Android Google Music app stops when my intro video plays

Question

I'm using a VideoView in my Android app to display the intro animation.

If the Google Music App is playing music in the background, calling videoview.start() stops music playing in Google Music App in the background.

Is there a way to make sure any music in the background will keep playing at the same time with my intro video? (it has no audio)

Thank you!

Answer 1

Turns out Google Music App and a few other apps will stop their music when any video starts playing.

In order to make sure I'm not interrupting the listening experience for my users I now skip the intro video if I determine that there is music playing in the background.

To do this:

AudioManager am = (AudioManager) getSystemService(Context.AUDIO_SERVICE);

if (am.isMusicActive()) {
    loadApp();   // skip video and go straight to the app
}
else {
    videoView.start();  // play video
}

Answer 2

Using both the answers previously given, here is a solution that will resume music after your video ends:

final boolean music_was_playing = ((AudioManager) getSystemService(Context.AUDIO_SERVICE)).isMusicActive();

VideoView vv_Video = (VideoView) findViewById(R.id.intro_video_view);

// play the intro video
vv_Video.setOnCompletionListener( new OnCompletionListener() {
    @Override
    public void onCompletion(MediaPlayer m) {
        // resume music if it was playing cause our intro video just paused it temporarily
        if (music_was_playing) {
            Intent i = new Intent("com.android.music.musicservicecommand");
            i.putExtra("command", "play");
            sendBroadcast(i);
        }

        // go to main menu
        startActivity(new Intent(IntroActivity.this, MainMenuActivity.class));
    }
});

Answer 3

Taken from openVideo() in VideoView.java

 Intent i = new Intent("com.android.music.musicservicecommand");
 i.putExtra("command", "pause");
 mContext.sendBroadcast(i);