feat(ios): add background listening core toggle (#18261)

Co-authored-by: Mariano Belinky <mariano@mb-server-643.local>

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 
 - Cron/Gateway: separate per-job webhook delivery (`delivery.mode = "webhook"`) from announce delivery, enforce valid HTTP(S) webhook URLs, and keep a temporary legacy `notify + cron.webhook` fallback for stored jobs. (#17901) Thanks @advaitpaliwal.
 - iOS/Talk: add a `Voice Directive Hint` toggle for Talk Mode prompts so users can disable ElevenLabs voice-switching instructions to save tokens when not needed. (#18250) Thanks @zeulewan.
+- iOS/Talk: add a `Background Listening` toggle that keeps Talk Mode active while the app is backgrounded (off by default for battery safety). Thanks @zeulewan.
 - Telegram/Agents: add inline button `style` support (`primary|success|danger`) across message tool schema, Telegram action parsing, send pipeline, and runtime prompt guidance. (#18241) Thanks @obviyus.
 
 ### Fixes

apps/ios/Sources/Model/NodeAppModel.swift

@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ final class NodeAppModel {
     private var talkVoiceWakeSuspended = false
     private var backgroundVoiceWakeSuspended = false
     private var backgroundTalkSuspended = false
+    private var backgroundTalkKeptActive = false
     private var backgroundedAt: Date?
     private var reconnectAfterBackgroundArmed = false
 
@@ -269,15 +270,18 @@ final class NodeAppModel {
 
 
     func setScenePhase(_ phase: ScenePhase) {
+        let keepTalkActive = UserDefaults.standard.bool(forKey: "talk.background.enabled")
         switch phase {
         case .background:
             self.isBackgrounded = true
             self.stopGatewayHealthMonitor()
             self.backgroundedAt = Date()
             self.reconnectAfterBackgroundArmed = true
-            // Be conservative: release the mic when the app backgrounds.
+            // Release voice wake mic in background.
             self.backgroundVoiceWakeSuspended = self.voiceWake.suspendForExternalAudioCapture()
-            self.backgroundTalkSuspended = self.talkMode.suspendForBackground()
+            let shouldKeepTalkActive = keepTalkActive && self.talkMode.isEnabled
+            self.backgroundTalkKeptActive = shouldKeepTalkActive
+            self.backgroundTalkSuspended = self.talkMode.suspendForBackground(keepActive: shouldKeepTalkActive)
         case .active, .inactive:
             self.isBackgrounded = false
             if self.operatorConnected {
@@ -289,8 +293,12 @@ final class NodeAppModel {
                 Task { [weak self] in
                     guard let self else { return }
                     let suspended = await MainActor.run { self.backgroundTalkSuspended }
-                    await MainActor.run { self.backgroundTalkSuspended = false }
-                    await self.talkMode.resumeAfterBackground(wasSuspended: suspended)
+                    let keptActive = await MainActor.run { self.backgroundTalkKeptActive }
+                    await MainActor.run {
+                        self.backgroundTalkSuspended = false
+                        self.backgroundTalkKeptActive = false
+                    }
+                    await self.talkMode.resumeAfterBackground(wasSuspended: suspended, wasKeptActive: keptActive)
                 }
             }
             if phase == .active, self.reconnectAfterBackgroundArmed {

apps/ios/Sources/Settings/SettingsTab.swift

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ struct SettingsTab: View {
     @AppStorage("voiceWake.enabled") private var voiceWakeEnabled: Bool = false
     @AppStorage("talk.enabled") private var talkEnabled: Bool = false
     @AppStorage("talk.button.enabled") private var talkButtonEnabled: Bool = true
+    @AppStorage("talk.background.enabled") private var talkBackgroundEnabled: Bool = false
     @AppStorage("talk.voiceDirectiveHint.enabled") private var talkVoiceDirectiveHintEnabled: Bool = true
     @AppStorage("camera.enabled") private var cameraEnabled: Bool = true
     @AppStorage("location.enabledMode") private var locationEnabledModeRaw: String = OpenClawLocationMode.off.rawValue
@@ -256,6 +257,10 @@ struct SettingsTab: View {
                         Text("Use this local override when gateway config redacts talk.apiKey for mobile clients.")
                             .font(.footnote)
                             .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+                        Toggle("Background Listening", isOn: self.$talkBackgroundEnabled)
+                        Text("Keep listening when the app is in the background. Uses more battery.")
+                            .font(.footnote)
+                            .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
                         Toggle("Voice Directive Hint", isOn: self.$talkVoiceDirectiveHintEnabled)
                         Text("Include ElevenLabs voice switching instructions in the Talk Mode prompt. Disable to save tokens.")
                             .font(.footnote)

apps/ios/Sources/Voice/TalkModeManager.swift

@@ -219,8 +219,12 @@ final class TalkModeManager: NSObject {
 
     /// Suspends microphone usage without disabling Talk Mode.
     /// Used when the app backgrounds (or when we need to temporarily release the mic).
-    func suspendForBackground() -> Bool {
+    func suspendForBackground(keepActive: Bool = false) -> Bool {
         guard self.isEnabled else { return false }
+        if keepActive {
+            self.statusText = self.isListening ? "Listening" : self.statusText
+            return false
+        }
         let wasActive = self.isListening || self.isSpeaking || self.isPushToTalkActive
 
         self.isListening = false
@@ -247,7 +251,8 @@ final class TalkModeManager: NSObject {
         return wasActive
     }
 
-    func resumeAfterBackground(wasSuspended: Bool) async {
+    func resumeAfterBackground(wasSuspended: Bool, wasKeptActive: Bool = false) async {
+        if wasKeptActive { return }
         guard wasSuspended else { return }
         guard self.isEnabled else { return }
         await self.start()