Automattic
Video Pauses when Orientation is set to Landscape while in Picture-in-Picture mode
Description
When playing a video podcast in landscape mode the video appears blank (black screen) or the video pauses while the audio of the video continues to play in the background.
This is an intermittent error that seems to be triggered when a video podcast enters Picture-in-Picture mode. Exiting picture-in-picture returns the user to the view with the podcast player controls and the video resumes playing normally. Then, during the same session entering landscape mode again, may result in a blank screen while audio continues to play. To resolve the error the user needs to restart the app.
Step-by-step reproduction instructions
- In Android app, play video Podcast in the view with the player controls.
- Note video plays normally, video and audio are working.
- While in portrait mode, tap the video to hide player controls.
- Note the background is black and the video continues to play.
- Rotate the mobile device into landscape mode.
- Tap the landscape icon to expand the video in landscape mode.
- Note the video and audio continue to play.
- Tap the video in landscape mode.
- Select picture-in-picture mode.
- Note that the video pauses, and the audio continues to play.
- Tap the video again, then select the portrait mode icon.
- In portrait mode, note that the video is paused while audio plays.
- Tap the X to exit portrait mode and return to the view with player controls.
- Note the video resumes playing and audio continues.
- Try landscape mode again, a blank screen may be shown while audio plays.
Might be related to: https://github.com/Automattic/pocket-casts-android/issues/165 9559011-zd-a8c
Screenshots or screen recording
Podcast player controls view showing a video podcast at the top, playback is normal.
Video podcast in landscape mode and full screen after tapping on the icon to change the orientation:
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- [x] I have searched for existing bug reports.
Device, Operating system, and Pocket Casts app version
App version (7.84.1) Device: Samsung S22 Android: version 14
Also reported in #9560922-zen:
After the latest app update, video freezes on landscape mode, audio continues. Yesterday was fine again, but now it's happening again. Also, sometimes screen goes black regardless of orientation and there is no video or sound. Then, I have to completely stop app and restart again.
9572954-zd-a8c
Since the most recent update, I can't just turn my phone to full screen a video podcast. I have to click the video, then turn my phone.
Recommended they enable screen auto-rotation in their mobile device’s settings. However, I wanted to share just in case its related to this issue.
User in 9557797-zd-a8c shared a workaround:
Fyi, I just realized that if you tap the video image in portrait mode on the phone to make it "full screen," and then you rotate your phone to landscape orientation, it does play the video image properly.
Mentioned in a Play Store review: https://link.reviewbot.io/review/z8ju19Pfrf
When I turn my phone so I can have full screen the video stops, the audio keeps going. When I turn it back the video keeps going with the audio. This sucks, I want to be able to watch in full screen. This just started about a month ago. I've updated app still broken.
Another report in 9567941-zd-a8c
@mebarbosa Should this be closed? It seems like the fix is only a partial fix and the issue remains for picture-in-picture?
Thanks for checking this @danjjohnson. Yeah, we closed this since we put this fix https://github.com/Automattic/pocket-casts-android/pull/3823
The fix is targeting 7.86
@mebarbosa That's what I mean, that PR says "While it improves the behavior while transitioning between portrait and landscape mode, I've noticed that the picture-in-picture mode may still have the issue." and it only partially fixes this issue.
@mebarbosa That's what I mean, that PR says "While it improves the behavior while transitioning between portrait and landscape mode, I've noticed that the picture-in-picture mode may still have the issue." and it only partially fixes this issue.
Got it! @ashiagr what do you think about this? We reopen this issue or create a new one?
Just to clarify, the fix is included in version 7.85. We'll keep monitoring the issue to see if it needs additional fixing. I can notice inconsistent picture-in-picture issues in version 7.83 as well.
It is better to reopen the issue for now.
if I don't use pocket cast for an hour or 2 hours, when I get back to the video it gets stuck and then black screen. And sometimes the sound continues but there is no picture.
Logs attached. 9707074-zd-a8c Previous tickets from same user: 9671542-zd-a8c 9620136-zd-a8c 9560922-zd-a8c
Platform : Phone App version : 7.86 (9332)
9841246-zen:
Starting from a video playing not in full screen in portrait, if you tilt the phone to landscape the video freezes but the audio keeps playing starting from portrait full screen then tilt has no issue, but if by mistake you title to portrait from landscape it goes out of full screen mode and then when you tilt back to landscape the freezing issue happens again.
UPDATE:
The user sent logs in 9842673-zd-a8c
UPDATE:
New reply on 10152891-zd-a8c Issue: videos freezing with rotation Using app version 7.95
Video podcasts freeze (audio continues) when put into landscape
10031213-zd-a8c
(7.93-rc-2 9355) has issue playing video. When starting a video podcast in portrait mode and then tilt phone to landscape so video goes full screen the picture freezes even though audio continues. Now if in portrait mode and you tap the video (not sure what you call it but controls go away in this state) and then tilt the phone to landscape the video will continue to play normally.
10017155-zd-a8c
Any updates on this?
It's become such a persistent pain (almost half a year now?), that I'm ready to look for another podcast player.
If you need any logs or beta testing, I'm willing to help.
For anybody else in this situation 7.83 does NOT have the issue. It seems to start in 7.84 (if you're a developer it might be a good idea to see what was changed)
You can get 7.83 from APK Mirror here
https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/automattic-inc/pocket-casts/pocket-casts-podcast-player-7-83-release/pocket-casts-podcast-player-7-83-2-android-apk-download/
For me there haven't been any "must have" features, that outweigh this table stakes functionality.
I spent a couple of hours trying to get Cursor/gpt5 to fix this.
This worked, but you lose the SurfaceView (which is supposed to be more performant for video, but unclear how much)
Also just changing SURFACE_CONNECT_DELAY_MS to 500L also worked.
Pocket Casts 7.97 (9370) Android 16 - Video freezes, audio keeps playing when rotating device into landscape, regardless of PiP. If I first tap the video in portrait mode and then rotate my device everything works as intended.
Seeing this same problem on my Pixel 10 v8.0-rc-1 (9387). When I rotate video freezes. PIP doesn't matter either.
