Implement persistent foreground service to keep calls active in background, with notification controls for managing the call #5660

tareko · 2025-12-20T13:12:48Z

This PR is in response to Issue #1688 . In summary, if PIP is not available, the call ends and this should not happen. I used ChatGPT Codex, Claude, and localAI via Qwen3-coder to generate the code in this PR. Within my personal programming abilities, I still believe the code is elegant. I've used the test app for several calls with no issues on a P6P with latest android.

This PR implements two key functions:

It allows the call to remain active even if PIP is not enabled and it is in the background
It creates a persistent notification that:
a. Allows users to return to the call
b. Allows users to end an active call directly from the persistent notification without needing to return to the CallActivity

Features

Add CallForegroundService with persistent notification
Support calls in background without requiring picture-in-picture mode
Add "Return to call" and "End call" action buttons to CallForegroundService notification with corresponding PendingIntent
Handle proper foreground service types for microphone/camera permissions
Add notification permission and fallback messaging.
Add EndCallReceiver to handle end call broadcasts from notification action
Use existing ic_baseline_close_24 drawable for end call action icon
Register broadcast receiver in CallActivity to handle end call requests from notification using ReceiverFlag.NotExported for Android 14+ compatibility
Add proper cleanup flow: notification action → EndCallReceiver → CallActivity → proper hangup sequence
Track intentional call leaving to prevent unwanted service restarts
Release proximity sensor lock properly during notification-triggered hangup
Add diagnostic logging throughout the end call flow for debugging

The implementation follows Android best practices:

Uses NotExported receiver flag for internal app-only broadcasts
Properly unregisters receivers in onDestroy to prevent leaks
Uses immutable PendingIntents for security
Maintains proper state management during call termination

🏁 Checklist

⛑️ Tests (unit and/or integration) are included or not needed
🔖 Capability is checked or not needed
🔙 Backport requests are created or not needed: /backport to stable-xx.x
📅 Milestone is set
🌸 PR title is meaningful (if it should be in the changelog: is it meaningful to users?)

…round, with notification controls for managing the call - Add CallForegroundService with persistent notification - Support calls in background without requiring picture-in-picture mode - Add "Return to call" and "End call" action buttons to CallForegroundService notification with corresponding PendingIntent - Handle proper foreground service types for microphone/camera permissions - Add notification permission and fallback messaging. - Add EndCallReceiver to handle end call broadcasts from notification action - Use existing ic_baseline_close_24 drawable for end call action icon - Register broadcast receiver in CallActivity to handle end call requests from notification using ReceiverFlag.NotExported for Android 14+ compatibility - Add proper cleanup flow: notification action → EndCallReceiver → CallActivity → proper hangup sequence - Track intentional call leaving to prevent unwanted service restarts - Release proximity sensor lock properly during notification-triggered hangup - Add diagnostic logging throughout the end call flow for debugging The implementation follows Android best practices: - Uses NotExported receiver flag for internal app-only broadcasts - Properly unregisters receivers in onDestroy to prevent leaks - Uses immutable PendingIntents for security - Maintains proper state management during call termination Signed-off-by: Tarek Loubani <[email protected]>

…tyle Signed-off-by: Tarek Loubani <[email protected]>

sowjanyakch · 2025-12-30T17:36:47Z

Thank you for the PR @tareko
We will review your PR soon.

github-actions · 2026-01-04T02:13:01Z

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mahibi

Thank you @tareko
Also thanks to let us know that AI was used.

The code looks okay so far from my side.
I tested and it works quite fine.

But i had one situation that is a blocker (could not reproduce it yet):
I think i pressed the hangup button in the app.
The app froze, but audio connection was oneside from web to android.
Even when i killed the app and also the notification was not shown anymore, the onesided audio connection continued.
We will have to test and analyze how this happens.

I might not find enough time in the next weeks to analyze and test appropriately.
So @sowjanyakch and @rapterjet2004 , please also review and test.

@tareko Could you also please fix the warnings in
https://app.codacy.com/gh/nextcloud/talk-android/pull-requests/5660/issues
?

mahibi · 2026-01-09T14:25:26Z

app/src/main/java/com/nextcloud/talk/activities/CallActivity.kt

            if (java.lang.Boolean.TRUE == audioPermission) {
                Log.d(TAG, "Microphone permission was granted")
            } else {
+                Log.d(TAG, "Microphone permission was denied")


"...was denied" logs are misleading here.
While the "...was granted" indicate that that some permission is already available, the else branch will just add strings to the dialog that tell why permission xy should be granted.
So the logs should better be "... permission is not yet grnated and will be asked for"

mahibi · 2026-01-09T15:38:35Z

app/src/main/java/com/nextcloud/talk/services/CallForegroundService.kt

+
+        // DIAGNOSTIC: Logging icon resource availability
+        Log.d("CallForegroundService", "Creating end call action - checking icon resources")
+        Log.d("CallForegroundService", "Using ic_baseline_close_24 instead of non-existent ic_close_white_24px")


these diagnostic logs/comments about the icon should be deleted?

mahibi · 2026-01-09T15:40:48Z

app/src/main/java/com/nextcloud/talk/activities/CallActivity.kt

    }
+
+    // Broadcast receiver to handle end call from notification
+    private val endCallFromNotificationReceiver = object : BroadcastReceiver() {


please move this receiver up above the companion object

mahibi · 2026-01-09T16:12:14Z

.vscode/settings.json

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+    "java.configuration.updateBuildConfiguration": "interactive"
+}


could you remove the file and add
.vscode/
to gitignore?

tareko force-pushed the fix-background-death-2 branch from 74d1035 to ce14a04 Compare December 20, 2025 13:19

AndyScherzinger requested review from mahibi, rapterjet2004 and sowjanyakch December 21, 2025 08:49

AndyScherzinger added the 3. to review Waiting for reviews label Dec 21, 2025

Make logging of warnings and errors more consistent with repository s…

b65b985

…tyle Signed-off-by: Tarek Loubani <[email protected]>

github-actions bot added the feedback-requested label Jan 4, 2026

mahibi requested changes Jan 9, 2026

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Implement persistent foreground service to keep calls active in background, with notification controls for managing the call #5660

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+              {
+                  "java.configuration.updateBuildConfiguration": "interactive"
+              }

                
                    No newline at end of file

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tareko commented Dec 20, 2025

Features

🏁 Checklist

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