Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, are struggling to distinguish between the scrolling intent and handwriting gestures. When users perform touch behaviors like scrolling or zooming, near a text editable input field, the browser misinterprets it for handwriting, which ultimately disrupts navigation and input.
Multiple platforms use API to support handwriting gestures on touch devices. The Operating System fetches the gesture (via touch or stylus) and uses recognition technology to convert the input gesture into the text. Since most browsers have integrated this capability, the browser must determine the user’s intention, and change the focus appropriately. However, not all browsers handle handwriting input the same way. This issue particularly frustrates touchscreen laptops when using note-taking apps or form-heavy websites.
Currently, developers don’t have a standardized method to enable or disable handwriting input across multiple platforms. Microsoft has proposed a solution by introducing a new CSS property and value .handwritable { touch-action: handwriting;, which allows developers to specify whether an element should allow handwriting input.
After attributing the CSS property to the element, only explicitly mentioned behaviors will be enabled on the element and the rest of the possible actions will be disabled for the element.
As for Chrome, Google has already dispatched 2 issues on Chrome-review.
Source: MSEdgeExplainer via LeoPeva64
