All media associated with audio will not play

[Rejesto]

I use a Motorola G4, fully updated to the latest version, with no notable damage. I have never encountered any bugs/errors with the phone up until now.

About two weeks ago I tried to use Google with voice using "Ok Google" and received no response. When pressing the microphone button I was prompted with "Google is not available right now."

Google worked fine in-app and I could search - my internet was working fine. I figured it was an issue with my microphone.

Later I found my music would not play through play music. When I chose the shuffle option, it would seem my phone was attempting to play the song, but finding it was not possible and rapidly going through them until reaching the end of my playlist.

Finally I found that video didn't work either. Boomerang loops on Instagram do, so I figured it was because they were audio free - other videos on Instagram did not work. When trying to record video, the phone says it "failed".

I am now left with a phone that's speaker will not function, and even when plugging I'm external audio hardware such as speakers or headphones no audio will work, including making calls. It will not play videos associated with audio, even refusing to play on platforms such as VLC and YouTube. It will not record video, or register audio.

One might understand why this has left me a little miffed.

Is this a problem that can be fixed by disabling some hidden away function in my phone? Or is it likely that I will have to send this back to the manufacturer?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Try wiping the cache partition: https://motorola-mobility-en-in.cus...prod_answer_detail/a_id/110826/p/30,6720,9686. If that doesn't work, does it also happen in Safe Mode? https://motorola-mobility-en-in.cus...prod_answer_detail/a_id/110838/p/30,6720,9686

 

[Rejesto]

I did all that you suggested, and it showed up some interesting results

Partition Clear: I had to try this a couple times as my volume buttons fell off, I had to use a fork. I was a bit surprised at first, as I expected it would take between 5 - 10 minutes, however, it took just little under 3 seconds. I booted up the phone once more, but found no change

Safe Mode: Safe mode presented more favourable results. I started by saying "Ok Google", and was pleasantly surprised to see the phone recognise the phrase and pull up Google. I could search using my voice, and my microphone seemed to function perfectly. Sadly the phone would not output audio from the speaker, but videos were no longer giving out error messages, and shuffling my music allowed the songs to play (in silence) until the end, without switching almost instantly to the next song. This sparked an idea, and I plugged my headphones in, and they worked fine.

Would a fair assumption be that a third party application is causing audio related problems, and my speaker is just broken?

 

[Rejesto]

Update*

I have just attempted to launch the phone in safe mode for the second time, and it is not performing in the same way it did originally, no sound, play music bugging out, headphones refusing to work.

If this information is of any use, the first time I loaded up safe mode it was the first time I had gotten the "intro", the video with the dog, lips, daft punk doing s backup ect..

I also tried uninstalling apps and completing another cache clear before going back into safe mode for a third time, no change.

 

[B. Diddy]

Has the phone had any trauma, like drops? When you mentioned that the volume button fell off, that made me wonder if the phone has been knocked around a little, which would mean that anything is possible.

 

[Rejesto]

The phone has had drops, but none that I would have thought to damage the phone, all less than two meters. The phone also has a protective case.

 

[B. Diddy]

Might have been enough to disrupt the speaker, perhaps by loosening a connection. If you're handy, you could try opening it up and seeing if anything is loose:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1Pxjjv_D30