Android MediaPlayer won't play music on API 26+

Question

I have an app that streams music for the user, this code works fine ok on devices running Android up to API 25, when i test in a device running API 26 or greater the Music wont play and wont show an error message either, attached is my log when using API 28 device.

What i have tried:

• MediaPlayer.setAudioStreamType(int streamtype) Deprecated so i implemented AudioAttributes for API above 26
• Different types of mp3 files, but they all play the same in api 25 and below, when i try on device or emulator with API 26 nothing happens

• Search in the docs and examples, but all look the same i see no difference in my code

  private void playMusic() {
  try {
      mMediaPlayer.reset();
  
      // For Android API 26 (Android 8 Oreo) and newer, specify AudioAttributes.
      if (android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
          Log.d("Record", "setAudioAttributes()");
          AudioAttributes.Builder builder = new AudioAttributes.Builder();
          builder.setUsage(AudioAttributes.USAGE_MEDIA);
          builder.setContentType(AudioAttributes.CONTENT_TYPE_MUSIC);
          AudioAttributes attributes = builder.build();
          mMediaPlayer.setAudioAttributes(attributes);
  
      } else {
          Log.d("Record", "setAudioStreamType()");
          mMediaPlayer.setAudioStreamType(AudioManager.STREAM_MUSIC);
      }
  
      mMediaPlayer.setDataSource(String.format("http://www.server.com/mp3/%s.mp3", mp3File));
      mMediaPlayer.prepareAsync();
      mMediaPlayer.start();
  
  } catch (IOException e) {
      Log.d("Record", "error playing mp3");
      e.printStackTrace();
  }
  }
  

Log

2019-04-04 17:51:38.911 2947-24864/com.roneskinder.karaoke 
V/MediaPlayer: resetDrmState:  mDrmInfo=null mDrmProvisioningThread=null mPrepareDrmInProgress=false mActiveDrmScheme=false
2019-04-04 17:51:38.911 2947-24864/com.roneskinder.karaoke V/MediaPlayer: cleanDrmObj: mDrmObj=null mDrmSessionId=null
2019-04-04 17:51:38.913 2947-3054/com.roneskinder.karaoke D/EGL_emulation: eglMakeCurrent: 0xe830ce20: ver 3 0 (tinfo 0xe8315bd0)
2019-04-04 17:51:38.915 2947-24864/com.roneskinder.karaoke V/MediaHTTPService: MediaHTTPService(android.media.MediaHTTPService@aa03fa3): Cookies: null
2019-04-04 17:51:38.920 2947-4147/com.roneskinder.karaoke V/MediaHTTPService: makeHTTPConnection: CookieHandler (java.net.CookieManager@ead45b3) exists.
2019-04-04 17:51:38.920 2947-4147/com.roneskinder.karaoke V/MediaHTTPService: makeHTTPConnection(android.media.MediaHTTPService@aa03fa3): cookieHandler: java.net.CookieManager@ead45b3 Cookies: null

Answer 1

You need to define a res/xml/network_security_config.xml and permit HTTP for that host:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<network-security-config>
    <domain-config cleartextTrafficPermitted="true">
        <domain includeSubdomains="true">server.com</domain>
    </domain-config>
</network-security-config>

That network_security_config.xml also needs to be referenced in the Manifest.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest
    ...>
    <application
        android:networkSecurityConfig="@xml/network_security_config"
        ...>
            ...
    </application>
</manifest>

The SDK documentation explains it all in detail - and this applies to all network traffic an app creates.

Instead of lowering the security standards, upgrading the connection to HTTPS should be preferred.

---

And concerning that one deprecated method .setAudioStreamType(), use .setAudioAttributes() instead - as your code already does. It does not seem to be the "main problem" here; verified that.

Answer 2

Just Add one line in application Tag

<application
        .......
        android:usesCleartextTraffic="true"
        .......>
        .......
    </application>