With webkit the plugin is enabled by default without the need to play audio

src/ios/APPBackgroundMode.m

@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ NSString* const kAPPBackgroundEventFailure = @"failure";
 - (void) pluginInitialize
 {
     [self.commandDelegate runInBackground:^{
-        enabled = NO;
+        enabled = [self.class isRunningWebKit];
         [self configureAudioPlayer];
         [self configureAudioSession];
         [self observeLifeCycle];
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ NSString* const kAPPBackgroundEventFailure = @"failure";
                          name:UIApplicationWillEnterForegroundNotification
                        object:nil];
     
+    if ([self.class isRunningWebKit])
+        return;
+
         [listener addObserver:self
                      selector:@selector(handleAudioSessionInterruption:)
                          name:AVAudioSessionInterruptionNotification
@@ -92,6 +95,9 @@ NSString* const kAPPBackgroundEventFailure = @"failure";
  */
 - (void) enable:(CDVInvokedUrlCommand*)command
 {
+    if (enabled)
+        return;
+    
     enabled = YES;
     [self execCallback:command];
 }
@@ -102,6 +108,9 @@ NSString* const kAPPBackgroundEventFailure = @"failure";
  */
 - (void) disable:(CDVInvokedUrlCommand*)command
 {
+    if (!enabled || [self.class isRunningWebKit])
+        return;
+    
     enabled = NO;
     [self stopKeepingAwake];
     [self execCallback:command];
@@ -118,7 +127,10 @@ NSString* const kAPPBackgroundEventFailure = @"failure";
     if (!enabled)
         return;
 
+    if (![self.class isRunningWebKit]) {
         [audioPlayer play];
+    }
+    
     [self fireEvent:kAPPBackgroundEventActivate];
 }
 
@@ -131,7 +143,7 @@ NSString* const kAPPBackgroundEventFailure = @"failure";
         NSLog(@"BackgroundMode: On simulator apps never pause in background!");
     }
 
-    if (audioPlayer.isPlaying) {
+    if (audioPlayer.isPlaying || [self.class isRunningWebKit]) {
         [self fireEvent:kAPPBackgroundEventDeactivate];
     }
 
@@ -164,6 +176,9 @@ NSString* const kAPPBackgroundEventFailure = @"failure";
     AVAudioSession* session = [AVAudioSession
                                sharedInstance];
 
+    if ([self.class isRunningWebKit])
+        return;
+    
     // Don't activate the audio session yet
     [session setActive:NO error:NULL];
 
@@ -201,6 +216,14 @@ NSString* const kAPPBackgroundEventFailure = @"failure";
     [self keepAwake];
 }
 
+/**
+ * Find out if the app runs inside the webkit powered webview.
+ */
++ (BOOL) isRunningWebKit
+{
+    return IsAtLeastiOSVersion(@"8.0") && NSClassFromString(@"CDVWKWebViewEngine");
+}
+
 /**
  * Method to fire an event with some parameters in the browser.
  */
@@ -231,15 +254,12 @@ NSString* const kAPPBackgroundEventFailure = @"failure";
  */
 + (void) swizzleWKWebViewEngine
 {
-    if (!IsAtLeastiOSVersion(@"8.0"))
+    if (![self isRunningWebKit])
         return;
 
     Class wkWebViewEngineCls = NSClassFromString(@"CDVWKWebViewEngine");
     SEL selector = NSSelectorFromString(@"createConfigurationFromSettings:");
 
-    if (!wkWebViewEngineCls)
-        return;
-
     SwizzleSelectorWithBlock_Begin(wkWebViewEngineCls, selector)
     ^(CDVPlugin *self, NSDictionary *settings) {
         id obj = ((id (*)(id, SEL, NSDictionary*))_imp)(self, _cmd, settings);

src/ios/APPMethodMagic.m

@@ -103,4 +103,3 @@ IMP class_swizzleSelector(Class clazz, SEL selector, IMP newImpl)
 
     return class_replaceMethod(clazz, selector, newImpl, types);
 }
-

www/background-mode.js

@@ -36,11 +36,12 @@ exports.enable = function () {
     if (this.isEnabled())
         return;
 
-    var me        = this,
+    var fn = function () {
-        fireEvent = function () { me.fireEvent('enable'); };
+            exports._isEnabled = true;
+            exports.fireEvent('enable');
+        };
 
-    this._isEnabled = true;
+    cordova.exec(fn, null, 'BackgroundMode', 'enable', []);
-    cordova.exec(fireEvent, null, 'BackgroundMode', 'enable', []);
 };
 
 /**
@@ -51,11 +52,12 @@ exports.disable = function () {
     if (!this.isEnabled())
         return;
 
-    var me        = this,
+    var fn = function () {
-        fireEvent = function () { me.fireEvent('disable'); };
+            exports._isEnabled = false;
+            exports.fireEvent('disable');
+        };
 
-    this._isEnabled = false;
+    cordova.exec(fn, null, 'BackgroundMode', 'disable', []);
-    cordova.exec(fireEvent, null, 'BackgroundMode', 'disable', []);
 };
 
 /**
@@ -302,7 +304,7 @@ exports.mergeWithDefaults = function (options) {
  *
  * Flag indicates if the mode is enabled.
  */
-exports._isEnabled = false;
+exports._isEnabled = window.webkit !== undefined;
 
 /**
  * @private
@@ -318,7 +320,7 @@ exports._isActive = false;
  */
 exports._defaults = {
     title:   'App is running in background',
-    text:   "Doing heavy tasks.",
+    text:    'Doing heavy tasks.',
     ticker:  'Running in background',
     bigText: false,
     resume:  true,