AVAudioPlayer resume from background but pause for other apps

Question

My audio starts and stops as I would expect. When I background the app the music keeps playing, if I activate Siri, the music interrupts but then resumes as I would expect.

The issue I have is that, if my sounds are playing in the background, and I start up Apple Music or Podcasts, the audio mixes together which I don't want however if I use Siri, my audio stops then resumes after.

I want my music to stop and the other to take control of the audio just like it does with Siri. I have tried removing .mixWithOthers but when I do that, it seems that once I background my app and I start Siri, afterwards my audio is no longer able to start again even though the code within the .ended case is called.

func commonInit() {
        try? AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setCategory(AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayback, with: .mixWithOthers)
        NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(handleInterruption), name: .AVAudioSessionInterruption, object: nil)
    }

    var shouldResume: Bool = false

    @objc func handleInterruption(_ notification: Notification) {
        guard let info = notification.userInfo,
              let typeValue = info[AVAudioSessionInterruptionTypeKey] as? UInt,
              let type = AVAudioSessionInterruptionType(rawValue: typeValue)
        else { return }

        switch type {
        case .began:
            player?.pause()
        case .ended:
            guard let optionsValue = info[AVAudioSessionInterruptionOptionKey] as? UInt
                else { return }
            let options = AVAudioSessionInterruptionOptions(rawValue: optionsValue)

            if options.contains(.shouldResume) {
                player?.play()
            }
        }
    }

Ideally I want my app to resume after any interruptions, but I also want my app to stop playing if there are any interruptions.

Thanks

Without the mixWithOthers option, your session may have ended. Try adding try AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setActive(true) in the case .ended block. — picciano
Unfortunately that too does not work :( try? AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setActive(true) returns nil — Jack Wilkinson

Jack Wilkinson Jack Wilkinson · Accepted Answer · 2018-01-23T15:26:28

Adding UIApplication.shared.beginReceivingRemoteControlEvents() after setting the category fixed this issue but I'm not sure why.

AVAudioPlayer resume from background but pause for other apps

1 Answers