The WordPress for iOSiOS The operating system used on iPhones and iPads. 7.3 betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. will be available for testing on TestFlight soon. Not part of the beta program yet? Please sign up for our TestFlight program to join as a beta tester.

What to Test

1. Publicize Improvements

If you tried the Publicize feature that came out in version 7.1 you’ll want to take a look at these improvements:

• Fix a broken publicize connection from the editor’s post options.
• Switch back to the default publicize message (post title & URLURL A specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org) by deleting the custom message.
• Tap the whole line (not just the toggle) to toggle a connection on or off.

To test:

1. In your site’s Sharing section, connect to at least one sharing service.
2. Bonus: Break the publicize connection (for example, by deactivating the social media account you connected — you might want to use a test social media account for this!).
3. Create a new post.
4. Open the post options.
5. If you broke your publicize connection in step 2, tap the error symbol to fix the connection.
6. Set a custom publicize message.
7. Remove the custom publicize message.
8. Tap anywhere on an individual sharing connection to enable/disable it.
9. Publish the post and confirm the default publicize message (your post’s title and URL) was used.

Feedback:

• Did the three improvements work as expected? Please report anything that didn’t work or other parts of the Publicize feature that you still have trouble with.
• Flow Challenge: Were you able to fix a broken publicize connection and return to your task smoothly? What happens if you change your mind in the middle of the process? Please report any point where you get stuck or can’t find your way back to the post you’re working on.

(Related GithubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner. https://github.com/ pull requests: Reconnect a broken connection, Switch back to default message, Toggle behavior.)

2. Recent Sites

You can now find your most recently used sites at the top of your site list (under My Sites > Switch Site), if you have more than 11 sites in the app.

Feedback:

• If you have 11 sites or fewer, does the recent sites section appear? (It shouldn’t appear unless you have more than 11 sites.)
• If you have more than 11 sites, do your recent sites appear in the order you most recently used them in the app?

(Related Github pull request.)

3. WordPress.comWordPress.com An online implementation of WordPress code that lets you immediately access a new WordPress environment to publish your content. WordPress.com is a private company owned by Automattic that hosts the largest multisite in the world. This is arguably the best place to start blogging if you have never touched WordPress before. https://wordpress.com/ Site Icons in My Sites

Site icons for public WordPress.com sites will now appear in the site list and the site details on the My Sites tab. (Previously, only a site icon placeholder appeared there.)

To test:

1. Add a site icon to a WordPress.com site (from the site’s general settings or customizer).
2. In the app, open the My Sites tab.
   1. Check your site list and confirm the site icon appears next to the site in the list.
   2. Open the site details and confirm the site icon appears next to the site title/URL at the top of the screen.

Feedback:

• Please report any issues with the site icon not appearing next to a public WordPress.com site, either in the site list or on the site’s details (dashboard) screen.
• Bonus: Try removing the site icon as well as adding it, and confirm the app updates the site icon in both cases.

(Related Github pull request.)

4. Sharing to WhatsApp and Telegram

You can now share posts to WhatsApp and Telegram, using the sharing buttons on the post:

1. Install and set up WhatsApp and Telegram on your device.
2. Open the Reader in the WordPress app.
3. Find a post that has the WhatsApp and/or Telegram sharing buttons enabled.
4. Tap on “Visit” under the post in the Reader list view.
5. Scroll down to the sharing buttons under the post.
6. Tap on the WhatsApp and/or Telegram buttons to share the post.

Feedback:

• Please report any errors or unexpected results when you share the post to WhatsApp or Telegram.
• Testing Challenge: Can you find the other ways to share a post from the Reader? Test those out and confirm sharing works as expected in each place.

(Related Github pull request.)

Bugs & Feedback

Did you find a bug or come up with a feature request while testing? You can discuss it here, report it using the TestFlight feedback link, or head straight to the iOS Github repository and open a new issue.

Thanks for testing!

#beta, #ios, #needs-testing, #wpios

The WordPress for iOSiOS The operating system used on iPhones and iPads. 7.1 betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. will be available for testing on TestFlight soon. Not part of the beta program yet? Please sign up for our TestFlight program to join as a beta tester.

What to Test

1. Publicize (Sharing) Support for Posts

You can now manage your sharing connections for individual posts, to control where each post is shared when you publish it. Try it out:

1. In your site’s Sharing section, connect to at least one sharing service.
2. Create a new post.
3. Open the post options.
4. Set a custom publicize message.
5. Enable/disable individual sharing connections.
6. Publish the post.

Voilà! Your post will be publicized to the selected social media accounts, using your custom message.

Feedback:

• Things to check: Did all of your connected accounts appear in the post options? Did your custom message show up on the publicized post? Was the post publicized to your selected connections (and only the ones you selected)?
• Flow Challenge: Did the publicize settings make sense in the sequence of steps you took to create your post? Did you ever have to disrupt your publishing process to manage those settings, or did you experience any confusion or frustration along the way?

(Related GithubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner. https://github.com/ pull request.)

2. Noto Font Update

The Merriweather font has been replaced with the Noto font in the app, to provide better support for non-Latin scripts.

Here’s how it looked before, with Merriweather:

And after, with Noto:

Feedback:

• Please use the app in your language of choice. Let us know if you notice any overall issues with the font, or specific issues in your language (such as characters not appearing or displaying incorrectly).

(Related Github pull request.)

3. iPad Layout for Notifications

Notifications now have a splitview (sidebarSidebar A sidebar in WordPress is referred to a widget-ready area used by WordPress themes to display information that is not a part of the main content. It is not always a vertical column on the side. It can be a horizontal rectangle below or above the content area, footer, header, or any where in the theme.) layout on iPads, similar to the rest of the app. iPhone users should not see any difference in the Notifications layout.

Feedback:

• Please navigate through your Notifications, interact with them, and report any quirks or bugs in the new layout or behavior.
• Testing Challenge: Try to catch the Notifications with unexpected layout behavior, especially while rotating the device or multitasking on your iPad.
• Flow Challenge: Does the new sidebar make the best use of your iPad’s screen? Are there actions in the Notifications that don’t use the layout as expected, or places where you now get stuck?

(Related Github pull request.)

Bugs & Feedback

Did you find a bug or come up with a feature request while testing? You can discuss it here, report it using the TestFlight feedback link, or head straight to the iOS Github repository and open a new issue.

Thanks for testing!

#beta, #ios, #needs-testing, #wpios

The WordPress for iOSiOS The operating system used on iPhones and iPads. 7.0 betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. will be available for testing on TestFlight soon. Not part of the beta program yet? Please sign up for our TestFlight program to request to join as a beta tester.

What to Test

1. Navigation Arrows for Notifications

You can use arrows (in the top right corner) to navigate through your in-app notifications without returning to the notifications list. (This is designed to match how you can navigate through your notifications on the web.)

Feedback:

• Check your notifications in the app. Use the arrows to navigate to older or newer notifications. Do the arrows work? Are they disabled when you reach the end of your notifications?
• Flow Challenge: How do the arrows feel for navigating through your notifications? Were you surprised or confused by anything? Did the navigation feel natural and expected?

(Related GithubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner. https://github.com/ pull request.)

2. Add Excerpts to Post Editor

You can now add and edit post excerpts directly from the app:

1. Create a new post.
2. Open the post options.
3. Scroll down to the excerpts (bottom of the options screen).
4. Tap and enter an excerptExcerpt An excerpt is the description of the blog post or page that will by default show on the blog archive page, in search results (SERPs), and on social media. With an SEO plugin, the excerpt may also be in that plugin’s metabox..
5. View the post and confirm the excerpt is being used (e.g. in the Reader list view, in subscribers’ email notifications, or on your site if your theme uses excerpts).

Feedback:

• Try adding excerpts to new posts, editing excerpts on existing posts, and creating/editing posts without excerpts.
• Testing Challenge: Compare the app’s excerpts feature with the same feature in the web editor. Do the app and web excerpt features work in the same way? Do your excerpts stay intact when moving between the app and the web?
• Flow Challenge: Did you encounter any confusion or obstacles adding an excerpt to your post? Does the excerpt act as expected throughout the rest of the app (for example, in your posts list or in the Reader)?

(Related Github pull request.)

3. Better Support for RTL Languages

The app got a facelift for right-to-left (RTL) languages, with an improved layout throughout the app. Check out the pull request for a series of before/after screenshots showing the changes, and try it out:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to General > Language & Region > iPhone Language and select an RTL language (e.g. Hebrew).
3. Open the WordPress app. (Bonus: Log in to a WordPress.comWordPress.com An online implementation of WordPress code that lets you immediately access a new WordPress environment to publish your content. WordPress.com is a private company owned by Automattic that hosts the largest multisite in the world. This is arguably the best place to start blogging if you have never touched WordPress before. https://wordpress.com/ account with the same interface language.)
4. Navigate through the app and look for any layout issues, e.g. incorrect padding or alignment.

Feedback:

• Do you speak an RTL language? Please let us know if we missed any layout issues or created new ones!
• Testing Challenge: Log out and check the login/signup screens. Do they work as expected for the allowed input? Do the error screens look right?

(Related Github pull request.)

Bugs & Feedback

Did you find a bug or come up with a feature request while testing? You can discuss it here, report it using the TestFlight feedback link, or head straight to the iOS Github repository and open a new issue.

Thanks for testing!

#beta, #ios, #needs-testing, #wpios

The WordPress for iOSiOS The operating system used on iPhones and iPads. 6.9 betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. will be available for testing on TestFlight soon. Not part of the beta program yet? Please sign up for our TestFlight program to request to join as a beta tester.

What to Test

1. New “Post-Post” Screen

After you publish a post (“post-post”) you’ll now see a screen confirming the post was published (and where it was published), with calls to action:

• Share the post
• Edit the post
• View the post

Feedback:

• Try publishing a post in different ways (creating the new post in different ways, or publishing the post from a different status) and confirm the post-post screen appears as expected.
• Testing Challenge: Try to find a scenario where the post-post screen appears when it shouldn’t, or where the calls to action do not work as expected.
• Flow Challenge: How does the post-post screen make you feel? Are you able to move on to your next action in the app smoothly, or do you get stuck anywhere?

(Related GithubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner. https://github.com/ pull request.)

2. iPad Layout in the Reader

The Reader now has a splitview (sidebarSidebar A sidebar in WordPress is referred to a widget-ready area used by WordPress themes to display information that is not a part of the main content. It is not always a vertical column on the side. It can be a horizontal rectangle below or above the content area, footer, header, or any where in the theme.) layout on iPads, similar to the My Sites and Me tabs. iPhone users should not see any difference in the Reader layout.

Feedback:

• Please navigate through the Reader, use each section, and report any layout quirks or bugs.
• Testing Challenge: Try to catch the Reader with unexpected layout behavior, especially while rotating the device or using Reader actions (e.g. sharing, viewing the post/site).
• Flow Challenge: Does the new sidebar make the best use of your iPad’s screen? Are there actions in the Reader that still don’t use the layout as expected, or places where you now get stuck?

(Related Github pull request.)

3. Refreshed Reader Comments UIUI UI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing.

The Reader comments styles were updated to more closely match the web:

Feedback:

• Please make sure the comments appear correctly (with up to 4 levels of nesting), with the full contents of each comment, and that comment actions work as expected.
• Testing Challenge: Try to find a piece of content or comment thread that doesn’t show up correctly (a missing emoji? a photo or video that doesn’t load? a problem when rotating your device or loading comments from a particular source?).
• Flow Challenge: Can you open and read comments starting from different points in the app? Are there any accessibilityAccessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility) or usability problems with the new layout?

(Related Github pull request.)

Bugs & Feedback

Did you find a bug or come up with a feature request while testing? You can discuss it here, report it using the TestFlight feedback link, or head straight to the iOS Github repository and open a new issue.

Thanks for testing!

#beta, #ios, #needs-testing, #wpios

The WordPress for iOSiOS The operating system used on iPhones and iPads. 6.8 betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. will be available for testing on TestFlight soon. Not part of the beta program yet? Please sign up for our TestFlight program to request to join as a beta tester.

What to Test

1. New Actions in the Editor Menu

The editor’s options menu (the ellipsis menu) now has more actions:

• If you create a new post with the status set to Publish, you will see a “Save as Draft” option.
• If the post is set to Draft and you have permission to publish posts, you will see a “Publish Now” option.
• If the post is set to Draft and you do not have permission to publish posts, you will see a “Submit for Review” option.

Previously, you had to open the post options and manually update the post status before taking these actions.

Editor Menu Before:

Editor Menu After:

Feedback:

• Try out the above scenarios and make sure the post’s status is changed as expected.
• Testing Challenge: Try to find a scenario that hasn’t been covered above, and see if an unexpected action appears in the options menu.
• Flow Challenge: How does the flow feel while writing, saving, and publishing a post? Any surprises or obstacles? Anything that felt really smooth, or evoked confusion or anxiety?

(Related GithubGitHub GitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged be the repository owner. https://github.com/ pull request.)

2. Reader Style & Layout Updates

The styles and layout for each post in the Reader post streams were updated to match the current Calypso (web) Reader. Actions to test:

• Look at the Reader in both portrait and landscape.
• Follow a site, share a post, view a post in the browser, tap a tag to view that tag stream.
• Check that site Blavatars appear as expected.

New Reader Style/Layout:

Feedback:

• Did any styles or layout look or act broken in the Reader?
• Testing Challenge: Look at the Calypso (web) Reader carefully and compare it to the app Reader; do you see any significant or noticeable differences?
• Flow Challenge: How does it feel to read and interact with the Reader with these new styles and layout? Does anything feel especially smooth/improved or cause confusion or anxiety?

(Related Github pull request.)

3. Updated Reader Text Rendering

The Reader formerly relied on a third-party library to display the text on the full post screen. We’ve replaced that library with one of our own design.

• Look at the full post screen in the Reader in both portrait and landscape orientation.
• Check that the layout is correct.
• Check that text can be selected and copied.
• Test hyperlinks and play embedded video.

There should be almost no noticeable change in the full post screen’s appearance between the old library and the new.

Feedback:

• Did any styles or layout look or act broken in the Reader’s full post screen?

(Related Github pull request.)

Bugs & Feedback

Did you find a bug or come up with a feature request while testing? You can discuss it here, report it using the TestFlight feedback link, or head straight to the iOS Github repository and open a new issue.

Thanks for testing!

#beta, #ios, #needs-testing, #wpios

The WordPress for iOSiOS The operating system used on iPhones and iPads. 6.7 betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. will be available for testing on TestFlight soon. Not part of the beta program yet? Please sign up for our TestFlight program to request to join as a beta tester.

What to Test

1. iPad Layout on Me and My Sites Tabs

On iPads, the Me and My Sites tabs now have a new layout with a sidebarSidebar A sidebar in WordPress is referred to a widget-ready area used by WordPress themes to display information that is not a part of the main content. It is not always a vertical column on the side. It can be a horizontal rectangle below or above the content area, footer, header, or any where in the theme.. (Related Github pull request.)

Please navigate through these tabs, use each section, and report any layout quirks or bugs. iPhone users shouldn’t see any change there, so please report any new issues you see with the layout on those tabs.

• Old iPad layout:
  

  

  Me Tab: Menu Screen

  

  Me Tab: My Profile Screen

  
  

  

  My Sites Tab: Menu Screen

  

  My Sites Tab: Blog Posts Screen

  
  
• New iPad layout:
  

  

  Me Tab: Landscape

  

  Me Tab: Portrait

  
  

  

  My Sites Tab: Landscape

  

  My Sites Tab: Portrait

  
  

2. Reader Improvements

This release includes a number of improvements to Reader performance, auto-sizing, and and readability. These changes are mainly targeted toward the iPad experience, and in preparation for future Reader layout changes like on the Me and My Sites tabs. (Related Github pull request.)

Please use the Reader as usual (on iPad and iPhone) and report any issues viewing posts, interacting with posts (e.g. comments and buttons), and scrolling through post lists.

Flow Testing

In addition to testing new features and changes, as beta testers we can give feedback about the flow through the WordPress app. (Not sure what I mean? Check out how the WordPress Flow team tests and what we mean by flow.)

Here are some things to consider or try out in this release:

• Take a screenshot of each step as you test. Upload your screenshots (you can create a gallery on Cloudup) and share them in a comment here.
• Choose a task (such as updating your account profile/settings or publishing a new post) that takes you through the Me tab or My Sites tab in the app. Describe how the process makes you feel and whether you were able to finish the entire task you started.
• When you finish the task, what do you want to do next? Is there a clear path to continue on to your next task?

Bugs & Feedback

Did you find a bug or come up with a feature request while testing? You can discuss it here, report it using the TestFlight feedback link, or head straight to the iOS Github repository and open a new issue.

Thanks for testing!

#beta, #ios, #needs-testing, #wpios

The WordPress for iOSiOS The operating system used on iPhones and iPads. 6.6 betaBeta A pre-release of software that is given out to a large group of users to trial under real conditions. Beta versions have gone through alpha testing in-house and are generally fairly close in look, feel and function to the final product; however, design changes often occur as part of the process. will be available for testing on TestFlight soon. Not part of the beta program yet? Please sign up for our TestFlight program to request to join as a beta tester.

What’s New

1. Animated GIFs in Blog Posts List: The Blog Posts list (on the My Sites tab) now supports animated GIFs.
   • Add an animated GIF as the featured imageFeatured image A featured image is the main image used on your blog archive page and is pulled when the post or page is shared on social media. The image can be used to display in widget areas on your site or in a summary list of posts. or the only image in a blog post. Save or publish the post, and view the post in your Blog Posts list. The image should animate.
   • Try adding very large GIFs, or multiple GIFs to a post, and let us know if anything unexpected happens (such as the app slowing down or crashing).
     
2. Backend Changes to Notifications: Notifications got revamped under the hood (backend changes). There shouldn’t be any noticeable changes, but please pay attention to any bugs with notifications in this version.

Additional Testing

In addition to testing new features and changes, as beta testers we can give feedback about the flow through the WordPress app. (Not sure what I mean? Check out how the WordPress Flow team tests and what we mean by flow.)

Here are some things to consider or try out in this release:

• Take a screenshot of each step as you test the animated GIFs and/or notifications above. Upload your screenshots (you can create a gallery on Cloudup) and share them in a comment here.
• Describe how the process makes you feel and whether you were able to finish the entire task or process you started.
• When you finish the process (posting/viewing your animated GIF or checking your notifications), what do you want to do next? Is there a clear path to continue on to your next task?

Bugs & Feedback

Did you find a bug or come up with a feature request while testing? You can discuss it here, report it using the TestFlight feedback link, or head straight to the iOS Github repository and open a new issue.

Thanks for testing!

#beta, #ios, #needs-testing, #wpios