Lock Screen Artwork AVPlayerViewController flickers

Question

Created Aug ’20

Replies 2

Boosts 0

Participants 3

I am using AVMetadataItem to show artwork on the lockscreen (.commonIdentifierArtwork) of an app playing video using AVPlayerViewController with some custom UI.

When I switch to AirPlay everything works as expected, except that the artwork sometimes "flickers" when I play/pause the playback. It flickers back and forth for a split second showing the app's icon and the Artwork specified in AVMetadataItem.

Code Block ...
				 // metadata.artwork is UIImage?
		if let artwork = metadata.artwork, let jpgData = artwork.jpegData(compressionQuality: 1.0) {
								let artWorkMetadataItem =	makeMetadataItem(.commonIdentifierArtwork, value: jpgData as NSData)
								metadataItems.append(artWorkMetadataItem)
						}
...
avPlayer.currentItem?.externalMetadata = metadataItems
...
private func makeMetadataItem(_ identifier: AVMetadataIdentifier, value: Any) -> AVMetadataItem {
						let item = AVMutableMetadataItem()
						item.identifier = identifier
						item.value = value as? NSCopying & NSObjectProtocol
						item.extendedLanguageTag = "und"
						return item.copy() as! AVMetadataItem
				}

Any idea what can be causing this issue?

Boost

Answer 1

Media Engineer OP

Apple

Aug ’20

If it is the lock screen showing your artwork, and not code you control, I would file a bug report via feedback assistant.

1

Answer 2

JeffGSmart OP

Apr ’24

Same issue. My recent testing confirmed your issue and found a work around as below. I also wonder if Apple has recently dropped the default "Artist" display from the Lock Screen when using "AVPlayer.currentItem?.externalMetadata" method or it's an outstanding bug fix at Apple ? Anyone know ?

using the traditional "MPNowPlayingInfoCenter.default().nowPlayingInfo" + "MPRemoteCommandCenter" + "AVPlayerViewController .updatesNowPlayingInfoCenter = false".

Result "Artist" is displayed correctly in the iOS Lock Screen. Agreed - more code required.

using "AVPlayer.currentItem?.externalMetadata" + "AVPlayerViewController .updatesNowPlayingInfoCenter = true (ie: default)".

Result: "Artist" is not displayed in the iOS Lock Screen.

Thanks, Jeff

0