After using Music Assistant’s PWA in the browser, I found myself wanting more reliable media controls, an app that would work in my car (to ultimately replace Spotify!) and a way to eliminate the web browser UI bloat. So, I built MassDroid, a native Android wrapper that bridges the gap between the web interface and Android’s ecosystem.
The Problem with Browser-Based Playback
The PWA works great for browsing and basic playback, but Android doesn’t treat browser tabs very politely.
| Scenario | Browser PWA | MassDroid |
|---|---|---|
| Lock screen controls | Play/Pause only | Full controls + seek bar |
| Bluetooth headphone buttons | Hit or miss | Reliable |
| Car stereo integration | Often broken | Works seamlessly |
| Background playback | Android may kill the tab | Protected foreground service |
What MassDroid Adds
- Full MediaSession Integration – Lock screen, notification shade, Bluetooth, full Wear OS controls.
- Album Artwork – Displayed everywhere Android shows now-playing info
- Seekable Progress Bar – Scrub through tracks from the notification
- Auto-play on Bluetooth – Music starts when you connect your headphones/car
- Auto-resume on Network Change – Seamless handoff between WiFi and mobile data
- mTLS Support – Client certificate authentication for secured servers
- Customizable Accent Colors – Match your theme
How It Works
MassDroid loads the full Music Assistant UI in a WebView, then injects a JavaScript bridge that intercepts navigator.mediaSession calls. This means:
- You get the exact same UI you’re used to
- All PWA features work normally
- Native Android controls “just work”
Download
- GitHub: GitHub - sfortis/massdroid: MassDroid is a native Android companion app for Music Assistant, offering seamless integration with Android's native media controls. Manage your music from the lock screen, notification shade, Bluetooth headphones, car stereo, or Wear OS watch.
- Latest Release: Release MassDroid v1.0.2 · sfortis/massdroid · GitHub
- Requirements: Android 8.0+, Music Assistant server
Feedback and contributions welcome!