Hardware Play/Pause Button Options

[E1Geoff]

Hi All,

I have a requirement (not quite worthy of being labelled a 'problem') whereby I would like to be able to Play/Pause audio (and video) on the iPhone using a hardware button. Primarily the benefit will be to enable doing so quickly, and without having to look at the phone.

I am aware this is possible with the Apple headphones, but this means I have to be listening through the headphones in order to have this functionality. To help explain my requirement some examples why I would like to pause/stop the music quickly are - listening as I am in bed and want to stop it playing to fall asleep (usually this would be an ebook so letting it run on a sleep timer after I fall asleep isn't ideal) or if I'm listening on speaker somewhere in the house and a family member calls out to say something - much easier with a quick click of a pause button than going through the whole cutting them off/calling back hang on etc.

I've had a look around and it seems the option that will definitely work is a bluetooth controller - however they are quite large (I'd be happy with a coin size button that literally has play/pause toggle) and reasonably costly, for eg http://www.amazon.co.uk/Satechi-MediaRemote-Bluetooth-Multi-Media-Control/dp/B00824948U

The second possibility is on of the 3-Button Headphone Control Adaptors, however I expect as soon as you plug one of these in even without headphones attached the iPhone will output audio through the headphone jack??

For example this one; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Headphone-Adaptor-Control-Shuffle/dp/B002J1SCRQ

Has anyone come across any more compact bluetooth remote controls? Or found that the phone can still output through the speakers with one of those headphone adaptors attached but without the headphones themselves?

 

[Gizard]

I have the Satechi remote and it works great. It's not as small as a round button but its really not that big either and it's quite light

 

[deeddawg]

I don't have any device to suggest, but do have a couple thoughts.

When playing over bluetooth:

There's a pause button on the lock screen. Wake the phone with sleep/wake or the home button and tap the pause icon/button. Same thing to resume play.

When a call comes in, music playing over bluetooth autopauses. When the call is ended it autoresumes.

This works for the Music app and also for the Pandora app. Haven't tried it with anything else.

Edit: this is on iOS7 with a 5s. I believe it was also this way on my 4S with iOS 6 but can't verify.

 

[E1Geoff]

I have the Satechi remote and it works great. It's not as small as a round button but its really not that big either and it's quite light

Thanks for your thoughts, it's good to know its a viable option from someone that actual owns one!

I don't have any device to suggest, but do have a couple thoughts.

When playing over bluetooth:

There's a pause button on the lock screen. Wake the phone with sleep/wake or the home button and tap the pause icon/button. Same thing to resume play.

When a call comes in, music playing over bluetooth autopauses. When the call is ended it autoresumes.

This works for the Music app and also for the Pandora app. Haven't tried it with anything else.

Edit: this is on iOS7 with a 5s. I believe it was also this way on my 4S with iOS 6 but can't verify.

Playing over Bluetooth isn't necessarily the only occasion I'd would like this ability, even over the built in speakers I want to be able to play pause by via a button. I agree the speed of controlling the audio on the phone screen from sleep mode is as quick as it could be, but specifically I want to be able to play/pause without looking at the phone, rather do so purely by feel. That way I don't even have to open my eyes when stopping audio in bed for example..... Before upgrading to iOS7 on my iPhone 4 (this thread is related to my 5S although I assume the solution would be the same for both) it was jailbroken and I had the volume up button set to play/pause on a long press using activator and it was ideal!

Thanks, Geoff

 

[E1Geoff]

Does anyone have one of these (or similar)?

Could you try it plugged in without headphones attached, and see if the audio will output through the phone speakers, but still respond to the button inputs?

Thanks!