Prevent Audio Interruption & Add Floating Audio Controls for Sidebar Messengers

oaking

oaking

Dear Opera Team,

I would like to propose a feature enhancement regarding the behavior of integrated messengers (such as WhatsApp and Telegram) in the Opera sidebar.

Currently, when a messenger in the sidebar is playing audio (such as a voice message), and the sidebar is closed or loses focus, the audio playback stops immediately. This issue does not occur when these services are opened in standard browser tabs, where audio continues playing even if the tab is inactive.

I understand this might be a resource-saving measure, but it negatively affects user experience, especially for those who rely on the sidebar for quick communication and message listening.

I would like to suggest the following improvements:

Allow Background Audio Playback in Sidebar Messengers
Add a setting or toggle that enables audio to continue playing even when the sidebar loses focus or is closed. This would ensure a more seamless user experience.

Introduce a Floating Audio Control Window for Sidebar Messengers
Implement a floating control panel that appears when hovering the mouse over the icon of a sidebar messenger currently playing audio.
This control window could be similar to the one already used for sidebar music players and include the following controls:

Play/Pause button

Rewind and fast-forward buttons

Playback speed adjustment (e.g., 1x, 1.5x, 2x)

This addition would significantly enhance usability and multitasking, allowing users to manage audio playback without keeping the sidebar open.

These features would make the Opera sidebar not only more functional but also more competitive for users who multitask with messaging apps.

Thank you for considering these suggestions and for your continued dedication to improving Opera.

leocg

leocg Moderator Volunteer @oaking

@oaking One suggestion per topic please.