TL;DR
Requesting a system-level iOS feature or API to prioritize background audio over foreground app interruptions for enhanced neurodivergent accessibility.
Granular Audio Session Priority and Control Center Override
For users who rely on parallel cognitive processing - such as neurodivergent individuals managing attention through sensory layering like jumping across apps - abrupt audio interruptions are deeply disruptive.
One scenario - a user is deep in cognitive flow listening to audio via Apple Music. They then switch to Instagram to check a text or post as natural neurodivergent attention switching and a video automatically fires up audio and instantly cuts the track playing on Apple Music. Regaining the audio stream requires manual intervention and therefore a breaking of focus.
Proposal - I would love and suggest a native iOS feature or Control Center overlay allowing users to define audio hierarchy across apps, e.g. by locking background media as primary; open for ideas of course. This may as well be useful in therapeutical setups to easily silence potential notifications of lower priority over audio media designed to sensorically set guidelines for a session.
Scope - while potentially helpful to users in the audio engineering and music playing scene running third-party-apps like Ableton and such, the feature request is intended to assist a basic and non-teh-savvy iOS user.
Technical Question - is there any undocumented or upcoming capability within AVAudioSession categories/modes that could allow a developer to gracefully intercept or suppress automatic audio ducking/interruption from third-party foreground apps?
PS
First post. Nothing similar found on the forum. Nice request. Would love feedback or a technical review on feasibility.