When composing an email, including replying to an email, VoiceOver focus does not behave as expected on the email body field.
Instead of speaking the full content of the filed, and allowing you to double tap to send the cursor to the start or end, it speaks a seemingly random line of text from what you’ve typed, and cursor movement does not work.
With VoiceOver enabled, open Mail and compose a new email or reply to an email received. Activate the email body text field and type some sentences, including a few lines and new paragraphs. Now try to use standard VoiceOver navigation, both explore and swiping, to move around the various elements and fields, i.e. the To field, the Add Cc/Bcc option, the Subject field and the email body. Historically, when focus lands on the email body field, VoiceOver will read the text from the top. You could also double-tap to move the cursor to the start or end of the text field.
Now however, when you focus on the field, VoiceOver speaks a seemingly random portion of the text you typed. Several swipes back and forth, moving focus off and back on to the email body, still fails to focus the full email body. In addition, the double-tap often fails to move the cursor to the start or end, instead offering options like paste. This issue is making email composition very challenging.
No clear work around. Simply trying to change the focus multiple times will usually work in the end.
Comments
Mail application has more bugs
Actually I am not sure if I am the only one facing the challenge, I have reported it to apple and there is an ongoing investigation. The last solution I got was wait for an update. I am now on IOS 17.5 and the issue is not solved.
1. Using rotor when any mail is opened and you are selecting text and using rotor when you go to the edit option, choose share, the mail application just closes instead of bringing up the share sheet. Same behaviour noted on Safari
2. In the to field when composing mail, earlier VO used to give alternate mail addresses for the contact, now you need to select the first matching result and then go to the contact button added and swipe up to show alternate addresses and then select the one you want. I mean seriously, some of us don't really have the time and patience to deal with such situations. Why break something that was working fine. When I come to the appleviz community I get battered for my attitude towards this observation.
Anyhow, I have limitations with time and it is a really huge effort for me to track and manage multiple issues which I report when I have the time
17.5.1
17.5.1 is live. Not sure if it affects this bug at all, but worth a try. 🙂