[Feature]: Audio cues for voice/video session events

[bryanchriswhite]

Feature Category

Voice/Video

Problem Statement

Currently, there is no audible feedback when events occur during voice and video sessions. Users have no way to know — without constantly watching the screen — when someone joins a call, when a screenshare begins or ends, or when a viewer joins or leaves a screenshare. This makes it easy to miss important moments, especially when multitasking or when the Stoat window is not in focus.

Desired Outcome

Users should hear distinct, unobtrusive audio cues for key voice/video session events so they can stay aware of what's happening without needing to watch the screen continuously.

Proposed Solution

Add short, distinct notification sounds for the following events:

• User joins voice/video channel — a subtle "pop" or chime when a participant connects.
• User leaves voice/video channel — a softer or descending tone when a participant disconnects.
• Screenshare begins — a brief alert sound when someone starts sharing their screen.
• Screenshare ends — a corresponding sound when the screenshare stops.
• Screenshare viewer joins — a light tick or tone when someone starts viewing the active screenshare.
• Screenshare viewer leaves — a matching but distinct sound when a viewer stops watching.

Each sound should be short (< 1 second), non-intrusive, and distinguishable from the others. Users should be able to toggle individual event sounds on/off and adjust volume independently from other application audio, via a settings panel.

Alternatives Considered

• Visual-only notifications (toasts/banners): These are easily missed when the app is not in focus or the user is looking elsewhere. Audio cues solve this without requiring visual attention.
• System-level OS notifications: These are heavier-weight, platform-dependent, and less granular. In-app sounds provide a more integrated and customizable experience.

Acceptance Criteria

• Audio cue plays when a user joins a voice/video channel
• Audio cue plays when a user leaves a voice/video channel
• Audio cue plays when a screenshare session begins
• Audio cue plays when a screenshare session ends
• Audio cue plays when a viewer joins an active screenshare
• Audio cue plays when a viewer leaves an active screenshare
• Each event has a distinct, distinguishable sound
• Users can enable/disable sounds per event type in settings
• Users can adjust notification sound volume independently

Priority (reporter perspective)

Medium

Scope and Impact

This affects all users who participate in or monitor voice/video channels. The impact is highest for users who multitask during calls or moderate active channels, as they currently have no passive way to track session activity without watching the screen. This is a standard expectation set by comparable communication platforms.

Supporting Context

Comparable platforms (Discord, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom) all provide audio cues for join/leave and screenshare events, making this a well-established UX convention that users will expect.

Pre-submission Checklist

• I searched for existing duplicate issues.
• I described the user problem and desired outcome.
• I included acceptance criteria and impact.