Incorrect `NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription` is displayed from InfoPlist.xcstrings when default localization key/value has a `state` of `new`

(I resolved this issue but I still consider it a bug in Xcode. Hopefully any other poor soul that encounters it will find this post.)

Summary

When

• App default localization is e.g. Japanese
• Secondary localization is e.g. English
• InfoPlist.xcstrings is added to the target
• NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription is added in Japanese to Info.plist (within target build settings).
• NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription is localized to English
• CLLocationManager().requestWhenInUseAuthorization() is called

Then

• If device language is English:
  • NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription is displayed in English on the location permission system dialog (correct behavior).
• If device language is Japanese:
  • NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription is displayed in English on the location permission system dialog (incorrect behavior).

Expected behavior

• If device language is Japanese:
  • NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription should be displayed in Japanese on the location permission system dialog.

Root cause

The json representation of InfoPlist.xcstrings is the following after following the above procedure:

{
  "sourceLanguage" : "ja",
  "strings" : {
    "NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription" : {
      "comment" : "Privacy - Location When In Use Usage Description",
      "extractionState" : "extracted_with_value",
      "localizations" : {
        "en" : {
          "stringUnit" : {
            "state" : "translated",
            "value" : "test"
          }
        },
        "ja" : {
          "stringUnit" : {
            "state" : "new",
            "value" : "テスト"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "version" : "1.0"
}

After building, Xcode creates the key NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription.ja.stringUnit.state with the value new, and the value as テスト (the automatically extracted value from Info.plist).

At runtime, iOS ignores ja.stringUnit.value and falls back to en.stringUnit.value when:

• NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription.localizations.ja.stringUnit.state == "new"
• NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription.extractionState == "extracted_with_value"

Additionally, Xcode's "String Catalog" interface for xcstrings files does not show the new state value in the interface and does not allow ja.stringUnit.value to be modified.

Fixes/Workarounds

Option 1

• Open InfoPlist.xcstrings in string catalog mode.
• Right click the entry in the source language.
• Click "Mark as Reviewed".

Option 2

• Open InfoPlist.xcstrings in source mode.
• Change all {sourceLanguage}.stringUnit.state values from new to translated.

Option 3

• Remove NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription key from Info.plist or build settings.
• Add NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription key manually to InfoPlist.xcstrings.
• Fill in values for source language and other languages.
• Note: {key}.extractionState for this case will be manual instead of extracted_with_value.

Option 4

• Use older/deprecated InfoPlist.strings files instead of .xcstrings.

InfoPlist.xcstrings after fix

{
  "sourceLanguage" : "ja",
  "strings" : {
    "NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription" : {
      "comment" : "Privacy - Location When In Use Usage Description",
      "extractionState" : "extracted_with_value",
      "localizations" : {
        "en" : {
          "stringUnit" : {
            "state" : "translated",
            "value" : "test"
          }
        },
        "ja" : {
          "stringUnit" : {
            "state" : "translated",
            "value" : "テスト"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "version" : "1.0"
}

Reproduceable Environment

• Xcode 15.4 / iOS 17.5
• Xcode 16 beta 5 / iOS 18
• Simulator
• Device

Screenshot of bug

"test" should be "テスト".