Any apps or services listed on the subscription management section of the App Store are not locatable using VoiceOver

Category
VoiceOver Announcements/Feedback
Severity
Serious

Description

It seems that Apple has recently implemented some server-side updates to its Subscription Management display, which have introduced problems for VoiceOver users. As a result, apps or services listed on the screen are no longer accessible or locatable, rendering management of subscriptions unusable for those who rely on VoiceOver.

This behaviour is present if you access the subscription management screen via the App Store or at Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions

Steps to reproduce

  1. Ensure that VoiceOver is enabled.
  2. Open the App Store.
  3. Navigate to the Today tab.
  4. Double tap with 1-finger on the My Account button.
  5. Double tap with 1-finger on the Subscriptions button.
  6. Perform a 4-finger single tap on the top half of the screen so as to place VoiceOver focus on to the first UI element on this screen.
  7. Flick right with 1-finger repeatedly to move VoiceOver focus through all UI elements on this screen.

You should find that VoiceOver focus skips any apps or services listed on this screen. It is also impossible to locate these by touch.

Note that this same subscription management screen is also located at Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions

Bug First Encountered

iOS/iPadOS 16.3.1

Device(s) bug has been encountered on

iPhone

How often the bug occurs

Always

Workaround

It's been reported that turning on Screen Recognition resolves this issue for some. However, this has not been our experience.

Apple feedback #

FB12017070

Status

Fixed

Fixed In

iOS/iPadOS 16.3.1

Options

Comments

By Igna Triay on Sunday, March 5, 2023 - 23:13

The screen is accessible, however the active subscriptions are the ones voiceover cant read. You only get the active subcriptions heading, however these aren't read when swiping to the right. But this only happens with active subscriptions, which should be indicated in the post. The way it was worded I thought the entire subscription screen was inn-accessible. In the meantime a workaround for this is to access the subscriptions from the settings app and going to your apple ID and then into subscriptions..'

By Cobbler on Sunday, March 5, 2023 - 23:13

This is just an alternative path to the same screen, so you still face the issue.

By KE8UPE on Sunday, March 5, 2023 - 23:13

Hi,
I have an iPhone 13 Pro Max & this issue is also present In the 16.4 beta.
I am running the beta due to a screen flickering issue. Unfortunately, that issue still exists in the beta as well, because I had it this morning.

By Igna Triay on Sunday, March 5, 2023 - 23:13

My bad, I thought the subscriptions screen found in settings was a different one.
Already sent a email to apple accessibility regarding this bug. Hopefully they fix it soon.

By David Goodwin on Sunday, March 5, 2023 - 23:13

Since this screen is generated server-side, the version of iOS on your device won't be a factor. This means that Apple can address the issue outside of an iOS update, so a fix may be available soon.

By Jimmy V on Sunday, March 5, 2023 - 23:13

turn on screen Recognition while on the subscriptions screen. It will become accessable

By Igna Triay on Sunday, March 5, 2023 - 23:13

If you go into subscriptions and enable screen recognition once inside the subscriptions screen, it doesn't work. However if you enable screen recognition before going into the subscriptions screen it'll work. It does work, but enable it before you tap on the subscriptions button.

By David Goodwin on Sunday, March 5, 2023 - 23:13

Great news! I'm glad to report that the subscription management screen is now working as expected for me. It seems that Apple has implemented server-side changes to address the issue.

To anyone else who encountered this problem, it would be helpful to hear whether the issue has been resolved for you as well.

Kudos to Apple for their quick response.

Got to love those bugs which can be resolved without the need of an OS update!

By Jimmy V on Sunday, March 5, 2023 - 23:13

I just tried it now. It works very well, although voiceover focus will get stuck on an item when swiping, requiring to explore by touch. As soon as you touch a random place where one of the subscriptions are, you can than again swipe

By Craig on Sunday, March 5, 2023 - 23:13

it is now working for me. I am having the issue where the cursor gets stuck, but using explore by touch solves the problem. At least I can access my subscriptions again.

By KE8UPE on Sunday, March 5, 2023 - 23:13

Hi,
This issue is fixed on my phone but not my ipad.
The phone is running 16.4 & the ipad is still on 16.3.1.
Should I update it & see if that helps?