I had been doing a great deal of tinkering trying to get my phone's battery life back in the last few days, and I made good progress, but I severely jacked up something related to the microphone/speaker/video recording.
PROBLEM:
The problem, as far as I can tell, is that every app that tries to access the microphone can't do it--this shows up when I try to use Google voice input in various text fields with a little "Can't reach Google at the moment." Same with trying to do a search by voice in Google Now--brief brief flash of the microphone red, then back to gray, with "Can't reach Google at the moment". Additionally, my Touchless Input cannot be enabled--the box has automatically unchecked itself, and pressing it makes the button get a little gray, registering the action, but no checkmark will appear.
Additionally, other apps which would use the mic don't seem to have that functionality--Evernote, for example, would crash if I attempted to record an audio clip. This was before I performed a factory data reset last night--and the problem has persisted regardless.
There are two other, seemingly related, issues. First is the inability of the phone to capture videos. The camera opens fine, and I can take fine stills with it, but pushing the video recording button makes the red "record" flash for a moment before a "Not able to record media" message pops up, and the camera returns to the still photo mode.
Second is the inability to play videos. I have tried playing videos in as many formats as I could try, from within several players, including the stock "Photos", "Gallery", and "YouTube" apps. "Sorry, cannot play video" pops up, or the app simply crashes. Similar story for attempting to play music through the stock "Google Play Music" app. And it gets worse. I can't make or receive calls. Actually, let me revise that. I can't hear anything being said on the calls, over the speaker, or through headphones (though I've yet to try BlueTooth). The call appears to connect, but I can't hear anything from them, and they can't hear anything from me.
So--that's the basic summary of the problem--threefold.
1. No audio input through mic
2. No audio output through speakers--my phone doesn't ring when I get a call, although it will vibrate and the options to take the call appear as they normally would.
3. No audio/video playback whatsoever for other media.
I'm running Android 4.4 on a Droid Mini, unrooted, and I just completed a factory reset last night.
ANALYSIS:
Here's the wrinkle. I know this isn't a hardware problem, because I have found a surefire fix that makes all of this work properly if I absolutely need it, it just sucks. Rebooting into safe mode is what does it. Playback resumes as it did before I had the problem. I can play videos, pump music, and Touchless Input works flawlessly--although interestingly, it has me re-enter the catchphrase three times every time I get into safemode, like setting up from scratch.
My consternation comes from the fact that, to my very limited knowledge, all that safe mode is doing keeping any user-added apps from running. Which is all well and good, but I just did a factory reset. Literally when I boot the phone no user installed apps are running, and yet there's a definite difference when I boot into safe mode, cuz everything works there.
So, safe mode must do something more than just disable user-installed apps--and I need to know what that is if I'm going to fix this thing. I have added 4 apps since then-- App Ops, GSAM Battery Monitor, BetterBatteryStats, and Button Savior (Non-root), all of which I know from experience to be very "well-behaved" apps.
Anyone know what safe mode is doing besides disabling user apps? Along those lines, does it revert updated stock apps to their factory state? I ask because very, very briefly, while my phone was slowly trying to upgrade the 40-odd pieces of Bloatware from the Play Store, the microphone was working. Which makes me think that the culprit is one of the system apps in it's updated form. If safe mode runs these apps as they originally appeared on the phone, that might explain it. It would also hopefully let me painstakingly disable these apps, one by one, to find the culprit and disable it.
I say culprit because of something I stumbled across trying to research this--weirdly enough, in a message from the devs of Shazam. devs of Shazam They say that the issue has shown up on 4.4 and the cause appears to be one app somehow monopolizing access to the microphone. I could see this breaking the video as well, and potentially the audio playback if, as I assume, Google uses the mic to help tweak the sound of the speakers.
Anyone know any more about any of the aspects of this? I will be posting back myself as I learn more.
What happens if you factory reset without restoring any apps? In other words, factory reset, choose not to restore your apps (or don't attach to a Google account on initial setup, and do it post-setup). In other words, do you have an app that is blocking this access?
doogald said:
What happens if you factory reset without restoring any apps? In other words, factory reset, choose not to restore your apps (or don't attach to a Google account on initial setup, and do it post-setup). In other words, do you have an app that is blocking this access?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trying this now. Thanks for the suggestion!
Update: Tried this. Did another FDR, signed in to one of my Google accounts afterwards, but haven't updated a thing. The audio/voice/video/bugs seem gone; however, the ****ty battery drain I had before is back. I'm playing around with some settings to find out what can be done. I'm also going down the list and updating the system apps one by one.
Does anyone know a good testing process (ie, should I run the app? do I need to restart after install? run the app and close? etc) that will keep me from getting false negatives (ie thinking an app isn't causing the problem when it is)?
Update again: I'm working down in alphabetical order through the factory apps. However, after the most recent factory reset, it appears that my battery drain is back, and as long as the battery drain is there, the phone works normally. So, not looking good in terms of battery+functionality for me. Went through the 40ish apps that were on the phone stock--after the fresh reset, the phone is working, but the battery life is shot to **** all over again. Not sure what to make of all this, and now back to being frustrated with a 4 hour battery life from the phone that never sleeps. UGH
Update yet once more:
For kicks and giggles, tried unchecking the "Touchless Control" in settings, to see what effect that would have on my battery. But, reasoning that whatever wakelock was keeping my phone up all the time had to be persisting after it was needed, I guessed I needed to reboot to get rid of them. Booting up again, I'm back to battery life without audio/video/etc. Very confused here. Apparently it has nothing to do with the apps installed, period.
Facing the Same problem please someone tell me What should i do
Same problem! No audio call
Inviato dal mio Redmi Note 3 utilizzando Tapatalk
Please help me I have this same problem. No audio, cant play video, nd mic isn't working.
HI guys, I've got a real head scratcher and for the first time in every aspect of my life a Google search hasn't come through for me.
Background: Completely stock Nexus 4 - 4.4.3
Completely stock Nexus 7 - 4.4.2
No task or app killers
Problem: Out of no where when swiping away any music player (Google Play Music, Shuttle+, Wiizm etc) the music is killed!? The phone seems to be preventing the app from running in the background. I can hit the menu hot key and open other apps and music will play fine, it just won't continue playback if app is swiped.
I've also noticed I no longer get any form of mini player in the notification pull down or notification (headphones, play symbol etc) in the status bar if I have music playing unless I swipe the app but by which time the music has been killed!
What I've tried: Numerous searches, factory reset, uninstalling and reinstalling apps, cache and data clearing and even a different user account.
I could completely understand that something could corrupt or I could possibly hit a setting I've never seen before causing this to happen but surely a factory reset would resolve it? To add insult to injury my Nexus 7 has gone exactly the same way with the same symptoms. I don't even have the same music players on the individual device so I can't blame it on one particular app.
It driving me insane! Does anyone have any suggestions?
I experienced the second part of your problem, GPM no longer was in my notification bar+shade. Searched everywhere and your post was the only one I could find related to my problem. Curiously I checked the app under >Settings>Applications>Google Play Music and noticed that the notifications check box was not checked so I checked it and now everything is back to normal. Really can't remember if I turned it off myself or if upgrading to 4.4.3 had something to do with it.
adamrouse123 said:
I've also noticed I no longer get any form of mini player in the notification pull down or notification (headphones, play symbol etc) in the status bar if I have music playing unless I swipe the app but by which time the music has been killed!
What I've tried: Numerous searches, factory reset, uninstalling and reinstalling apps, cache and data clearing and even a different user account.
I could completely understand that something could corrupt or I could possibly hit a setting I've never seen before causing this to happen but surely a factory reset would resolve it? To add insult to injury my Nexus 7 has gone exactly the same way with the same symptoms. I don't even have the same music players on the individual device so I can't blame it on one particular app.
It driving me insane! Does anyone have any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
have you tried using 3rd party music players?
Is anybody else having problems with doing voice commands on the lockscreen since the last Google app update? It'll register the voice command, but won't start the activity until I actually unlock my phone. For example, if I ask it to play a song, it'll register it, but nothing happens until I unlock my phone. It will briefly have a white screen that says "Google App" at the top, and then it'll jump to the music app to play my song. It also does this when using voice commands with the screen off and charging.
I'm on Cloudy 1.2, and was having the same problem on Darkwulf Beta. Both Kit Kat ROMs.
Does your phone have a lock on it? It could be interfering with google now.
Nope, just the swipe unlock. No password, pin lock, or knock code.
So nobody else has had this issue? I still can't figure it out. I've gone through all my settings, disabled Xposed, and looked at any other apps that might be interfering, and I'm still coming up empty.
I have this problem also!
I tried to find a solution but all I got was people saying that is how the lock screen is intended to work... Anyone know of a fix?
I'm running stock 5.1 but I first noticed this on 5.0.1
Has anybody experienced this? I do not have power saver on. I'm on the August 1 security patch for the G930U.
Here is the scenario:
- Play a song through Spotify
- Click the home button (media controls will appear in notifications when Spotify is in the background)
- Pause or stop the song from notifications (don't hit the x in the media controls notification)
- Let phone sit with Spotify on pause
- Eventually, the media controls will disappear from the notifications as if the phone automatically shut down the Spotify app, which is fine.. but..
- Play a song through Spotify again
- Click the home button (media controls will NOT appear in notifications)
The only way to fix this for me has been to open up the recents app menu and swipe it away, then open Spotify again. Extremely annoying.
I have been having this issue as well on my LG G4, almost the exact same symptoms you have. I have tried all the re-installation tricks and factory resetting my phone. After some spotify forum digging I think other users have this issue and its an app based issue. I am 75% sure of it, but know one has had a definite answer to why this happens so I can't say for sure its the app and not Android
I'm having the same problem in a OnePlus X, thought it was something about latest Marshmallow update. I don't think this happen in Lollipop, but.. who knows.
I have had this issue from time to time, but have not noticed it in the last couple days since installing the latest beta (6.5.0.1795) from the XDA Labs app. It hasn't been long enough for me to say for sure it's fixed, but it's worth a shot. Try it out and report back on if you're able to reproduce the issue with the beta version.
Having the same problem on the S7. Latest stable version of Spotify and on latest software.
I hope someone can help me with this. I am currently running an HTC U11 with Android 8.0.0. The problem I am having is that whenever I have my phone on vibrate and I get a text from someone on my "Favorites" list, my phone completely stops playback of what I am listening to and I have to manually restart the music.
At first, I thought it was an issue with all of my contacts, but I noticed it only happens with my "Favorites". The media apps I use are: Pandora, IHeart Radio, Audible, MXPlayer, & Music Player by Innody. At first, I noticed it with HTC Messages, so I tried Android Messages and it still happens.
Before this phone, I had an HTC M9 and I did not have that issue. I checked with HTC and they couldn't tell me what would cause it. The only thing I can think is that it is caused by Android Oreo. Has anyone else experienced this? Please help!
Today i have updated my Google Pixel 2 XL from Android Nougat to Android Oreo and now as I will open the instagram and snapseed app they only will display a blank white screen on the startup and gradually after few second the app crash by itself. Previously they used to run smooth any idea how to fix it?