Adaptive background playback behavior

1. A method for continued audio playback of a media item, the method comprising:

receiving, by a client device, a media item comprising a video component and an audio component;

presenting the video component and the audio component of the media item at the client device;

monitoring, by the client device, for activation of a sleep/wake button on the client device that generates a request to turn off a display of the client device;

detecting, by the client device, activation of the sleep/wake button on the client device, the activation of the sleep/wake button on the client device causing playback of the video component of the media item to be suspended by the client device;

identifying, by the client device, a user preference;

determining, by the client device, that the user preference and the activation of the sleep/wake button on the client device indicate the user wishes to hear the audio component of the media item and not watch the video component of the media item; and

responsive to the determination, playing, by the client device, the audio component of the media item via an internal speaker of the client device while suspending, by the client device, playback of the video component via the display of the client device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the user preference includes receiving background playback preferences specified by a user.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein receiving the background playback preferences includes receiving a rule to continue playing an audio component of the media item when a media viewer player presenting the video component and the audio component of the media item is sent to a background of the client device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, responsive to the activation of the sleep/wake button on the client device, to continue playing the audio component of the media item based on a second audio component of a second media item previously continuing to play in response to a previous detection of an activation of the sleep/wake button on the client device; and

wherein playing the audio component of the media item is performed further in response to the determination to continue playing the audio component of the media item.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a client device, cause the client device to perform a method for continued audio playback of a media item, the method comprising:

receiving the media item, wherein the media item comprises a video component and an audio component;

presenting the video component and the audio component of the media item at the client device;

monitoring for activation of a sleep/wake button on the client device for generating a request to turn off a display of the client device;

detecting activation of the sleep/wake button on the client device;

identifying a user preference;

determining that the user behavior preference and the activation of the sleep/wake button on the client device indicates the user wishes to hear the audio component of the media item and not watch the video component of the media item; and

responsive to the determination, playing the audio component of the media item via an internal speaker of the client device while suspending playback of the video component via the display of the client device.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , the method further comprising:

determining, responsive to the activation of the sleep/wake button on the client device, to continue playing the audio component of the media item based on a second audio component of a second media item previously continuing to play in response to a previous detection of an activation of the sleep/wake button on the client device; and

wherein playing the audio component of the media item is performed further in response to the determination to continue playing the audio component of the media item.