Disable Smart Connect / disable app key?(what even is the "app key"?) How, negative effects, etc?

[Ellabelle686]

I have an Xperia Z, you can skip to the last paragraph for the actual questions if you don't particularly care for the "why I'm asking" part.

I've listened to music through headphones while browsing google and whatnot before with no issues, but not for months (couple of system updates since then) and have never even heard of Smart Connect until today.

Today I put in my headphones to listen to music while I browse the internets, and it was fine for ten minutes or so, but then Smart Connect popped up asking me to assign an app key thing, I told it not to ask again and sent it away. Then it kept bringing up a different part of Smart Connect.. the screen you find under Headset > App key settings > Assign and search. I have "None" selected and no matter how many times I sent it away, it kept coming up! I'm talking anywhere between immediately after I've closed it to five seconds after I've closed it.. but usually immediately. It stopped when I unplugged the headphones, but while my headphones are in my phone is basically unusable. It also did this weird thing somewhere near the end of the whole experience where it slowly turned my music down to zero, without my prompting. I turned it back up, it slowly went down again, and I gave up, seriously frustrated!

(ACTUAL QUESTIONS:) There are options to remove or disable Smart Connect under the phone's App Settings, but it brings up a warning about how it's an in-built app and data could be lost and other apps may be affected. What other apps/data will be affected and in what ways? Google is not helpful. Also, where/what exactly is the app key? Is it something I keep accidentally bumping to cause this? If I can't uninstall/disable the app itself, can I disable the app key to make this stop?

[Rickard]

Glad to hear that i could help

[sith90]

I m having this same issue. When I put in my handsfree to call someone, Smart Connect popped up asking me to assign an app key thing, I told it not to ask again and sent it away. But it kept bringing up . It stopped when I unplugged the handsfree, I m using sony handsfree. It is also doing this weird things  where it slowly turned my volume down to zero. I turned it back up, it slowly went down again and it played music tracks in my phone. basically handsfree is useless i cant take any calls with it.

[PaulRamsden]

Same here. I'm using a Rodeon external mic to make videos with. This app key thing has come up and without me even pressing anything selected open Evernote whenever the mic is attached. I can't make videos anymore and the phone is unusable with the mic connected as it constantly opens Evernote. I want rid of smart connect because it is something I will never ever use. I've even considered rooting my phone to get rid of it if necessary. Smart is not a word I would attach to this app. Not at all. Don't think I'll be buying a Sony again after this one. Had 18 months of non stop problems

[Rickard]

There's no need to root your phone. You can disable Smart Connect from Settings -> Apps -> All -> Smart Connect -> Disbable which will have the same effect as uninstalling it.

But when this issue happens, it indicates that there's something wrong with the phone, the accessory or that the accessory is not fully compatible. The phone is regestering key presses on the accessory when this happens.