Bug 231724 - AX: VoiceOver doesn't announce aria-activedescendant value for select-only combobox specification
Summary: AX: VoiceOver doesn't announce aria-activedescendant value for select-only co...
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: WebKit
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Accessibility (show other bugs)
Version: Safari 15
Hardware: Mac (Intel) macOS 10.15
: P2 Normal
Assignee: Nobody
URL:
Keywords: InRadar
Depends on: 271287
Blocks:
  Show dependency treegraph
 
Reported: 2021-10-14 00:06 PDT by Nabeel K
Modified: 2024-07-21 22:46 PDT (History)
9 users (show)

See Also:


Attachments

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
Description Nabeel K 2021-10-14 00:06:42 PDT
Safari(Version 15.0 (15612.1.29.41.4, 15612)) + VoiceOver doesn't support select-only combobox specification
https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices-1.2/#combobox

Steps to reproduce:

1. Start VoiceOver and open https://w3c.github.io/aria-practices/examples/combobox/combobox-select-only.html

2. Navigating to the combobox input, VO announces shortcut to open the listbox (VO key + space).

3. Notice that this combination doesn't work, but simply pressing space works

4. Try to navigate through the available options, VoiceOver doesn't announce anything


Expected Result:
Will be able to open the listbox using VoiceOver announced key combination(VO key + space) and VoiceOver reads the current aria-activedescendant option

Actual Result:
Unable to open the listbox using VoiceOver announced key combination(VO key + space) and VO doesn't read the current aria-activedescendant option

Notes:
Tested on other browsers and is working properly with Firefox (92.0) and Chrome (94.0) when used with VoiceOver in Mac (10.15)
Comment 1 Radar WebKit Bug Importer 2021-10-14 00:06:57 PDT
<rdar://problem/84236132>
Comment 2 Aron Janecki 2022-03-03 09:26:20 PST
Point number 2 and 3 are related to Bug 236881 (something is happening when aria-expanded is added to an element with role="comobox").

As for point 4- using arrow keys to navigate through options does not work because aria-controls is not appropriatelyimplemented. In the previous iterations (https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-practices-1.1/examples/combobox/aria1.0pattern/combobox-autocomplete-list.html) all works fine because the listbox is associated through aria-owns on the combobox. 

The 1.2 pattern requires that aria-activedescendant works through the use of aria-controls, see the following from the ARIA spec about comboboxes:

"... one common convention is that Down Arrow moves focus from the input to the first focusable descendant of the popup element. If the popup element supports aria-activedescendant, in lieu of moving focus, such keyboard mechanisms can control the value of aria-activedescendant on the combobox element. When a descendant of the popup element is active, authors MAY set aria-activedescendant on the combobox to a value that refers to the active element within the popup while focus remains on the combobox element."

So, Chrome and Firefox have implemented the support for aria-activedescendant when using aria-controls.

I think the whole thing is quite confusing because the definition of aria-activedescendant does not mention anything about aria-controls.

Anyway, please, please, please implement this as soon as possible as none of the 1.2 patterns work in safari- the only way to do it at the moment is by adding aria-owns which caused issues in the past for touch screen devices.
Comment 3 Aron Janecki 2022-03-03 09:43:48 PST
Scratch my comment about the confusing thing, just checked and point two of the definition of aria-activedescendant is clear:

"The element with DOM focus is a combobox, textbox or searchbox with aria-controls referring to an element that supports aria-activedescendant, and the value of aria-activedescendant refers to an owned element of the controlled element. For example, in a combobox, focus may remain on the combobox while the value of aria-activedescendant on the combobox element refers to a descendant of a popup listbox that is controlled by the combobox."

https://www.w3.org/TR/wai-aria-1.2/#aria-activedescendant

So, please implement.
Comment 4 Giacomo Petri 2022-12-07 01:15:31 PST
Still not working.

Using Safari + VO users are still not able to perceive the available options.
Comment 6 pweil 2023-05-30 06:04:04 PDT
What is the status of this, please? The problem still exists with Safari 16.5 and MacOS 12.6.6. Virtually all of the APG 1.2 Combobox patterns rely on aria-activedescendant for reading out the current option.Please assign this to someone and implement the specs ASAP.
Comment 7 awhite 2023-09-05 12:25:51 PDT
Hello, what is the status of this ticket? This issue prevents MAC users from utilizing our community portal. Thank you.
Comment 8 Joe Watkins 2024-07-08 16:23:38 PDT
Still an issue in 2024. MacOS 14.4.1 / Safari 17.4
Comment 9 Kiya 2024-07-21 22:38:25 PDT
This is still an issue with Safari Version 17.5, MacOS: Sonoma Version 14.5

Still reproducible at https://www.w3.org/WAI/ARIA/apg/patterns/combobox/examples/combobox-select-only/ VoiceOver does not read the options in the listbox.
It works in other browsers (Chrome, Firefox).

Likely this is very related to Bug 209076. As Nick Williams said there; The criteria for a fix should be "all ARIA APG combobox/listbox examples work as expected/intended".

A fix for this would be really impactful for my company's design system and customers. Please!