Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

What’s the technical reason for the launch? Lots of people report Music launching when they connect a headset, but it doesn’t happen to me with my Mac and headset. Do some headsets (like many cars…) issue a ‘play’ command to the device after connection?

Not trying to argue that Apple shouldn’t provide a way to stop this - just curious about why it happens at all.



My phone immediately starts playing some song in Apple Music that I haven't listened to in literal years every time it connects to my car's BT.

I went through and did whatever it is that's supposed to stop this...but, it doesn't work. So, I sit there listening to 4 seconds of Beck while cursing each and every day.


FWIW, it’s the car that’s issuing the play command. I don’t understand why cars do this. Doesn’t make it less annoying than it being the phone’s ‘fault’ of course.

I did manage to stop this by making a shortcut that pauses media after a Bluetooth or CarPlay connection to my car. Sometimes get a second or two of whatever’s playing, but other than that it works.


Apparently people work around this with an AAAAAAlbum containing 8 hours of silence.


might be scary if you're driving at night on a dark windy road and volume is high when the 8 hours is up....


I do think it’s something specific to some models of Bluetooth headphones. AirPods don’t do it, and while it’s been a while since I’ve used my Sony XM4’s with a Mac I don’t recall them doing it either.


All I can figure is some send a “play” command automatically when they connect, and some don’t.


From my personal experience, macOS will default to Apple Music even when there is a Spotify song on pause or a YouTube video open.

They’re using “default to” as an effective nudge mechanism towards their moat.


Yeah, I think some headsets issue Play when connecting. I had a frustrating moment yesterday on a Macbook:

- I was connected to a video call with Bluetooth headphones.

- It turns out the headphones were also connected to my phone at the same time, because it started ringing via the headphones and I couldn't hear anything on the video call.

- I rejected the call.

- The headphones attempted to resume what I was doing by sending the Play command to the Macbook.

- iTunes then opened covering up my video call window.

- I tried to close with CMD+W, iTunes didn't let me because I wasn't logged in and apparently the login window isn't allowed to be closed by itself.

- I manage to close the iTunes window and try to remember what I was saying on the call.

This was all due to terrible decisions by both Apple and Sennheiser imo.




Consider applying for YC's Summer 2026 batch! Applications are open till May 4

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: