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How can I stop my code and assets from being stolen out of my App Bundle?
I have discovered another app which has taken assets, screens etc from my IPA bundle and are passing off as their own. I also checked my own IPA bundle and my metal shaders are accessible. It's obvious that the app is vibe coded and they just handed as much of my code as possible to Claude and asked it to reverse engineer. Considering any IPA bundle can be downloaded from the AppStore, is there any way to protect against this? I have put a lot of time into some of the assets and shaders and it's kind of frustrating to see them so easily stolen. With the rise of AI this will become a more frequent occurrence for sure.
0
0
149
3w
[iOS 27 DB3] Photos taken with third party apps have photographic styles applied
It's unclear if this is a bug or a new feature but I have noticed that my photos starting coming out looking more stylised than expected and worked out that it was because photographic styles were being applied even tho I was taking photos through a third party app. Is there a way to disable this behaviour if it is intended? I've raised a feedback report #FB23632714 Photographic Styles [OFF] Photographic Styles [ON] My settings:
2
0
717
4w
Core Image kernel sampling broken in iOS27 DB4
I've noticed that my camera app is returning blank images on developer beta 4. After some investigation there is an issue with core image custom kernels where the texture sampler is returning NaN / 0 floats. I have a reproducible demo here: https://github.com/alexfoxy/ci-metal-shader-bug Feedback ticket here: https://feedbackassistant.apple.com/feedback/23895753
2
4
2.4k
Jul ’26
Is autoDeferredPhotoDelivery required for 24MP capture?
I've been trying to implement the newly touted high resolution capture at 24MP from WWDC26: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2026/304/ However it seems it's only possible to capture 24mp photos if you enable autoDeferredPhotoDelivery? This is quite frustrating as my app wants to run the image output through shaders and effects before saving. Is there a way round this limiation?
0
0
597
Jul ’26
Corrupted image data when using QualityPrioritization.Quality on iPhone 17 Pro
Hey, I've noticed that in some scenarios photo data can be corrupted from the cameras on iPhone 17 Pro. The requirements are: The zoom level is greater than 2 times the base zoom, so 2x for the wide lens, and 8x for the telephoto. QualityPrioritization is set to .Quality. If set to .Balanced the images look as expected. The scene is well lit. I haven't managed to work out if there's an ISO cut off, but in darker scenes the images look as expected. The scene does not contain any objects or texture, e.g. a blank white screen, a blue sky, up close against a bright wall. Here is an example: This is really weird behavior. I have opened a ticket here: https://feedbackassistant.apple.com/feedback/22092908 There's also a repo here if anyone would like to try it: https://github.com/alexfoxy/CameraQualityTest. Thanks, Alex
0
0
436
Mar ’26
Error: "CoreImage Metal library does not contain function"
Hey I'm using the CIDepthBlurEffect Core Image Filter in my app. It seems to work ok but I get these errors in the console when calling the class. CoreImage Metal library does not contain function for name: sparserendering_xhlrb_scan CoreImage Metal library does not contain function for name: sparserendering_xhlrb_diffuse CoreImage Metal library does not contain function for name: sparserendering_xhlrb_copy_back CoreImage Metal library does not contain function for name: plain_or_sRGB_copy Am I missing some sort of import to gain these Metal functions? I am using my own custom shaders but I assume you'd be able to use them along side the built in ones.
0
0
675
Dec ’25
Photos are captured with incorrect exposure bias in specific scenarios on iPhone 17 Pro
Hey, There seems to be an inconsistency when capturing a photo using QualityPrioritization.Quality on the iPhone 17 Pro Main wide Lens. If you zoom above "2x" the output image always has "-2.0ev" bias in the meta data and looks underexposued. This does not happen at zoom levels above 2, or if you set the QualityPrioritization to .Balanced. See below: with .Quality with .Balanced This does not happen on the other lenses. I'm using a simple set up and it is consistent across JPEG and ProRAW capture. I have a demo project if that is useful. Thanks, Alex
3
0
846
Dec ’25
CoreImage memory build up on real device but not on simulator
I'm trying to benchmark a Core Image filter chains memory footprint and notice a weird quirk in instruments. On a real device, even with a simple Core Image chain, the memory balloons each time I ran the filter. See attached screen shots. Running on iPhone 17 Pro: Running on simulator (M2 Macbook Pro) As you can see there's a huge build up of 4MB "VM: IOSurface" memory on the real device, but the simulator seems to clean it up correctly. Here's my basic code: func processImage() { guard let inputImage = ContentViewModel.loadImageFromBundle(name: "kitty.HEIC") else { print("Failed to load sample_image from bundle") return } var outputImage = inputImage outputImage = outputImage.applyingFilter("CIBloom", parameters: [ kCIInputRadiusKey: 20, kCIInputIntensityKey: 0.8 ]) DispatchQueue.global(qos: .userInitiated).async { let data = self.context.jpegRepresentation(of: outputImage, colorSpace: CGColorSpace(name: CGColorSpace.sRGB)!) if let data = data, let uiImage = UIImage(data: data) { DispatchQueue.main.async { self.displayImage = Image(uiImage: uiImage) } } } } Why is this happening? Seems like a bug to me or I need to release an object. At the very least makes it challenging to measure memory usage. Any help is greatly appreciated. Alex
1
0
844
Nov ’25
Is there a resource available that lists all the AVCaptureDevices for each iPhone model?
I want to fully support the new iPhone models in my app, and ideally need to know the available lenses. However, I can't find information about this on the web and they're not reported in the simulators. The closest thing I found was this, but it's very out of date. https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/DeviceInformation/Reference/iOSDeviceCompatibility/Cameras/Cameras.html My only other option is to buy each device, which isn't really feasible, or to log the data from real users via an analytics tool which isn't ideal either. Thanks, Alex
1
0
678
Sep ’25
Error capturing ProRAW using iPhone 17 Pro Telephoto with photoQualityPrioritization set to .Quality
Hey, I'm having a very strange issue on my iPhone 17 Pro. I'm trying to capture a 12MP ProRAW image using the Telephoto Lens with the photoQualityPrioritization set to .Quality. Unfortunately I receive this error when trying to capture the image: Error Domain=AVFoundationErrorDomain Code=-11800 "The operation could not be completed" UserInfo={NSUnderlyingError=0x134f7a1f0 {Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-16802 "(null)"}, NSLocalizedFailureReason=An unknown error occurred (-16802), AVErrorRecordingFailureDomainKey=4, NSLocalizedDescription=The operation could not be completed} The photo captures correctly at 7.9x zoom, it's only a problem when the zoom goes over 8x. Also, it's only this particular configuration of settings which causes the issue. I'm able to capture an image if I either: Set quality to ".balanced" Set max dimensions to 48MP Capture a JPEG image instead of a ProRAW image Use the TripleCamera fusion lens Any help would be greatly appreciated. Alex
1
0
758
Sep ’25
Error saving image to Camera Roll on iPhone 17 Pro
I'm experiencing an issue with my app when saving images to the camera roll. This is intermittent, but it happens several times a day. The error I receive is the following: Connection to assetsd was interrupted - assetsd exited, died, or closed the photo library Error getting remote object proxy for -[PLNonBindingAssetsdPhotoKitClient sendChangesRequest:reply:]_block_invoke: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4097 "connection to service named com.apple.photos.service" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=connection to service named com.apple.photos.service} PhotoKit XPC proxy is invalid. Dropping request on the floor and returning an error: Error Domain=PHPhotosErrorDomain Code=3301 "(null)" (underlying error Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4097 "connection to service named com.apple.photos.service" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=connection to service named com.apple.photos.service}) CoreData: error: XPC: synchronousRemoteObjectProxyWithErrorHandler: store 'file:///var/mobile/Media/PhotoData/Photos.sqlite' encountered error: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4099 "The connection to service created from an endpoint was invalidated: failed to check-in, peer may have been unloaded: mach_error=10000003." UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=The connection to service created from an endpoint was invalidated: failed to check-in, peer may have been unloaded: mach_error=10000003.} CoreData: error: XPC: synchronousRemoteObjectProxyWithErrorHandler: store 'file:///var/mobile/Media/PhotoData/Photos.sqlite' encountered error: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4099 "The connection to service created from an endpoint was invalidated: failed to check-in, peer may have been unloaded: mach_error=10000003." UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=The connection to service created from an endpoint was invalidated: failed to check-in, peer may have been unloaded: mach_error=10000003.} My code is unchanged from using my app daily on an iPhone 16 Pro with iOS 26. I never saw the issue on this device. Here is an excerpt from my code for saving the image: var localIdentifier = String() PHPhotoLibrary.shared().performChanges({ let albumChangeRequest = PHAssetCollectionChangeRequest(for: album) let assetCreationRequest = PHAssetCreationRequest.forAsset() let options = PHAssetResourceCreationOptions() assetCreationRequest.addResource(with: .photo, data: imageData, options: options) assetCreationRequest.creationDate = Date.now let placeHolder = assetCreationRequest.placeholderForCreatedAsset albumChangeRequest?.addAssets([placeHolder!] as NSArray) if placeHolder != nil { localIdentifier = (placeHolder?.localIdentifier)! } }) { (didSucceed, error) in OperationQueue.main.addOperation({ didSucceed ? success(localIdentifier) : failure(error) }) } I'm not sure why this would be device specific but I have had users with iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air reporting the issue. Alex
0
0
844
Sep ’25
Is a Locked Capture Extension allowed to just "open the app" when the device is unlocked?
Hey, Quick question. I noticed that Adobe's new app, Project Indigo, allows you to open the app using the Camera Control button. However, when your device is locked it just shows this screen: Would this normally be approved by the Appstore approval process? I ask because I would like to do something similar with my camera app. I know that this is not the best user experience, but my apps UI is not built in Swift and I don't have the resources to build the UI again. At least this way the user experience would be improved from what it is now, where users cannot even launch the app. I get many requests per week about this feature and would love to improve the UX for my users, even if it's not the best possible. Thanks, Alex
1
0
708
Jul ’25
Is a Locked Capture Extension allowed to just "open the app" when the device is unlocked?
Hey, Quick question. I noticed that Adobe's new app, Project Indigo, allows you to open the app using the Camera Control button. However, when your device is locked it just shows this screen: Would this normally be approved by the Appstore approval process? I ask because I would like to do something similar with my camera app. I know that this is not the best user experience, but my apps UI is not built in Swift and I don't have the resources to build the UI again. At least this way the user experience would be improved from what it is now, where users cannot even launch the app. I get many requests per week about this feature and would love to improve the UX for my users, even if it's not the best possible. Thanks, Alex
0
0
628
Jun ’25
Capturing & Processing ProRaw 48MP images is slow
Hey, I have a camera app that captures a ProRaw photo and then runs a few Core Image filters before saving it to the device as a HEIC. However I'm finding that capturing at 48MP is rather slow. Testing a minimal pipeline on an iPhone 16 Pro: Shutter press => file received in output: 1.2 ~ 1.6s CIRawFilter created using photo file representation then rendered to context, without any filters: 0.8s ~ 1s Saving to device ~0.15s Is this the expected time for capturing processing? The native camera app seems to save the images within half a second. I'm using QualityPrioritization.balanced and the highest resolution available which is 48MP. Would using the CIRawFilter with the pixelBuffer from the photo output be faster? I tried it but couldn't get it to output an image. Are there any other things I could try to speed this up? Is it possible to capture at 24MP instead? Thanks, Alex
1
1
839
Mar ’25
How can I stop my code and assets from being stolen out of my App Bundle?
I have discovered another app which has taken assets, screens etc from my IPA bundle and are passing off as their own. I also checked my own IPA bundle and my metal shaders are accessible. It's obvious that the app is vibe coded and they just handed as much of my code as possible to Claude and asked it to reverse engineer. Considering any IPA bundle can be downloaded from the AppStore, is there any way to protect against this? I have put a lot of time into some of the assets and shaders and it's kind of frustrating to see them so easily stolen. With the rise of AI this will become a more frequent occurrence for sure.
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
149
Activity
3w
[iOS 27 DB3] Photos taken with third party apps have photographic styles applied
It's unclear if this is a bug or a new feature but I have noticed that my photos starting coming out looking more stylised than expected and worked out that it was because photographic styles were being applied even tho I was taking photos through a third party app. Is there a way to disable this behaviour if it is intended? I've raised a feedback report #FB23632714 Photographic Styles [OFF] Photographic Styles [ON] My settings:
Replies
2
Boosts
0
Views
717
Activity
4w
Core Image kernel sampling broken in iOS27 DB4
I've noticed that my camera app is returning blank images on developer beta 4. After some investigation there is an issue with core image custom kernels where the texture sampler is returning NaN / 0 floats. I have a reproducible demo here: https://github.com/alexfoxy/ci-metal-shader-bug Feedback ticket here: https://feedbackassistant.apple.com/feedback/23895753
Replies
2
Boosts
4
Views
2.4k
Activity
Jul ’26
Is autoDeferredPhotoDelivery required for 24MP capture?
I've been trying to implement the newly touted high resolution capture at 24MP from WWDC26: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2026/304/ However it seems it's only possible to capture 24mp photos if you enable autoDeferredPhotoDelivery? This is quite frustrating as my app wants to run the image output through shaders and effects before saving. Is there a way round this limiation?
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
597
Activity
Jul ’26
Corrupted image data when using QualityPrioritization.Quality on iPhone 17 Pro
Hey, I've noticed that in some scenarios photo data can be corrupted from the cameras on iPhone 17 Pro. The requirements are: The zoom level is greater than 2 times the base zoom, so 2x for the wide lens, and 8x for the telephoto. QualityPrioritization is set to .Quality. If set to .Balanced the images look as expected. The scene is well lit. I haven't managed to work out if there's an ISO cut off, but in darker scenes the images look as expected. The scene does not contain any objects or texture, e.g. a blank white screen, a blue sky, up close against a bright wall. Here is an example: This is really weird behavior. I have opened a ticket here: https://feedbackassistant.apple.com/feedback/22092908 There's also a repo here if anyone would like to try it: https://github.com/alexfoxy/CameraQualityTest. Thanks, Alex
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
436
Activity
Mar ’26
Error: "CoreImage Metal library does not contain function"
Hey I'm using the CIDepthBlurEffect Core Image Filter in my app. It seems to work ok but I get these errors in the console when calling the class. CoreImage Metal library does not contain function for name: sparserendering_xhlrb_scan CoreImage Metal library does not contain function for name: sparserendering_xhlrb_diffuse CoreImage Metal library does not contain function for name: sparserendering_xhlrb_copy_back CoreImage Metal library does not contain function for name: plain_or_sRGB_copy Am I missing some sort of import to gain these Metal functions? I am using my own custom shaders but I assume you'd be able to use them along side the built in ones.
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
675
Activity
Dec ’25
Photos are captured with incorrect exposure bias in specific scenarios on iPhone 17 Pro
Hey, There seems to be an inconsistency when capturing a photo using QualityPrioritization.Quality on the iPhone 17 Pro Main wide Lens. If you zoom above "2x" the output image always has "-2.0ev" bias in the meta data and looks underexposued. This does not happen at zoom levels above 2, or if you set the QualityPrioritization to .Balanced. See below: with .Quality with .Balanced This does not happen on the other lenses. I'm using a simple set up and it is consistent across JPEG and ProRAW capture. I have a demo project if that is useful. Thanks, Alex
Replies
3
Boosts
0
Views
846
Activity
Dec ’25
CoreImage memory build up on real device but not on simulator
I'm trying to benchmark a Core Image filter chains memory footprint and notice a weird quirk in instruments. On a real device, even with a simple Core Image chain, the memory balloons each time I ran the filter. See attached screen shots. Running on iPhone 17 Pro: Running on simulator (M2 Macbook Pro) As you can see there's a huge build up of 4MB "VM: IOSurface" memory on the real device, but the simulator seems to clean it up correctly. Here's my basic code: func processImage() { guard let inputImage = ContentViewModel.loadImageFromBundle(name: "kitty.HEIC") else { print("Failed to load sample_image from bundle") return } var outputImage = inputImage outputImage = outputImage.applyingFilter("CIBloom", parameters: [ kCIInputRadiusKey: 20, kCIInputIntensityKey: 0.8 ]) DispatchQueue.global(qos: .userInitiated).async { let data = self.context.jpegRepresentation(of: outputImage, colorSpace: CGColorSpace(name: CGColorSpace.sRGB)!) if let data = data, let uiImage = UIImage(data: data) { DispatchQueue.main.async { self.displayImage = Image(uiImage: uiImage) } } } } Why is this happening? Seems like a bug to me or I need to release an object. At the very least makes it challenging to measure memory usage. Any help is greatly appreciated. Alex
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
844
Activity
Nov ’25
Is there a resource available that lists all the AVCaptureDevices for each iPhone model?
I want to fully support the new iPhone models in my app, and ideally need to know the available lenses. However, I can't find information about this on the web and they're not reported in the simulators. The closest thing I found was this, but it's very out of date. https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/DeviceInformation/Reference/iOSDeviceCompatibility/Cameras/Cameras.html My only other option is to buy each device, which isn't really feasible, or to log the data from real users via an analytics tool which isn't ideal either. Thanks, Alex
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
678
Activity
Sep ’25
Error capturing ProRAW using iPhone 17 Pro Telephoto with photoQualityPrioritization set to .Quality
Hey, I'm having a very strange issue on my iPhone 17 Pro. I'm trying to capture a 12MP ProRAW image using the Telephoto Lens with the photoQualityPrioritization set to .Quality. Unfortunately I receive this error when trying to capture the image: Error Domain=AVFoundationErrorDomain Code=-11800 "The operation could not be completed" UserInfo={NSUnderlyingError=0x134f7a1f0 {Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-16802 "(null)"}, NSLocalizedFailureReason=An unknown error occurred (-16802), AVErrorRecordingFailureDomainKey=4, NSLocalizedDescription=The operation could not be completed} The photo captures correctly at 7.9x zoom, it's only a problem when the zoom goes over 8x. Also, it's only this particular configuration of settings which causes the issue. I'm able to capture an image if I either: Set quality to ".balanced" Set max dimensions to 48MP Capture a JPEG image instead of a ProRAW image Use the TripleCamera fusion lens Any help would be greatly appreciated. Alex
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
758
Activity
Sep ’25
Error saving image to Camera Roll on iPhone 17 Pro
I'm experiencing an issue with my app when saving images to the camera roll. This is intermittent, but it happens several times a day. The error I receive is the following: Connection to assetsd was interrupted - assetsd exited, died, or closed the photo library Error getting remote object proxy for -[PLNonBindingAssetsdPhotoKitClient sendChangesRequest:reply:]_block_invoke: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4097 "connection to service named com.apple.photos.service" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=connection to service named com.apple.photos.service} PhotoKit XPC proxy is invalid. Dropping request on the floor and returning an error: Error Domain=PHPhotosErrorDomain Code=3301 "(null)" (underlying error Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4097 "connection to service named com.apple.photos.service" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=connection to service named com.apple.photos.service}) CoreData: error: XPC: synchronousRemoteObjectProxyWithErrorHandler: store 'file:///var/mobile/Media/PhotoData/Photos.sqlite' encountered error: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4099 "The connection to service created from an endpoint was invalidated: failed to check-in, peer may have been unloaded: mach_error=10000003." UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=The connection to service created from an endpoint was invalidated: failed to check-in, peer may have been unloaded: mach_error=10000003.} CoreData: error: XPC: synchronousRemoteObjectProxyWithErrorHandler: store 'file:///var/mobile/Media/PhotoData/Photos.sqlite' encountered error: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4099 "The connection to service created from an endpoint was invalidated: failed to check-in, peer may have been unloaded: mach_error=10000003." UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=The connection to service created from an endpoint was invalidated: failed to check-in, peer may have been unloaded: mach_error=10000003.} My code is unchanged from using my app daily on an iPhone 16 Pro with iOS 26. I never saw the issue on this device. Here is an excerpt from my code for saving the image: var localIdentifier = String() PHPhotoLibrary.shared().performChanges({ let albumChangeRequest = PHAssetCollectionChangeRequest(for: album) let assetCreationRequest = PHAssetCreationRequest.forAsset() let options = PHAssetResourceCreationOptions() assetCreationRequest.addResource(with: .photo, data: imageData, options: options) assetCreationRequest.creationDate = Date.now let placeHolder = assetCreationRequest.placeholderForCreatedAsset albumChangeRequest?.addAssets([placeHolder!] as NSArray) if placeHolder != nil { localIdentifier = (placeHolder?.localIdentifier)! } }) { (didSucceed, error) in OperationQueue.main.addOperation({ didSucceed ? success(localIdentifier) : failure(error) }) } I'm not sure why this would be device specific but I have had users with iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air reporting the issue. Alex
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
844
Activity
Sep ’25
Is a Locked Capture Extension allowed to just "open the app" when the device is unlocked?
Hey, Quick question. I noticed that Adobe's new app, Project Indigo, allows you to open the app using the Camera Control button. However, when your device is locked it just shows this screen: Would this normally be approved by the Appstore approval process? I ask because I would like to do something similar with my camera app. I know that this is not the best user experience, but my apps UI is not built in Swift and I don't have the resources to build the UI again. At least this way the user experience would be improved from what it is now, where users cannot even launch the app. I get many requests per week about this feature and would love to improve the UX for my users, even if it's not the best possible. Thanks, Alex
Replies
1
Boosts
0
Views
708
Activity
Jul ’25
Is a Locked Capture Extension allowed to just "open the app" when the device is unlocked?
Hey, Quick question. I noticed that Adobe's new app, Project Indigo, allows you to open the app using the Camera Control button. However, when your device is locked it just shows this screen: Would this normally be approved by the Appstore approval process? I ask because I would like to do something similar with my camera app. I know that this is not the best user experience, but my apps UI is not built in Swift and I don't have the resources to build the UI again. At least this way the user experience would be improved from what it is now, where users cannot even launch the app. I get many requests per week about this feature and would love to improve the UX for my users, even if it's not the best possible. Thanks, Alex
Replies
0
Boosts
0
Views
628
Activity
Jun ’25
How to analyse CPU usage with Core Image?
I have a complex CoreImage pipeline which I'm keen to optimise. I'm aware that calling back to the CPU can have a significant impact on the performance - what is the best way to find out where this is happening?
Replies
5
Boosts
0
Views
845
Activity
Mar ’25
Capturing & Processing ProRaw 48MP images is slow
Hey, I have a camera app that captures a ProRaw photo and then runs a few Core Image filters before saving it to the device as a HEIC. However I'm finding that capturing at 48MP is rather slow. Testing a minimal pipeline on an iPhone 16 Pro: Shutter press => file received in output: 1.2 ~ 1.6s CIRawFilter created using photo file representation then rendered to context, without any filters: 0.8s ~ 1s Saving to device ~0.15s Is this the expected time for capturing processing? The native camera app seems to save the images within half a second. I'm using QualityPrioritization.balanced and the highest resolution available which is 48MP. Would using the CIRawFilter with the pixelBuffer from the photo output be faster? I tried it but couldn't get it to output an image. Are there any other things I could try to speed this up? Is it possible to capture at 24MP instead? Thanks, Alex
Replies
1
Boosts
1
Views
839
Activity
Mar ’25