Explore the integration of media technologies within your app. Discuss working with audio, video, camera, and other media functionalities.

Posts under General subtopic

Post

Replies

Boosts

Views

Activity

Why does CADisplayLink of an external UIScreen drift in time?
I am using Apple's original Lightning Digital AV-adapter (Lightning-to-HDMI dongle) to connect my iPhone to an external display via a HDMI cable. I need to synchronize rendering with the external display's refresh rate, so I create a new CADisplayLink tied to the external display's UIScreen: UIScreen.screens[externalDisplayIdx].displayLink(withTarget:, selector:). The callback is being called regularly, but with increasing delay relative to the CADisplayLink.timestamp, so the next time the callback is called, I have less and less time to draw the next frame (see the snippet below). Assuming 60 FPS, the value of secondsTillDeadline starts at an arbitrary value in the range of approx -0.0001 to 0.0166667, and then it slowly decreases towards zero (and for a brief period it goes into small negative numbers). Once it reaches zero, it flips back to 0.0166667 and continues to decrease again. This cycle repeats indefinitely. Changing the external display's resolution (UIScreen's mode) or the CADisplayLink's preferredFrameRateRange to a lower FPS does not seem to have any effect on the temporal drifting (even the rate of change seem to be the same). When I create a new CADisplayLink for the iPhone's main screen, the value of secondsTillDeadline is stable, it does not drift and it is very close to 0.0166667, as expected. Is this drift caused by the external monitor or by Apple's Lightning-to-HDMI dongle ...or is the problem somewhere else? Can the drifting be stopped? func onDisplayLinkUpdate(displayLink: CADisplayLink) { // Gradually decreases from 0.01667 to -0.0001, then flips back to 0.01667 and continues to decrease let secondsTillDeadline = displayLink.targetTimestamp - CACurrentMediaTime() }
3
0
442
Aug ’25
BackgroundAssets `url(for:` throws error for locally available asset
On an iPhone running iOS 26 beta 5, url(for: FilePath("subdir/asset.mov")) most always throws this error: The URL for “subdir/asset.mov” couldn’t be retrieved: “asset.mov” couldn’t be copied to “subdir” because an item with the same name already exists. Yet, contents(at: FilePath("subdir/asset.mov")) always returns Data for a playable AVMovie. How can I avoid this url(for:) error? The asset pack in question is downloaded. The error persists even after pack deletion, redownload, relaunch, and combinations of that. // Assets repo root subdir.aar subdir/asset.mov subdir/asset_thumb.heic subdir/Manifest.json // Manifest.json { "assetPackID": "subdir", "downloadPolicy": { "onDemand": {} }, "fileSelectors": [ { "directory": "subdir", }, ], "platforms": [ "iOS", "visionOS" ] } xcrun ba-package subdir/Manifest.json -o subdir.aar xcrun ba-serve --host 192.168.0.10 -p 443 subdir.aar
2
0
260
Aug ’25
Metal CIKernel instances with arbitrarily structured data arguments
Hi, In the iOS13 and macOS Catalina release notes it says: Metal CIKernel instances now support arguments with arbitrarily structured data. I've been trying to use this functionality in a CIKernel with mixed results. I'm particularly interested in passing data in the form of a dynamically sized array. It seems to work up to a certain size. Beyond the threshold excessive data is discarded and the kernel becomes unstable. I assume there is some kind of memory alignment issue going on, but I've tried various types in my array and always get a similar result. I have not found any documentation or sample code regarding this. It would be great to know how this is intended to work and what the limitations are. In the forums there are two similar unanswered questions about data arguments, so I'm sure there are a few out there with similar issues. Thanks! Michael
5
0
509
Oct ’25
SFSpeechRecognizer throws User denied access to speech recognition
I have created an app where you can speak using SFSpeechRecognizer and it will recognize you speech into text, translate it and then return it back using speech synthesis. All locales for SFSpeechRecognizer and switching between them work fine when the app is in the foreground but after I turn off my screen(the app is still running I just turned off the screen) and try to create new recognitionTask it it receives this error inside the recognition task: User denied access to speech recognition. The weird thing about this is it only happens with some languages. The error happens with Croatian or Hungarian locale for speech recognition but doesn't with English or Spanish locale.
1
0
393
Mar ’25
Seeking Expert Clarification on MusicKit Usage and Compliance for a App in Saudi Arabia
Hello Apple Developer Community, We are developing a music management platform for restaurants and cafes in Saudi Arabia. Our app enables businesses to schedule playlists and allows visitors to request songs via barcodes. Music playback is powered by Apple Music, and users must have their own Apple Music subscriptions to access the music. Our service charges a monthly subscription fee for these management features, not for music access itself. Project Overview and MusicKit Role Our app integrates MusicKit to leverage Apple Music’s catalog and playback capabilities. Users log in with their Apple Music accounts, ensuring they have an active subscription for music playback. Our platform’s value lies in its tools—playlist scheduling and song requests—which are built on top of MusicKit’s APIs. We offer these features exclusively in Saudi Arabia. Legal Context in Saudi Arabia In Saudi Arabia, to our understanding, no special licenses are required for playing music in commercial venues like restaurants and cafes. This means our clients can use Apple Music subscriptions for playback without additional performance rights licenses. While this aligns with local laws, we recognize that Apple’s global policies may impose stricter requirements, prompting our need for clarification. Subscription Model and Monetization Concerns We charge a monthly subscription fee for access to our app’s features (e.g., scheduling playlists and managing song requests). This fee is separate from the Apple Music subscription, which users must maintain for playback. However, Apple’s MusicKit terms state: "You agree not to require payment for or indirectly monetize access to the Apple Music service." We’re concerned whether our subscription model might be interpreted as indirectly monetizing Apple Music access, given its reliance on MusicKit for functionality. Scheduling Feature and Synchronization Rights Our app allows businesses to schedule playlists for general time slots (e.g., “play this playlist from 6 PM to 8 PM”). It does not support precise scheduling, such as playing a specific song at an exact moment (e.g., “play this song at 7:30 PM”). Apple’s guidelines mention that “deeper or more complex music integration” may require additional licenses, like synchronization rights. We’re unsure if our general scheduling feature crosses this threshold or remains within MusicKit’s standard usage. Questions for Clarification We’d greatly appreciate expert input on the following: Monetization: Does our subscription fee for management features (scheduling and song requests) violate Apple’s policy against indirectly monetizing Apple Music access? Local Context: Given that Saudi Arabia requires no additional licenses for commercial music playback, does this impact our compliance with Apple’s global terms? Scheduling: Does our playlist scheduling for general time slots (not exact moments) fall within MusicKit’s permitted scope, or does it require further licensing? Thank you in advance for any insights or guidance to ensure our app aligns with Apple’s policies!
0
0
374
Mar ’25
Proposal for a Privacy-Focused, iOS-Exclusive Dating App
Hello Apple Developers, I’m reaching out to the community with a concept that I truly believe could be a natural fit for the Apple ecosystem: A privacy-focused, iOS-exclusive dating app designed to enhance connections between Apple users while staying true to Apple’s commitment to security and user privacy. The idea is to create an iOS-only dating platform that fosters relationships between users who are part of the Apple ecosystem. The app would integrate seamlessly with Apple’s services (iMessage, FaceTime, Siri, etc.) and provide a premium user experience, where privacy is a priority. Apple users already prefer to communicate using Apple services (iMessage, FaceTime). A dating app designed specifically for iOS users would deepen this ecosystem lock-in, making it easier for Apple customers to connect within a trusted space. Apple is already known for its privacy focus, and an iOS-exclusive dating app would build upon that reputation. It would ensure secure, private interactions, minimizing the risks associated with data sharing in most dating apps today. The app could integrate directly with features like iCloud, Apple Pay (for date-night bookings), and Siri (for matchmaking suggestions), offering users a truly native iOS experience. While the app would remain free to use, here are a few potential monetization methods: Bundling with Apple One/iCloud+ for premium matchmaking features. Apple Pay-based date-night deals with local partners. I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether Apple might be open to this idea. Would there be any challenges from a technical or business perspective in creating a dating app exclusively for iOS users? I’m looking forward to hearing from you all, and thank you for your time and insights. Yours Truly, CapNKirk P.S. This is an idea. But I do not care who uses, implements, or executes this idea. I just want to see Apple take advantage of it.
1
0
529
Mar ’25
Inconsistent history responses in early morning polls
I use the Apple Music API to poll my listening history at regular intervals. Every morning between 5:30AM and 7:30AM, I observe a strange pattern in the API responses. During this window, one or more of the regular polling intervals returns a response that differs significantly from the prior history response, even though I had no listening activity at that time. I'm using this endpoint: https://api.music.apple.com/v1/me/recent/played/tracks?types=songs,library-songs&include[library-songs]=catalog&include[songs]=albums,artists Here’s a concrete example from this morning: Time: 5:45AM Fetch 1 Tracks (subset): 1799261990, 1739657416, 1786317143, 1784288789, 1743250261, 1738681804, 1789325498, 1743036755, ... Time: 5:50AM Fetch 2 Tracks (subset): 1799261990, 1739657416, 1786317143, 1623924746, 1635185172, 1574004238, 1198763630, 1621299055, ... Time: 5:55AM Fetch 3 Tracks (subset): 1799261990, 1739657416, 1786317143, 1784288789, 1743250261, 1738681804, 1789325498, 1743036755, ... At 5:50, a materially different history is returned, then it returns back to the prior history at the next poll. I've listened to all of the tracks in each set, but the 5:50 history drops some tracks and returns some from further back in history. I've connected other accounts and the behavior is consistent and repeatable every day across them. It appears the API is temporarily returning a different (possibly outdated or cached?) view of the user's history during that early morning window. Has anyone seen this behavior before? Is this a known issue with the Apple Music API or MusicKit backend? I'd love any insights into what might cause this, or recommendations on how to work around it.
0
0
144
Apr ’25
MusicLibrary.createPlaylist() Method Causing App to Freeze Despite Proper Authorization Checks
Dear Apple Developer Community, I'm encountering a critical issue with the MusicLibrary.shared.createPlaylist() method in MusicKit that's affecting our app's core functionality. Despite implementing all recommended authorization checks, the app consistently freezes for some users when this method is called. What we've already verified before calling createPlaylist(): Network connectivity is properly checked and confirmed Apple Music authorization is explicitly requested via MusicAuthorization.request() User subscription status is verified using MusicSubscription.current.canPlayCatalogContent Despite these precautions, many users report that their app completely freezes when attempting to create a playlist. This is particularly concerning as playlist creation is a core feature of our application. User-reported workarounds (with mixed success): Some users have resolved the issue by restarting their devices or reinstalling our app Others report success after enabling "Sync Library" in Settings → Music Unfortunately, a significant number of users are still experiencing the issue even after trying both solutions above We've reviewed the MusicKit documentation thoroughly and ensured our implementation follows all best practices. Our app correctly handles permissions and uses the async/await pattern as required by the API. Is there a known issue with the createPlaylist() method that might cause it to block indefinitely? Are there additional authorization steps or settings we should be checking before calling this method? Could this be related to how MusicKit communicates with Apple Music servers? Any insights from the developer community or official guidance would be greatly appreciated as this issue is severely impacting our user experience. Thank you for your assistance
0
0
98
Apr ’25
Screen recording audio and video out of sync
I use startCaptureWithHandler to record screen and AVAssetWriter appendSampleBuffer: to save audio and video ,but when played the saved file audio and video are out of sync. I don t know if it s a AVAssetWriterInputr setup problem,here is my code NSDictionary *audioCompressionSettings = @{ AVEncoderBitRatePerChannelKey : @(64000), AVFormatIDKey : @(kAudioFormatMPEG4AAC), AVNumberOfChannelsKey : @(2), AVSampleRateKey : @(44100) }; AVAssetWriterInput *audioAssetWriterInput = [AVAssetWriterInput assetWriterInputWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeAudio outputSettings:audioCompressionSettings]; audioAssetWriterInput.expectsMediaDataInRealTime = YES; [_assetWriter addInput:audioAssetWriterInput]; NSDictionary *videoCompressSetting = @{AVVideoAverageBitRateKey:@(screenWidth*screenHeight*5), AVVideoMaxKeyFrameIntervalKey:@(30), AVVideoProfileLevelKey : AVVideoProfileLevelH264MainAutoLevel}; NSDictionary *codecSetting = @{AVVideoCodecKey:AVVideoCodecTypeH264, AVVideoScalingModeKey : AVVideoScalingModeResize, AVVideoWidthKey:@(screenWidth*2), AVVideoHeightKey:@(screenHeight*2), AVVideoCompressionPropertiesKey:videoCompressSetting }; AVAssetWriterInput* videoAssetWriterInput = [AVAssetWriterInput assetWriterInputWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeVideo outputSettings:codecSetting]; videoAssetWriterInput.expectsMediaDataInRealTime = YES; [_assetWriter addInput:videoAssetWriterInput];
1
0
139
Apr ’25
How do I find the catalogID for songs in a apple music playlist? (MusicKit & Apple Music API)
Hello, How do I find the apple music catalogID for songs in a apple music playlist? Im building an iOS app that uses MusicKit/Apple Music API. For this example, you can assume that my iOS app simply allows users to upload their apple music playlists. And when users open a specific playlist, I want to find the catalogID for each song. Currently all the songs are returning song IDs in this format “i.PkdJvPXI2AJgm8”. I believe these are libraryIDs, not catalogIDs. I’d like to find a front end solution using MusicKit. But perhaps a back end solution using the Apple Music Rest API is required. Any recommendations would be appreciated!
1
0
122
Jun ’25
401 Authorization error for Music Feed API
I've established proper authorization for general music api calls, but when I use that same authorization to retrieve metadata for the latest music feeds (see https://developer.apple.com/documentation/applemusicfeed/requesting-a-feed-export), I get a 401 Unauthorized error. As per the documentation, I'm simply issuing a GET against https://api.media.apple.com/v1/feed/album/latest. Are there different entitlements needed for the Music Feed API?
2
0
105
May ’25
Album parquet files don't include song names
The documentation of the Apple Music Feed API states that the Album object would include songs — a list of songs in the album. As per the doc, this would be an array of object Album.RelatedSong, which would include both an id and nameDefault. Unfortunately, the album parquet files only include the song id and not the name of the song itself. Please advise - is the documentation incorrect or are the recently posted parquet files in error?
0
0
81
May ’25
Invalid album IDs in parquet files
I’m spot-checking some of the data I’m extracting from the Apple Music Feed parquet files and finding numerous issues of invalid album IDs. For example, just looking at any album with a primary artist id of 163043, I see a few albums that are not available at music.apple.com/us/album/NNN. These include: 981094158 - Time and the River 1803443737 - Celebration (Live New York ’80) 1525426873 - Anything You Want: The Warner-Reprise-Elektra Years I notice that neither of these album ids are returned using the general Music API, so I’m a bit confused why they would exist in the parquet files at all. Thanks.
1
0
122
May ’25
MusicKit developer token issue
I'm reaching out regarding a recurring issue I'm experiencing with MusicKit developer tokens. I'm using a valid .p8 private key to sign JWTs for Apple MusicKit integration. Each token I generate includes the appropriate claims (iss, iat, exp) and is signed with the ES256 algorithm, with an expiration date set approximately 6 months ahead. Everything works as expected immediately after generating the token. However, after a few days, the same JWT (still well within its expiration period) suddenly begins returning invalid/unauthorized responses when used in Postman and other API clients. Importantly: I did not delete or revoke the .p8 key during this time. I verified the JWT contains valid claims and a proper structure. The issue consistently resolves only when I create a new .p8 file and regenerate a fresh JWT with it—after which the cycle repeats. This issue occurs even when the environment and app identifiers remain unchanged. I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me understand: Why these tokens become invalid after a few days, despite having a long exp value and an unchanged key. Whether there's any automatic revocation or timeout policy on .p8 keys that could explain this behavior. If there's a better way to maintain long-lived developer tokens without requiring new .p8 key generation every few days. Thank you for your help and clarification on this issue. Best regards, Liad Altif
0
0
149
Jun ’25
[CoreImage] OS 26 breaks Metal kernels for CIFilters
I maintain a couple of CoreImage libraries that provide custom Metal kernel backed CIFilters. In iOS/iPadOS 26, the CIColorKernel.apply() method invoked in the CIFilter subclass fails to add the coreimage::destination parameter to the Metal function call: -[CIColorKernel applyWithExtent:arguments:options:] argument count mismatch for kernel 'FractalNoise3D', expected 13 but saw 12. I've compiled the code with Xcode 26 and deployed to iOS 18 devices without any breakage, so this is definitely an iOS problem, not an Xcode problem. Library here: https://github.com/JoshuaSullivan/SimplexNoiseFilter Feedback ID: FB17874311
1
0
188
Jun ’25
Apple Music API High Error Rate
I am getting high error rates from the Apple Music API. This has been happening for months now, and it is quite frustrating. It is a mix of 404, 504, and random 500 errors. I hit these endpoints all of the time, so it is not like I am hitting a resource that doesn't exist. Why is this happening? Is this a known issue that is getting worked on?
0
0
91
Jun ’25
ffmpeg xcframework not working on Mac, but working correctly on iOS
I have an app (currently in development stage) which needs to use ffmpeg, so I tried searching how to embed ffmpeg in apple apps and found this article https://doc.qt.io/qt-6/qtmultimedia-building-ffmpeg-ios.html It is working correctly for iOS but not for macOS ( I have made changes macOS specific using chatgpt and traditional web searching) Drive link for the file and instructions which I'm following: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11wqlvb8SU2thMSfII4_Xm3Kc2fPSCZed?usp=share_link Please can someone from apple or in general help me to figure out what I'm doing wrong?
1
0
202
Jun ’25