Mimicking Apple's double tap home button for music controls

mrochester

Hi all

I listen to lots of music on my phone, whether it be in the car or at the gym. The ability to double press the home button on the lock screen to call up the music/media controls is a huge timesaver on the iPhone. This works whether you are currently playing music, or last played music yesterday (it remembers what you last listened to, and the controls will operate that thing when you call them up). I also have a Nexus 4, which I've tried for a week to use instead of the iPhone 5, but I'm really struggling with the music control. As the 16GB Nexus 4 doesn't have enough storage space for my entire collection, I've tried using Google Music. This works fine from the lock screen when I'm actually playing music. However, if I haven't listened to any music for a while, the music controls vanish from the lock screen meaning I have to unlock the phone and open up the Google Music app to start something playing again.

Is there a way to mimic the iPhone functionality in Android? I got so frustrated with the constant unlocking to get music playing again that I switched my sim back to the iPhone. I don't want to replace the existing lock screen, I just want to be able to call up the media control keys from the lock screen and start something playing.

Many thanks

M.

grumbler

Can you not add 'app starter' to the lockscreen?
In my custom ROM it's Settings >> CyanogenMod settings >> Lockscreen >> Stile Options >> Custom Applications

Also, Lockscreen >> Widget options >> Always display music controls

mrochester

grumbler wrote: »

Can you not add 'app starter' to the lockscreen?
In my custom ROM it's Settings >> CyanogenMod settings >> Lockscreen >> Stile Options >> Custom Applications

Also, Lockscreen >> Widget options >> Always display music controls

No such option on the Nexus 4...

grumbler

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.conduit.locker&hl=en ?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.widgetlocker&hl=en ?

I think there are many similar ones, but I am surprised that there is no a built-in option in the most recent Android OS.

mrochester

grumbler wrote: »

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.conduit.locker&hl=en ?

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.widgetlocker&hl=en ?

I think there are many similar ones, but I am surprised that there is no a built-in option in the most recent Android OS.

I've installed the first but it appears to replace entirely the lock screen I already have (I want to keep the existing default lock screen) and I can't find any settings for requiring a PIN to unlock the device.