Former iPhoner, trying Android. A solution for limited headphone controls for podcasts/music?

A

AC Question

I just got the S5 a week ago, and I came from a 3GS (yes, you can laugh at me :)). My return policy period ends on Saturday, so I'm hoping to get this figured out before I have to consider going back to an iPhone. I listen to podcasts on a daily basis on my public transportation commute and at times music. I want to have quite a bit of control of music and podcasts from headphone controls. One thing that my iPhone did was be able to skip tracks and go back to previous tracks with music, fast forward/rewind with both music and podcast, pause/play, control volume, bring up the Siri equivalent.

It seems like my S5 Android can only do some of these. FYI, I am currently trying Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts and the default “Music” app. I can do the following controls: pause/play, skip to next music track, rewind 15 sec. in podcasts, volume, and S-Voice/Google Search. But I cannot fast forward in a podcast, nor can I go back to the previous music track or fast forward/rewind in a music track.

These features are with the apps by themselves. I have also tried layering on JAYS Headset Controls, which does exactly what I want for the two podcast apps. The only problem is that it will only work for one app at a time. So if I have it set for PocketCasts and I try to use the controls for music, it won't work but will start the podcast on the podcast app. To make it work for music, I'd have to manually switch the "Target media player" settings from "PocketCasts" to "Music", which I don't want to have to do. I'd like the controls to control the last used media app (which it does now w/out JAYS and the iPhone did)

My questions:

1) How can I get these features I desire working? This may be a dealbreaker for the Android since I feel I need all these features given how much I used them. I feel like if I can get this to work (and w/wireless headphones (below)), I feel like I would likely keep my Android even with the other different things I don't like vs. iPhone. I am open to a different podcast software (even paid app).

2) If I buy any S5 compatible Bluetooth headphones, will I have this same full functionality that I would have with the Samsung headphones? In other words, if I can find a solution to my control problem with the Samsung headphones, will any S5 compatible Bluetooth headphones have the same control ability?

Thanks so much in advance for your help!
 

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