[mr-wendel]

Along similar lines, the only scenario I've found where auto-focus on input can be obnoxious is with mobile devices. Causing the virtual keyboard to appear by default can make the display scroll and shift unexpectedly, reducing accessibility (if unexpected, of course).

I hadn't thought about assistive technologies in general, so this is useful to consider.

[Tagbert]

I am still annoyed by iOS apps like IMDB where you tap the “search” icon, it goes to the search screen but the search field does not have focus. You still have to tap the input. Perhaps that’s because you would not see more promos that they put on the search screen? It’s a user hostile UI but I guess that should not surprise me with IMDB.

[graftak]

I believe this is one of those don't attribute to malice what you can attribute to incompetence type deals.

Many websites and apps (don’t) do this.