WCSession failing on user's devices. With and without errors.

Originator:mss.geoteach
Number:rdar://FB9053529 Date Originated:03/25/2021
Status:Open Resolved:No
Product:watchOS Product Version:7.3
Classification: Reproducible:Yes
 
I have previously reported a similar issue in 2017. Apple has me there are no issues. But I am getting dozens of emails every day for the exact same issue:


WCSession often fails. I keep having to tell users to restart both devices and to unpair and pair their watches again to get WatchConnectivity working. My app works for the vast majority of users, but a small percentage of users never get it to connect so they end up giving me bad reviews. I would like to verify whether the connection issues are caused by me initializing or using WCSession in a wrong way or if WCSession has bugs that Apple has not documented yet.

For a detailed analysis of the issue I have attached an Xcode project demonstrating the issue. I have also included screenshots of a user demonstrating the issue.



Related forum posts:

https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/662935

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/66569057/apple-watch-sends-data-but-cannot-receive-data-probably-since-watchos-7-3

https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/9288

Simulator-related issue: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/128205

And dozens of other similar issues, some solved, some not so much:
https://www.google.com/search?q=wcsession+not+working&oq=wcsession+not+working

Comments

Attached logs, Apple still doesn't care

On April 25 I've been able to reproduce in the simulator. One month has passed and the report is still marked as "Investigation complete - Unable to diagnose with current information".

No further info from Apple.

By mss.geoteach at June 2, 2021, 9:26 a.m. (reply...)

No news from Apple. Apple is aware of a total of affected 7 users now.

By mss.geoteach at April 20, 2021, 7:44 a.m. (reply...)

Status April 8 2021

Apple has responded fairly quickly, asking me to provide device logs when this issue occurs. As it does not happen on my own devices, I am asking my users for their permission to share their email with Apple so they can get in touch with them to investigate.

(Of course I could try to make the users gather the logs myself but it wouldn't make sense to have a conversations with 3 nodes in series when I'd merely forward emails back and forth between the user and Apple instead of them talking directly to each other)

On April 4 I have provided them with the first contact and haven't heard back from Apple yet. Today another user gave their permission so Apple is now aware of 2 users with affected devices.

I will keep this issue updated.

By mss.geoteach at April 7, 2021, 10:48 p.m. (reply...)

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