Did iOS 18.4 ( and 18.5) with iPhone 14 or 15 introduce new network connectivity or battery optimization policies that would break Local Push Connectivity? (suspend PushProvider in a new way that prevents it from listening and reponding to incoming messages from private network server)?
We have a private app using local push connectivity for real time local alerts on a local private network & server. The current application version works on prev devices including iPhone 12, iOS 14-18.1 that we know of.
A new(er) installation with iPhone 14s & 15s on iOS 18.4 is having new connectivity problems that seem to occur along with sleep. Previously NEAppPushProvider could listen and reply to incoming messages from server for local notifications, incoming sip invites, and connection health messages.
We'll be performing addtional testing to narrow the issue in the meantime, but it would be VERY helpful to have clarification regarding any iOS minor patches since 18.1 that are now breaking existing Local Push Connectivity applications.
If so what are the recommendations or remedies. Are known issues with Network Extensions patched in 18.5? Are existing applications expected to redesign their networking solutions for 18.3 & 18.4? Did iOS18 versions later than 18.1 begin requiring new entitlements or exceptions for private apps in app store?
We'll be performing addtional testing to narrow the issue in the meantime, but it would be VERY helpful to have clarification regarding any iOS minor patches since 18.1 that are now breaking existing Local Push Connectivity applications.
I'm not aware of any serious issues with NEAppPushProvider on iOS 18.x.
UPDATE: Running additional tests with 18.5 on iPhone 12, app works fine. So far the issue seems isolated to managed devices deployed to a specific environment. It not clear what else could be different about this environment accept for device model.
From past experience, my guess is that the difference is that the new environment itself IS in fact the problem. More specifically, I've been dealing with "WiFi Only" voip issues since iOS 4. Across that entire time span, this pattern thing has been quite consistent.
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High quality WiFi network that have been carefully surveyed and architected work perfectly fine.
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Basic, single AP installation basically work ok.
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Everything else is unpredictable and erratic.
Critically, this seems to have very little do to with the difficulty of problem or the environment and everything to do with how much time/energy/effort has actually gone into the network.
Shifting into your specific details:
UPDATE: Running additional tests with 18.5 on iPhone 12, app works fine
Did this testing:
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Happen on exactly the same network where the issues happening.
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Involve exactly the same conditions as the original issue.
Note that the second points is just as important as the first. The most common reason this occurs:
We are seeing a high number of reconnects,
Is that poor connectivity conditions in specific locations mean that the device is dropping off/on WiFi over and over again. Often that's not an issue with the "general" network but tied to specific areas or environments.
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Kevin Elliott
DTS Engineer, CoreOS/Hardware
