On Android, these gestures have been mostly limited to using just one finger, which severely limits the number of motions that can be made to execute commands. This is an example of a gesture, and the foundation for commands on VoiceOver or TalkBack.

Typically, tapping twice on the screen is what actually opens or interacts with the spoken item. When a screen reader user taps on the screen, the text under their finger is spoken, but nothing is activated or opened. First, a Bit of HistoryĪs most readers likely know, smartphone users who turn on a screen reader often interact with their devices using gestures. Below we'll talk about what's new and who can take advantage of these features.

Version 9.1, released in late February, is a major step toward closing this inequity, with the highlight being support for multi-finger gestures, those commands that can be activated using two, three or four fingers. And while Android has a devoted fan base of screen-reader users, including the writer of this post, some major features have been missing from TalkBack, especially when compared to VoiceOver on the iPhone. TalkBack has been Google's built-in screen reader since nearly the beginning of Android, and is available on any Android phone purchased today.

Accessibility screen reader for android