What is audio focus in Android class AudioManager?

android android-audiomanager
Chris.Zou picture Chris.Zou · Jul 5, 2011 · Viewed 16.4k times · Source

The AudioManager class has a method abandonAudioFocus() and another method requestAudioFocus(). I wonder what is audio focus? And what happens if an AudioManager object gets the audio focus or lost the audio focus?

Thank you!

Answer

karnok picture karnok · Jul 5, 2011

It has to do with priority when using the speakers, to prevent playing many things at once or being overridden. If you requestAudioFocus(), you're declaring that you want control. You can then listen with onAudioFocusChange(int focusChange) to see if anything else tries to play a sound. You may forcefully lose focus (like during a phone call) but then you can gain it later. You should abandonAudioFocus() when you're finished.

Related questions

How do you get/set media volume (not ringtone volume) in Android?

Is there a way to get/set media volume? I have tried the following: AudioManager audio = (AudioManager) getSystemService(Context.AUDIO_SERVICE); int currentVolume = audio.getStreamVolume(AudioManager.STREAM_RING); but it returns the ringtone volume.

Read More
Android : Calling Activity from Fragment

I am using fragments inside an activity. I am using MediaRecorder to for audio recording. I have two part of an activity. 1st itself the Activity which will list the recorded file. On it's right side the AudioRecording Activity is …

Read More
Change Media volume in Android?

Can I change the media volume? and how? I used this so far: setVolumeControlStream(AudioManager.STREAM_MUSIC); But have a seekbar and want to change the media volume, not ring volume. So can someone show me how to just change …

Read More