Android: `dispatchPointerEvents` feature flag disrupts TalkBack's Explore by Touch functionality in Modal

[BlackCat1397]

Description

Content of Modal can not be focused with Android's Explore by Touch when ReactFeatureFlags.dispatchPointerEvents is enabled.
Focus can be iterated through items with left-to-right swipe, but taps or dragging a finger over items do not focus them.

Looks like the issue was introduced in #46445.
Reverting this change in ReactViewGroup.onHoverEvent fixes this behavior.

This finding raises a few questions:

1. Why TalkBack works outside of modals?
2. What would be the drawback of reverting this onHoverEvent method?

@javache, could you, please, take a look?

Steps to reproduce

1. Enable TalkBack
2. Launch the application with yarn android
3. See that Explore by Touch works correctly on main app screen - items can be focused by tap or by dragging a finger over them
4. Open Modal
5. See that Explore by Touch does not work there, but focus can be iterated through items with left-to-right swipe

React Native Version

0.83.1

Affected Platforms

Runtime - Android

Output of npx @react-native-community/cli info

System:
  OS: macOS 15.7.3
  CPU: (11) arm64 Apple M3 Pro
  Memory: 287.59 MB / 18.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 22.16.0
    path: /Users/roman_pavlov4/.nvm/versions/node/v22.16.0/bin/node
  Yarn:
    version: 1.22.22
    path: /Users/roman_pavlov4/.nvm/versions/node/v22.16.0/bin/yarn
  npm:
    version: 10.9.2
    path: /Users/roman_pavlov4/.nvm/versions/node/v22.16.0/bin/npm
  Watchman: Not Found
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.16.2
    path: /Users/roman_pavlov4/.gem/ruby/3.4.2/bin/pod
SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
    Platforms:
      - DriverKit 24.4
      - iOS 18.4
      - macOS 15.4
      - tvOS 18.4
      - visionOS 2.4
      - watchOS 11.4
  Android SDK:
    API Levels:
      - "34"
      - "35"
      - "36"
    Build Tools:
      - 34.0.0
      - 35.0.0
      - 35.0.1
      - 36.0.0
      - 36.0.0
    System Images:
      - android-35 | Google APIs ARM 64 v8a
      - android-35 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
    Android NDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2024.3 AI-243.24978.46.2431.13208083
  Xcode:
    version: 16.3/16E140
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.14
    path: /usr/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 3.4.2
    path: /Users/roman_pavlov4/.rubies/ruby-3.4.2/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 20.0.0
    wanted: 20.0.0
  react:
    installed: 19.2.0
    wanted: 19.2.0
  react-native:
    installed: 0.83.1
    wanted: 0.83.1
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: Not found
  newArchEnabled: false

Stacktrace or Logs

No relevant logs.

MANDATORY Reproducer

https://github.com/BlackCat1397/ReactFeatureFlags-dispatchPointerEvents-modal-TalkBack-accessibility-issue

Screenshots and Videos

Screen.Recording.2026-02-05.at.16.38.45.mov

[BlackCat1397]

Surprisingly, I were unable to reproduce the problem in RNTesterPlayground like docs suggests, I suspect it may be the specifics of build process, but not sure.

[BlackCat1397]

Hey, @javache!
Could you take a look, please?
This issue disrupts accessibility for any content in Modal on Android when dispatchPointerEvents flag is enabled.

[react-native-bot]

This issue is stale because it has been open for 180 days with no activity. It will be closed in 7 days unless you comment on it or remove the "Stale" label.

[react-native-bot]

This issue was closed because it has been stalled for 7 days with no activity.