Overview
Audio Access+ ensures every visitor can engage with your stories, regardless of whether they brought their own headphones. Within your Empower PWA, visitors can choose the method that suits them best in the moment:
Headphones: The classic, immersive way to enjoy audio.
Phone-to-ear: Perfect for those who forgot their headphones—visitors hold their phone to their ear to listen like a standard phone call. This keeps your Venue quiet for others without requiring extra hardware.
Transcript-only: A best-practice approach for inclusive design. It supports visitors who are hearing impaired or those who simply prefer to read while in a quiet zone.
Giving visitors control over how they consume content makes for a much smoother journey. We've found around 60% of visitors don't always carry headphones, these flexible options ensure your storytelling is accessible to everyone.
Device Differences (iOS vs. Android)
Because Audio Access+ relies on specific device sensors to recognize when the phone is held to the ear, the experience varies slightly depending on the visitor's device.
Following Google’s deprecation of Instant Apps in December 2025, there is a small difference in how visitors access the phone-to-ear feature:
On iOS: When a visitor selects Phone to ear and taps Play, a small "App Clip" window appears automatically. They press play and raise the phone to their ear to start the audio.
On Android: The first time a visitor selects Phone to ear, they will be prompted to download the Audio Access+ utility app from the Google Play Store in 1 click. When they open the app, they are linked directly to the audio and can raise their phone to ear to start the audio.
Android flow when a visitor has already set the Phone to Ear preference but has not yet pressed play
The Visitor Journey
As your visitors navigate your Venue, here is how they will interact with Audio Access+:
Initial Prompt | Phone to Ear Selected | Hitting play on iOS |
| 
| 
|
| If a visitor selects "Phone to ear," the main play button will visually update to indicate this preference. | On iOS: When they press play, a small window (mini app) will appear, instructing them to raise their phone to their ear to start the audio. |
Hitting Play On Android | Ready to play audio |
|
| 
|
|
When an Android user selects "Phone-to-ear" for the first time, they will be directed to the Google Play Store to download the Audio Access+ app. | The phone sensor on both platforms recognizes when the phone is positioned near your ear and begins to play |
|
First Encounter with Audio
When a visitor accesses a space or object containing audio for the first time, they will see a prompt asking "How would you like to listen?". They can select Headphones, Phone to ear, or Transcript to begin playback. While they can dismiss the prompt, the audio will stay paused until a choice is made to ensure they are ready.
Managing Preferences
Visitors aren't locked into their first choice. They can easily change their preferred playback method or language at any time. They simply need to Navigate to the Settings menu, located within the My Visit section of the PWA.
Accessing Transcripts
If you have uploaded a transcript and the visitor selects Transcript, the text will be displayed immediately. If they select Transcript for an item where one hasn't been provided yet, they will receive a friendly prompt to adjust their settings to one of the audio modes instead.
Playback Controls
During playback (via phone-to-ear), a dedicated interface provides standard controls.
On iOS: Visitors will see a "mini-app" overlay. Once finished, they can tap Return to browser to continue their journey in the PWA.
On Android: The Audio Access+ app will open to manage the playback. Once the audio is finished, visitors can choose to Play again or switch back to their browser to continue exploring your Venue.
Why the extra step for Android users? The Phone-to-ear mode relies on specific device sensors to recognize when the phone is held correctly to auto-play and pause. Installing the full app ensures this sensor technology works reliably and securely across the Android ecosystem after Google depreciated Instant Apps late 2025.
Best Practices
To provide the most inclusive experience, we recommend providing transcripts for all your audio content where possible. This ensures that even in quiet zones or for those with hearing impairments, your stories are still heard.
You're all set! Contact Customer Success if you have any further questions.