Remove the "unflip" of the timeline when in voice over mode (#5835)

Keep the timeline as it is in voice over mode, and don't "unflip" it

ElementX/Sources/Screens/RoomScreen/View/RoomScreen.swift

@@ -81,10 +81,10 @@ struct RoomScreen: View {
                 TopBannerLayer(knockRequestsBanner, isVisible: context.viewState.shouldSeeKnockRequests)
             ], footer: dateBadge)
             .safeAreaInset(edge: .top) {
-                // When VoiceOver is enabled, the table view isn't reversed and the scroll gestures
+                // When VoiceOver is enabled the scroll gestures don't trigger, so the banner never
-                // don't trigger meaning the banner never hides itself and so the .overlay layout
+                // hides itself and the .overlay layout above would permanently obscure the top of
-                // above permanently obscures the top of the timeline. So whenever VoiceOver is
+                // the timeline. So whenever VoiceOver is enabled we use a safe area inset to
-                // enabled we use a safe area inset to vertically stack it above the timeline.
+                // vertically stack it above the timeline instead.
                 if context.viewState.shouldShowPinnedEventsBanner || context.viewState.isSharingLiveLocation, isVoiceOverEnabled {
                     VStack(spacing: 0) {
                         if context.viewState.shouldShowPinnedEventsBanner {

ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/TimelineTableViewController.swift

@@ -180,11 +180,6 @@ class TimelineTableViewController: UIViewController {
     /// Whether or not the view has been shown on screen yet.
     private var hasAppearedOnce = false
     
-    /// Value that determines if the table view is flipped or not according to the VoiceOver status.
-    private var scaleY: CGFloat {
-        UIAccessibility.isVoiceOverRunning ? 1 : -1
-    }
-    
     init(coordinator: TimelineViewRepresentable.Coordinator,
          isScrolledToBottom: Binding<Bool>,
          isReadMarkerVisible: Binding<Bool>,
@@ -208,9 +203,8 @@ class TimelineTableViewController: UIViewController {
         tableView.keyboardDismissMode = .onDrag
         tableView.backgroundColor = .compound.bgCanvasDefault
         
-        // The tableview should be flipped to display the newest items at the top
+        // The tableview is flipped to display the newest items at the bottom.
-        // the only exception is VoiceOver, where we want to keep the latest item at the top as Android.
+        tableView.transform = CGAffineTransform(scaleX: 1, y: -1)
-        tableView.transform = CGAffineTransform(scaleX: 1, y: scaleY)
         view.addSubview(tableView)
         
         // Prevents XCUITest from invoking the diffable dataSource's cellProvider
@@ -256,15 +250,6 @@ class TimelineTableViewController: UIViewController {
             }
             .store(in: &cancellables)
         
-        // Observe voice over status changes to flip the table view accordingly
-        NotificationCenter.default.publisher(for: UIAccessibility.voiceOverStatusDidChangeNotification)
-            .sink { [weak self] _ in
-                guard let self else { return }
-                tableView.transform = CGAffineTransform(scaleX: 1, y: scaleY)
-                tableView.reloadData()
-            }
-            .store(in: &cancellables)
-        
         configureDataSource()
     }
     
@@ -312,7 +297,7 @@ class TimelineTableViewController: UIViewController {
                 .background(Color.clear)
                 
                 // Flipping the cell can create some issues with cell resizing, so flip the content View
-                cell.contentView.transform = CGAffineTransform(scaleX: 1, y: scaleY)
+                cell.contentView.transform = CGAffineTransform(scaleX: 1, y: -1)
                 cell.accessibilityElements = [cell.contentView] // Ensure VoiceOver reads the content view only
                 
                 return cell
@@ -339,7 +324,7 @@ class TimelineTableViewController: UIViewController {
                 .background(Color.clear)
                 
                 // Flipping the cell can create some issues with cell resizing, so flip the content View
-                cell.contentView.transform = CGAffineTransform(scaleX: 1, y: scaleY)
+                cell.contentView.transform = CGAffineTransform(scaleX: 1, y: -1)
                 return cell
             }
         }
@@ -633,19 +618,16 @@ extension TimelineTableViewController {
     
     /// Returns the timestamp of the newest visible timeline item.
     ///
-    /// The table view is flipped (unless VoiceOver is running), so the "newest"
+    /// The table view is flipped, so the "newest" visible cell on screen is
-    /// visible cell on screen is actually the *last* index path in `indexPathsForVisibleRows`
+    /// actually the *last* index path in `indexPathsForVisibleRows`.
-    /// when the table is flipped, or the *first* when it is not.
     private func newestVisibleDate() -> Date? {
         guard let visibleIndexPaths = tableView.indexPathsForVisibleRows,
               !visibleIndexPaths.isEmpty else {
             return nil
         }
         
-        // In a flipped table view the last index path is the topmost item on screen;
+        // In a flipped table view the last index path is the topmost item on screen.
-        // when VoiceOver is active the table is not flipped so the first is topmost.
+        let orderedPaths = visibleIndexPaths.reversed()
-        let isFlipped = scaleY == -1
-        let orderedPaths = isFlipped ? visibleIndexPaths.reversed() : visibleIndexPaths
         
         // Walk from topmost downward and return the timestamp of the first item that has one.
         for indexPath in orderedPaths {