Mobile app: iOS 16 with default device naming "iPhone" constantly breaks mobile app integration by creating redundant instances of same server

[bcutter]

The problem

Since updating to iOS 16, even after renaming the device in the mobile app --> server settings from the default "iPhone" to the former/correct name, app and integration only sporadically match:

Frequently the default device name and entities are pushed to HA. Only occasionally the right name matches. It feels like a constant battle between the mobile app and the integration switching from iPhone to Custom iPhone Name.

Without having created them in the app (only renamed the default "iPhone" name of the mobile app integration) now I have the same server connection multiple times in the mobile app settings:

1. with my custom device name
2. with the default device name iPhone
3. with my custom device name

What version of Home Assistant Core has the issue?

core-2022.6.7

What was the last working version of Home Assistant Core?

No response

What type of installation are you running?

Home Assistant OS

Integration causing the issue

Mobile App (Companion App)

Link to integration documentation on our website

https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/mobile_app

Diagnostics information

No response

Example YAML snippet

No response

Anything in the logs that might be useful for us?

No response

Additional information

Already tried multiple times:

• logging off from and on to the app
• renaming the device in the mobile app server settings
• renaming the integration name in HA devices & integrations settings

Basically everything noted at https://companion.home-assistant.io/docs/troubleshooting/faqs/#ios-16-device-name-missing-from-notify-service-andor-entities had no permanent success.

storage entity example:

focus entity example:

Logs as screenshots can not be added to the original logs section here:

[probot-home-assistant[bot]]

mobile_app documentation mobile_app source _{^{(message by IssueLinks)}}

[probot-home-assistant[bot]]

Hey there @home-assistant/core, mind taking a look at this issue as it has been labeled with an integration (mobile_app) you are listed as a code owner for? Thanks! _{^{(message by CodeOwnersMention)}}

[bcutter]

Deleted redundant servers number 2 and 3. They came back some time after. Endless game. Any idea?

[snookerap]

Deleted redundant servers number 2 and 3. They came back some time after. Endless game. Any idea?

i have the same problem... :-(

[bcutter]

I don't get why this issue does not get some traction/attention.

Either it's a very special case (device, HA core version, ...) or only few people upgraded to iOS 16 yet OR those who already upgraded didn't realize they ran into the same issue.

[snookerap]

Ich denke auch, das tatsächlich viele die bereits iOS16 drauf haben, noch nicht bemerkt haben, dass die Benachrichtigungen nicht gehen. Komischerweise funktioniert es manchmal, dann wiederum bekomme ich eine Fehlermeldung..

[bcutter]

Right, thanks for reminding me:

• not only all entities are wrong
• but also the notify service name is wrong which breaks notifications using notify.mobile_app_DEVICENAME

[andreheuer]

I do have the same kind of error.

Please see also home-assistant/core#78565

[mluecke09]

I‘ve the same issue after changing the default „iPhone“ naming. Multiple instances of the same server will be created after time. Sometimes with the changed device name, sometimes with default „iPhone“ naming.

Two days ago I uninstalled and reinstalled the app on my iPhone 12 Pro and Apple Watch without changing the default naming. The issue is gone but with the downside of the default naming.

[bcutter]

Two days ago I uninstalled and reinstalled the app on my iPhone 12 Pro and Apple Watch without changing the default naming. The issue is gone but with the downside of the default naming.

Unfortunately that's not a solution (for almost everyone I guess). The whole HA world can not work around a fixed device naming. As soon as you have more than one iOS 16 device integrated, this will end up in a complete disaster (history, identification, automations, UI visualization, just everything breaks), not just a normal one with only one affected device.

[Djelibeybi]

I'm experiencing similar problems, but I only have one extra server config so far. Resetting the name does stick for me. This is iOS 16 on an iPhone 14 Pro.

[LEJOUI]

see also https://github.com/home-assistant/iOS/issues/2148

[kamwill]

Same issue here. I have 2 iPhones with iOS 16, I've changed their names (both were seen as "iPhone" in HA), but that didn't help. Notification can still be send only to iPhone.

[Reachushere]

I‘ve the same issue after changing the default „iPhone“ naming. Multiple instances of the same server will be created after time. Sometimes with the changed device name, sometimes with default „iPhone“ naming.

Two days ago I uninstalled and reinstalled the app on my iPhone 12 Pro and Apple Watch without changing the default naming. The issue is gone but with the downside of the default naming.

Has there been a solution found to this? We have two ios both on 16, and only one phone will receive a notification. We use the Call Service test in Developer, and from both phones the notitications only go to the same phone - even after both phones are renamed.

[bcutter]

Solution is "on the way", see https://github.com/home-assistant/iOS/issues/2148#issuecomment-1250463262

All other workarounds don't work, not permanently.

[Reachushere]

There was a Core update about 45 mins ago and fixed the issue entirely for me.On Sep 22, 2022, at 6:26 AM, bcutter @.***> wrote: Solution is "on the way", see #2148 (comment) All other workarounds don't work, not permanently.

—Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe.You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: @.***>

[bcutter]

There was a Core update about 45 mins ago and fixed the issue entirely for me.

I doubt it as there's nothing related to this issue in the release notes.

https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2022/09/07/release-20229/#release-202296---september-22

Maybe wait another 24 hours and tell us if it is still completely fine (as it sometimes looks like it is for few hours when applying the workarounds).

[Reachushere]

So I updated and suddenly our individual iPhones were there listed with the names that we had chosen in the Companion App under Server.  Until then they were not showing up.  I tested and the notifications seem to be working now.  Maybe it’s just a fluke as I was trying to figure this out at the same time the update became available, so maybe I did something to make it work and didn’t realize it.On Sep 22, 2022, at 6:40 AM, bcutter @.***> wrote:

There was a Core update about 45 mins ago and fixed the issue entirely for me.

I doubt it as there's nothing related to this issue in the release notes. https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2022/09/07/release-20229/#release-202296---september-22 Maybe wait another 24 hours and tell us if it is still completely fine (as it sometimes looks like it is for few hours when applying the workarounds).

—Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe.You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: @.***>

[bcutter]

Just WAIT and turn back in 23 hours 😀

[bcutter]

Anyone with iOS 16.0.2 installed still experiencing this?

[mww012]

I'm updating to 16.0.2 now. I'll report back if the issue auto-resolves or if I need to remove and re-add my phone into HA. Fingers crossed that this settles it.

[mww012]

No luck. I upgraded to 16.0.2 deleted my phone from HA entirely. It added back fine but within 1 hour I had 5 entries back in my mobile app. 😔

[ziptbm]

I'm seeing this as well across two different servers and two different phones, so 4 times.

As part of my troubleshooting, I've ensured the device is now properly renamed as it was before so it does not break my previous automation notifications, which are now working correctly. However, the device page within Home Assistant no longer shows the listed automations associated with this device.

[maikkoe]

I had this problem too. I don’t know if it’s the HA release 2022.10.1 or the way I reconfigured the App/Integration. First I resetted the app, uninstalled it, deleted the device from the Integration over my Mac. After everything was gone I reinstalled the App and configured it correctly (custom name not iPhone). Since that it’s working nearly one day. Before it was working only for a few hours.

[bcutter]

For me at some point (I think after updating to iOS 16.0.2) - roughly September 28th - after

• removing the 2nd and 3rd server listings and
• renaming the iPhone device in the mobile app integration both for probably the 70th time, it's now "fixed" meaning there's no defaulting back to "iPhone" anymore now for more than 10 days.

Sorry I can't identify/name what actually fixed it in detail, probably a combination of stuff together with the iOS 16.0.2 update. Will leave this open of course as many others seem to still suffer from this (right?).

Will update all other iDevices to iOS 16 shortly, let's see if/how that works.

[restauffer]

I too am having this issue. I have noted that I can change the device name in the Companion App to the previous name and all then works in HA (automations, dashboards, etc.) But the next time Companion needs to reauthenticate with HA the name in Companion has reverted to "iPhone" which then carries over to the integration in HA thus breaking all the links again.

[snookerap]

I still have the problem despite all the updates.

[bcutter]

Update 2022.10 has arrived in App Store. Please everyone test and report back if it solved it for you.

[restauffer]

This has solved the problem for me. The name is being passed from iOS properly as before iOS16. Thank you.

[mww012]

Same here! It took a full uninstall of the app and removing the integration HA. Before doing that my extra entries would come back. We're all good now though.

Thanks again guys!