Enabling PIP Button in iPhone AVplayer: A Deep Dive into Audio Session and Background Modes

Enabling PIP Button in iPhone Avplayer: A Deep Dive into Audio Session and Background Modes

In this article, we will explore the process of enabling the Picture-in-Picture (PIP) button in an iPhone app’s AVplayer. We’ll delve into the world of audio session support, background modes, and Apple’s guidelines for creating a seamless user experience.

Understanding PIP Mode

Before we dive into the technical details, let’s understand what PIP mode is all about. When an app enters PIP mode, it means that the video or audio playback will continue even when the user switches to another app or locks their device. This feature is particularly useful for apps that require constant user attention, such as streaming services.

Enabling Background Modes

To enable PIP mode in our AVplayer, we need to add the Audio,AirPlay and Picture in Picture capability to our project’s Capabilities. Here’s how:

1. Adding Capabilities in Xcode

Open your project in Xcode and go to the “Signing and Capabilities” section of your target. Tap the “+” button at the top-right corner to add a new capability. Search for Background Modes and select it from the list.

Next, check the boxes next to Audio, AirPlay, and Picture in Picture. This will enable these background modes for your app.

2. Implementing Audio Session Support

Now that we’ve enabled the necessary background modes, let’s implement audio session support for PIP mode. We’ll do this by adding code to our AppDelegate.

Here’s an example of how you can add audio session support:

func application(_ application: UIApplication,
                 didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -&gt; Bool {
    // Create an AVAudioSession object
    let audioSession = AVAudioSession.sharedInstance()
    
    // Set the category to playback
    do {
        try audioSession.setCategory(.playback)
        try audioSession.setActive(true, options: [])
    } catch {
        print("Setting category to AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayback failed.")
    }
    
    return true
}

In this code snippet, we create an AVAudioSession object and set its category to .playback. We then activate the session with the setActive() method.

3. Handling Audio Session Changes

To ensure that our audio session is always active when the app enters PIP mode, we need to handle changes to the user’s activity status. We can do this by overriding the application(_:didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:) method and checking for changes in the user’s activity.

Here’s an updated code snippet:

func application(_ application: UIApplication,
                 didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -&gt; Bool {
    // Create an AVAudioSession object
    let audioSession = AVAudioSession.sharedInstance()
    
    // Set the category to playback
    do {
        try audioSession.setCategory(.playback)
        try audioSession.setActive(true, options: [])
        
        // Add a notification observer for activity changes
        ApplicationActivity.statusChangedNotification.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(handleActivityChange(_:)), name: .applicationActivityStatusChangedNotification, object: nil)
    } catch {
        print("Setting category to AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayback failed.")
    }
    
    return true
}

@objc func handleActivityChange(_ notification: Notification) {
    // Get the current activity status
    let activityStatus = UIApplication.shared.applicationState
    
    // Check if the app is in PIP mode
    guard let pipMode =UIApplication.shared.currentAppPipMode else { return }
    
    // If we're in PIP mode, reactivate our audio session
    if ActivityStatus.pip {
        DispatchQueue.main.async {
            self.audioSession.setActive(true, options: [])
        }
    } else {
        // Otherwise, deactivate our audio session
        DispatchQueue.main.async {
            self.audioSession.setActive(false, options: [])
        }
    }
}

In this updated code snippet, we add a notification observer to watch for changes in the user’s activity status. When the app enters PIP mode, we reactivate our audio session; otherwise, we deactivate it.

Conclusion

Enabling the PIP button in an iPhone AVplayer requires careful consideration of audio session support and background modes. By following these steps and implementing audio session changes, you can create a seamless user experience that allows your users to enjoy their favorite videos and music on-the-go.

Remember to always follow Apple’s guidelines for creating apps with background modes, as failing to do so may result in app rejection or other issues.

Additional Resources

Example Use Cases

Streaming services that require constant user attention, such as Netflix or Hulu
Music apps that need to continue playing music even when the user switches to another app
Video editors that require seamless playback of videos in PIP mode

Last modified on 2023-12-25