[$250] IOS - Video - Video sound is not playing when device sound profile is silent mode

[kbecciv]

If you haven’t already, check out our contributing guidelines for onboarding and email contributors@expensify.com to request to join our Slack channel!

• Version Number: 1.4.67-0
• Reproducible in staging?: y
• Reproducible in production?: y
• Issue reported by: Applause - Internal Team

Action Performed:

Precondition: Device sound mode is not silent mode.

1. Launch New Expensify app.
2. Go to chat.
3. Upload a video with sound.
4. Play the video.
5. Note that the sound is playing.
6. Change the device sound mode to silent mode.
7. Play the video.

Expected Result:

The video sound should play as long as the media volume is not zero.

Actual Result:

The video sound is not playing when device sound profile is silent mode.

Workaround:

n/a

Platforms:

Which of our officially supported platforms is this issue occurring on?

• [ ] Android: Native
• [ ] Android: mWeb Chrome
• [x] iOS: Native
• [ ] iOS: mWeb Safari
• [ ] MacOS: Chrome / Safari
• [ ] MacOS: Desktop
• [ ] Screenshots/Videos

Add any screenshot/video evidence

https://github.com/Expensify/App/assets/93399543/5b145ae1-afba-48fa-8d49-5956a0324902

View all open jobs on GitHub

Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @getusha

[melvin-bot[bot]]

Triggered auto assignment to @abekkala (Bug), see https://stackoverflow.com/c/expensify/questions/14418 for more details. Please add this bug to a GH project, as outlined in the SO.

[kbecciv]

We think that this bug might be related to #vip-vsb

[kbecciv]

@abekkala FYI I haven't added the External label as I wasn't 100% sure about this issue. Please take a look and add the label if you agree it's a bug and can be handled by external contributors.

[ShridharGoel]

Proposal

Please re-state the problem that we are trying to solve in this issue.

Video sound is not playing when device sound profile is silent mode in iOS.

What is the root cause of that problem?

This is the default functionality of expo-av in iOS.

What changes do you think we should make in order to solve the problem?

Add the below in Expensify.tsx. This will enable media volume in silent mode for iOS.

useEffect(() => {
    Audio.setAudioModeAsync({ playsInSilentModeIOS: true })
}, []);

We can add in BaseVideoPlayer instead, but Expensify.tsx would be a better choice.

What alternative options did you explore?

We can update the AppDelegate.m file to add the below line in didFinishLaunchingWithOptions.

[[AVAudioSession sharedInstance] setCategory:AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayback error:nil];

[melvin-bot[bot]]

@abekkala Whoops! This issue is 2 days overdue. Let's get this updated quick!

[melvin-bot[bot]]

Job added to Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~018b7c5dab39a2df1f

[melvin-bot[bot]]

Triggered auto assignment to Contributor-plus team member for initial proposal review - @getusha (External)

[abekkala]

@getusha we do have one proposal already for this one!

[getusha]

@abekkala @kbecciv is there a reproduction step? is it only on iOS?

[kbecciv]

@abekkala Can you please bring the OP back? Thank you!

[melvin-bot[bot]]

@abekkala, @getusha Uh oh! This issue is overdue by 2 days. Don't forget to update your issues!

[abekkala]

@abekkala Can you please bring the OP back? Thank you!

Odd, yes I put it back!

[abekkala]

@getusha OP is back - @kbecciv reported this as affecting iOS: Native

[melvin-bot[bot]]

@abekkala, @getusha Huh... This is 4 days overdue. Who can take care of this?

[getusha]

Will try reproducing this & we have a proposal to review

[getusha]

Asked another c+ with a physical iOS device https://expensify.slack.com/archives/C02NK2DQWUX/p1715517674210059 @c3024 will take it.

[c3024]

@ShridharGoel 's proposal here looks good to me.

🎀 👀 🎀 C+ Reviewed

[melvin-bot[bot]]

Triggered auto assignment to @MonilBhavsar, see https://stackoverflow.com/c/expensify/questions/7972 for more details.

[mvtglobally]

Issue not reproducible during KI retests. (First week)

[c3024]

Still reproducible.

[melvin-bot[bot]]

@abekkala @MonilBhavsar this issue was created 2 weeks ago. Are we close to approving a proposal? If not, what's blocking us from getting this issue assigned? Don't hesitate to create a thread in #expensify-open-source to align faster in real time. Thanks!

[MonilBhavsar]

Is this a feature and not a bug?

[c3024]

It is a feature of iOS native.

But this iOS native behaviour is different from Android native, Android Chrome and iOS Safari. In these three, video sound continues to play even after changing the device to silent mode. This inconsistency can be considered as a bug.

[MonilBhavsar]

Thanks for clarifying!