Feature Request: Improve text readability (Dynamic Text & Contrast) for accessibility #233
Description
Checklist
- I checked, but didn't find any duplicates (open OR closed) of this issue in the repo. - [x] This issue contains only one feature request. I will open one issue for every feature I want to request.
What feature do you want?
I would like the app to better support Dynamic Text Sizing and High Contrast themes to improve accessibility for users with visual impairments.
Specifically:
- Text Scaling: Ensure that all text elements (headlines, article body, menus) scale proportionally when the Android System Font Size is set to "Largest" (using
spunits and adaptable layouts). - Contrast: Adjust text colors to meet the WCAG AA standard (minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio) against backgrounds, ensuring readability in various lighting conditions.
Why do you want this feature?
I’m Ana Ferreira, a Master's student in Computer Science conducting research on mobile accessibility.
While analyzing the News app, I noticed that readability is significantly compromised for low-vision users:
- Resize Text (WCAG 1.4.4): Currently, when the font size is maximized in system settings, many text elements in the app do not increase in size (insufficient increase), making articles hard to read.
- Contrast (WCAG 1.4.3): Some text elements have low contrast against their background, causing eye strain.
Implementing these changes would make the app inclusive and compliant with Android accessibility guidelines.
Note on other findings:
During my analysis, I also identified 5 other accessibility improvements (related to Target Size, Gesture Navigation, Duplicate Text, and Content Descriptions).
To respect the "one feature per issue" rule, I haven't listed them in detail here. Would you prefer I open separate issues for each of these technical fixes? Please let me know!