happens on 52.0.2739.0

This is a general Chrome bug.

Open question:
Should
"<input class="gsfi lst-d-f" id="lst-ib" maxlength="2048" name="q" autocomplete="off" title="Search" type="text" value="" aria-label="Search" aria-haspopup="false" role="combobox" aria-autocomplete="both" dir="ltr" spellcheck="false" style="border: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; height: auto; width: 100%; position: absolute; z-index: 6; left: 0px; outline: none; background: url(&quot;data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAID/AMDAwAAAACH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw%3D%3D&quot;) transparent;">"


be a role combo box?

On Mac, VoiceOver also reads the above as a combo box.

I am inclined to match the behavior of other Window screen readers.

I thought that it was already a role of combo box.

That's correct. The current role is combo box. The question is whether it should be role text field.

The following revision refers to this bug:
  https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src.git/+/8182918362e0441d206f6f98d3572b7f2886d1d7

commit 8182918362e0441d206f6f98d3572b7f2886d1d7
Author: dtseng <dtseng@chromium.org>
Date: Tue May 24 17:38:37 2016

Change the predicate used to identify editable text used for jump commands.

BUG= 613786 
TEST=manual

CQ_INCLUDE_TRYBOTS=tryserver.chromium.linux:closure_compilation

Review-Url: https://codereview.chromium.org/2000333002
Cr-Commit-Position: refs/heads/master@{#395630}

[modify] https://crrev.com/8182918362e0441d206f6f98d3572b7f2886d1d7/chrome/browser/resources/chromeos/chromevox/cvox2/background/automation_predicate.js
[modify] https://crrev.com/8182918362e0441d206f6f98d3572b7f2886d1d7/chrome/browser/resources/chromeos/chromevox/cvox2/background/background_test.extjs

verified on 53.0.2768.0

dtseng@ : Tried to verify the issue on Mac 10.11.6 and Win 7 using 53.0.2785.34 and below steps.

1) Open Chrome and add ChromeVox extension
2) Navigate to google.com and search "memristor"
3) Navigated to search links by tab pressing
4) Navigate back to search box by shift+tab
5) It reads combo Box

Could you please let us know if the steps followed are correct or if any.

This seems to be fixed now as one can navigate by form field navigation to
next editable area and reach the search box. The steps followed are correct

@c8
Not sure what the confusion is. Please verify the original reproduction (which is on chrome os).
The reproduction steps are pretty clear:
1. Enable Chromevox Next.
2. Navigate to www.google.com and perform a search for "memristor"
3. Navigate by headings with Search+H to the first search result.
4. Navigate to the previous editable area to perform another search with Search+Shift+E
Expected Result: Chromevox, \will move to the previous editable area, in this case the Google Search box. This behavior is expected and observable in other screen readers.
Actual Result: Because the type of control that is used is not strictly an edit box, the command to move to the previous editable area does not work in this instance.