Switching to WCAG 2.2 and certification of native apps
Transitioning the WACA review process to WCAG 2.2 – AA
As of July 1, 2024, we are converting the WACA certification review process to the new W3C standard WCAG 2.2 – AA. The new WCAG version was published in autumn 2023 and will also find a legal basis in the next revision of the harmonized European standard EN 301 549. The exact date when the new WCAG version will be required by law has not yet been determined, but it will come into force in the next few months. To ensure that your certified websites also comply with the new current standard in the long term, we are switching to WCAG 2.2 in May. Since the WCAG is backwards compatible, the 2.0 and 2.1 criteria remain in effect. WCAG version 2.2 in AA conformity adds 6 new criteria. These are:
- 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) (AA)
- 2.5.7 Dragging Movements (AA)
- 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) (AA)
- 3.2.6 Consistent Help (A)
- 3.3.7 Redundant Entry (A)
- 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) (AA)
New prices from July 1, 2024
Since the testing effort for WCAG 2.2 increases, we also have to adjust the prices of the certification. The price scales have not changed since 2020.
New price scale for WCAG 2.2 – AA (relating to the test and random sample) including initial consultation and annual review audits, excluding VAT:
- Small (up to 5 audited sites): € 1,750
- Medium (6 to 10 audited sites): € 3,750
- Large (11 to 20 audited sites): € 7,500
- X-Large (from 21 audited sites): individual quotation
The re-certification discount of 35% remains the same, but the basic price for re-certification now refers to the new WCAG 2.2 price scale, see the entire WACA certification process
Native apps
From now on, apps that can only be found on smartphones can also be WACA certified. We check the native apps in the iOS and Android operating systems according to the current WCAG version and also based on the harmonized European standard EN 301 549 version 3.2.1. Although the current version of the WCAG is referenced in this Europe-wide standard, there are additional criteria in EN 301 549 that have not yet been taken into account in the WCAG, see the list of additional criteria on the FFG website.
Process:
The submission and review process of native apps is very similar to websites that are HTML-based. Instead of a representative sample, one or more representative use cases are selected for native apps that basically reflect the functions of the app.
Prices:
Prices and price scales can be found on the websites or in the article above.
However, the price of a WACA certification can only be used for the submission of an operating system of the app, as the operating systems iOS and Android are fundamentally different and the respective app must therefore be submitted and checked in isolation from one another. If both operating systems are submitted, they must each be considered separately.