[iOS] Headphones interactions creates problems with AdsManager (IMA)

[Xavier Deloge]

Hi,

We have some problems with IMA SDK on iOS.

I can reproduce the issue on the AdvancedExample sample app (see the attasched file).
Steps of the problem is:
- Start a video with a preRoll ad
- Play the ad
- After the ad, the video is playing
- Pause the video with wired headphones (with play/pause function)
- Resume the video with the headphones

-> Result: The video is still in pause.
=> Expected result: The video is playing

These steps are correct for wireless headphone, not for wired headphone.

In the sample app, I implemented SpyAVPlayer to find the guilty when the video is still in pause. And the guilty is in GoogleInteractiveMediaAds.
Currently, the application resume the video and adsManager pauses the same video few milliseconds after. (only with wired headphones)

Secondary issue (Currently not needed in our app, but I think it's a serious issue):
Steps:
- Start a video with a POST Roll ad
- When the video is playing, pause the video with headphones (wired or wireless)
- Resume the video with the headphones

-> Result: The POST Roll starts, at the end of the POST Roll, we cannot resume the current video :(
=> Possible expected result: The video is resumed, and the ad is playing at the end of the video.

Info to reproduce the bugs:
- Tested on iPhone 12 with iOS 16.1.2 (but the bug occurs on many devices and/or many OS version)
- GoogleAds-IMA-iOS-SDK (3.18.1)
- Standard headphones (Apple or not Apple brand)

Thank you very much to fix these problems.

Xavier Deloge

[IMA SDK]

Hi Xavier,

Thank you for reporting this to us. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to access the provided file on this thread. With that, could you please provide it once again using the steps below, so I could proceed with my investigation?
 

1. Navigate to

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfkAiXMeYP-fw1W3Z-tT9uwmATEKO5X6S-th0gR2ezdKaaqfg/viewform?usp=pp_url&entry.400550049=IMA+SDK&entry.460850823=5004Q00002h0QPkQAM&entry.80707362=00159867

2. Fill out all fields, and attach your file(s).

3. Please reply back on this thread when you have uploaded your file(s). Please do not share this link.


Regards,

Teejay Wennie IMA SDK Team

ref:_00D1U1174p._5004Q2h0QPk:ref

[Xavier Deloge]

Done, thanks :)

[IMA SDK]

Hi Xavier,

This is to confirm that I've received the requested information. Allow me to share this to the rest of the team for further investigation. I'll update this thread the soonest I hear back from them.

[IMA SDK]

Hello Xavier,

This is Jackson from the IMA SDK team to help with your issue. I wanted to clarify a few points about the issue.

In both cases, the steps are to pause the content video (not ads) with the headphones, then resume with headphones. In the first case, the content video does not resume. In the second case, the postroll immediately plays, and then content does not resume following the postroll.

What is the difference in setup for these two cases? Is it that the second case uses a different ad tag with a postroll?

Thank you,
Jackson
IMA SDK team

ref:_00D1U1174p._5004Q2h0QPk:ref

[Xavier Deloge]

Hello Jackson, 

For both cases, I used the sample app AdvancedExample attached in this post.

- Pre-roll case:  I used the Pre-roll entry in the list (but occurs with all pre-roll ads tested).

- Post-roll case: I used the "Post-roll" entry in the list.
The adTagUrls for pre & post roll are the same as the original project AdvancedExample.

Thank you,

[IMA SDK]

Hello Xavier,

Thanks for clarifying, let me work on reproducing this issue and identifying a fix or potential next steps. I will update you here when I have more info.

[Xavier Deloge]

Hello Jackson,

Is there any update for this? 

Thanks

Xavier

[IMA SDK]

Hello Xavier,

Thank you for the reply. I do not have any updates currently, but will be prioritizing this for later this week. I apologize for the delay.

Thank you,

[IMA SDK]

Hi Xavier,

We are still investigating the cause of the issues you reported, but i am slightly confused by the postroll issue that you reported. You said that once the post-roll completes, the content doesn't resume. Since the postroll plays at the end of the content video, why would the content resume? is there any chance you can capture a video of this issue, to clarify how the normal case differs from the error?

Thanks,

Greg Schoppe

[Xavier Deloge]

Hi Greg, 

Sure for the Post-Roll behavior, after the post-Roll the video haven't to restart, but the real problem is:

- Start a video of 1 hour for example

- After 2 minutes, pause the video using headphone

- Resume the video using the headphone

Result => The Post-roll starts

Normal behavior => Resume the video where the video is paused (2 minutes)

Currently, with the headphone and a Post-roll, we can skip the video :( 

But you can experiment the behavior with the attached application, when you choose a video with a Post-Roll ("Post-roll" in the list).

Thanks,

Xavier Deloge

[IMA SDK]

Hi Xavier,

Thanks for the additional information on this bug. I will need a few days to reproduce, as I'll need to requisition a set of wired headphones with pause controls (not the most common hardware recently). I'll get back to you as soon as I've had a chance to replicate.

[Xavier Deloge]

Hi Greg, 

Any news about this ticket?

Thank you very much

[IMA SDK]

Hi Xavier,

We're having trouble reproducing this with our test device and a physical set of headphones. Have you found any way to reproduce this in the xcode simulator, or is this only appearing on physical hardware for you?

Thanks

[Xavier Deloge]

Hi Greg,

Yes, it is, it's only on physical device for me (iPhone 12, but our QA can reproduce the bug on many others devices).

I didn't find a way to reproduce on a simulator, perhaps the headphone plugged on the Mac doesn't work with a similar behavior than the iPhone or iPad device.

Thanks

[IMA SDK]

Hi Xavier,

Can you tell us a bit more about the headphones you are using to replicate the issue?

• Are they a specific brand/model of wired headphones?
• Do they connect directly via lightning port, or are you using a dongle and older TRRS headphones?

This should help us identify why we are having trouble reproducing the issue.


Thanks,
 

Greg
IMA SDK Team

ref:_00D1U1174p._5004Q2h0QPk:ref

[Xavier Deloge]

Hi Greg,

I use a dongle from Apple: https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MMX62AM/A/lightning-to-35-mm-headphone-jack-adapter

The bug occurs with a cheap old wired headphones (https://www.amazon.ca/HyperGear-Rider-Earphones-3-5mm-Black/dp/B01LE0DGPK/ref=sr_1_6?gclid=CjwKCAiAu5agBhBzEiwAdiR5tPu37HAoOFCujgEk1jtduyFvGZCrzXUueS7tGQv2a9jOkJtBTO3w9hoCQFEQAvD_BwE&hvadid=600273114931&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9000545&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=b&hvrand=17277364023932061703&hvtargid=kwd-356754783487&hydadcr=17009_13464518&keywords=hypergear+earphones&qid=1678138270&sr=8-6), a Monster DNA wired headphones (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Monster-DNA-Pro-2-0-Noise-Isolating-Over-Ear-Headphones-White-Tuxedo-2-0/52960656), and another headphones by our tester.

To reproduce the issue with a pre-roll:

- Start a video with a preRoll ad
- Play the ad
- After the ad, the video is playing
- Pause the video with wired headphones (with play/pause function)

- Resume the video with the headphones (here, you can change to another wired headphones, the problem is same, the video cannot resume with the play/pause button, I tested with my cheap and my Monster wired headphones, no difference).

=> The video is still in pause

Thanks

[IMA SDK]

Hi Xavier,

Ok, that at least gives us a path to chase. We tested with a lightning headset with media controls. Things may work differently when adapting an older TRRS miniplug headset to lightning via dongle.

This will take us some time to properly troubleshoot, as we will need to get the necessary hardware to test.

Thanks,

Greg Schoppe

[Xavier Deloge]

Hi Greg, 

Do you have any news about these issues?

Thank you very much Greg.

[IMA SDK]

Hi Xavier,

Unfortunately, we have had some issues with sourcing duplicate hardware to test against, but we should have the correct setup by the end of the month, and will then be able to move forward with duplicating and diagnosing.

Thanks

[IMA SDK]

Hi Xavier,

Good news! We've finally been able to reproduce this issue reliably on physical hardware. I've passed the logs on to our engineering team, and will let you know as soon as we hear back from them.

[Xavier Deloge]

Hi Greg,

It's awesome!

Thank you very much.

Xavier Deloge