Keeping Playback Consistent from the Lock Screen

The issues identified shortly after launch were not missing features but state inconsistencies between existing ones. The lock screen controls, mini player, and actual audio output were each referencing independent playback state. A stop command issued from one interface could leave another showing an active playback state — a discrepancy invisible in feature specs but directly damaging to perceived reliability.

The focus of this update was state alignment rather than new surface area. Now Playing, lock screen remote controls, the mini player, and Reels playback were each managing their own state independently; these have been consolidated into a single authoritative flow. Audio session handling and track load timing were adjusted to remain consistent with that flow, and the points at which effects and reverb are applied were realigned to the same state reference.

Alongside playback consistency, the way content surfaces in recommendation and discovery views was also refined. A stable, predictable path from splash to first playback is a prerequisite for all subsequent navigation to behave as expected.