Improve TalkBack for episode list

[keunes]

Checklist

• I have used the search function for OPEN issues to see if someone else has already submitted the same feature request.
• I have also used the search function for CLOSED issues to see if the feature was already implemented and is just waiting to be released, or if the feature was rejected.
• I will describe the problem with as much detail as possible.
• This request contains only one single feature, not a list of multiple (related) features.

App version

3.3.2

Where did you get the app from

Google Play

Problem you may be having, or feature you want

Navigating an episode list (e.g. when in a Podcast view) is a bit of a pain and should be improved to make it easier for visually impaired users.

Suggested solution

To be implemented for sure

• When selecting an episode in multi-select, the focus on the episode is lost. Focus should be kept on the active episode.
• When an episode has focus in multi-select, TalkBack says "double tap to activate". To make clearer what 'activate' means here, we should implement a custom TalkBack notice "double tap to select episode"
  https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/accessibility/principles#understandable-actions
• When touch-navigating around the screen, the miniplayer is hardly distinguishable from any episode, because for both cases the episode title is announced. The miniplayer should be announced as such.
• When opening the side bar menu, focus is put on Settings. Focus should be on the first item in the side menu.

To be discussed / checked further

• The download/play button gets focus each time after the episode gets focus. This means that moving the the list items with simple swipes is slower/more annoying than needed. Instead, the button should be grouped together with the main item, and only be an accessible action instead.
  • Group in container https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/accessibility/principles#content-groups
  • Accessibility action https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/accessibility/principles#accessible-actions
• When swipe-navigating in the list, you do jump to previous/next episodes when aren't on-screen. However, the visible view doesn't go along (the 'active' episode is off-screen). Apparently to visually scroll along, which would be preferable.

A further review is probably desirable. (E.g. I didn't test of swipe actions are declared as custom accessible actions, nor whether episode titles are still announced when in multi-select mode).

Screenshots / Drawings / Technical details

https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/ui/accessibility/principles
https://medium.com/microsoft-mobile-engineering/android-accessibility-resolving-common-talkback-issues-3c45076bcdf6

[antennapod-bot]

This issue has been mentioned on AntennaPod Forum. There might be relevant details there:

https://forum.antennapod.org/t/mark-all-newer-older-episodes-as-played-after-selected-one/4236/13