometimes even a mouse) instead of traditional laptops/desktops, even in their home (so not the classic "out and about / mobile" assumption either).

Partially related
https://css-tricks.com/interaction-media-features-and-their-potential-for-incorrect-assumptions/

P
--
Patrick H. Lauke

https://www.splintered.co.uk/ | https://github.com/patrickhlauke https://flickr.com/photos/redux/ | https://www.deviantart.com/redux
twitter: @patrick_h_lauke | skype: patrick_h_lauke