Local video track freezes in landscape or loses aspect ratio (even is sample app)

[bombruch]

Describe the bug
Local video track freezes in landscape

SDK Version
2.12.1 faced in PROD
2.10.2 tried to check sample app as was lack of ideas what we could screw in our logic

iOS/macOS Version
iOS 26.3.1

Xcode Version
The Xcode version which the issue occurs - Version 16.2 (16C5032a)
Swift version - as in main branch for sample app commit 4482e33f0b601e679ad4b82bebfcdaf7b2ad908b

Steps to Reproduce

• take sample app
• add parameters to connect to room and signing
• add logic to add local track to collection view
• add logic to start camera when connected to room
• rotate device to landscape - camera stream freezes
• rotate device to portrait - camera stream OK

Expected behavior
Local camera track continues to play in any orientation

Screenshots
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/4c8e332b-f714-4a91-9339-e5572a31e95e

Git state:

A bit updated patch to git to see what sits in commit:
patch_local_track.txt

Logs
Had to turn off LiveKit logs as LiveKitSDK.setLogLevel(.debug) refused to compile on min UIKit sample
So this what is shown in Xcode - logs_rotate.txt

UDAPTE 1:
Attaching full logs for 2.12.1 - logs_2_12_1.txt

[pblazej]

This is probably due to the use of UIKit and its quirks rather than a problem with the track itself (you can use basic SwiftUI example for comparison https://github.com/livekit-examples/swift-example).

I'm unable to reproduce that with iPhone 14, but this may be an unfortunate screen size diff.

Firstly, please make sure that for this view:

• VideoView.isEnabled is true - remove all optimizations for recycling, etc.
• how often prepareForReuse is called
• the same with invalidateLayout()

BTW feel free to check Xcode 26 as well.

[pblazej]

Added local track cell for comparison in this branch

[bombruch]

Tried the branch

Git status screens:

• Run 1: Was not able to reproduce 2 or 3 rotations but then changed landscape left to landscape right and it started reproduce
• Run 2: Seems like there was network lag but still it gives overall idea. Attaching record https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/402c4214-a8ec-4933-8e69-0d039d73c2f7
• Run 3: Record https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/4b6bacfc-e4be-4d0c-808b-40ea5195a3ab . Logs frozen_cell_test_2_logs.txt

[bombruch]

One more thing to add about local track, rotation and the brach.

If to turn off debug mode so local track looses aspect ratio after rotation.

Debug mode turned off:

iPhone 13 mini iOS 16.1 - https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/71940e10-4016-40a4-8f42-222f09c19eee

iPhone 11 iOS 26.3.1 - https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/4ed72ec3-31f4-4c1c-9c7c-ff4a9e2c0578 (Pls note if to tap on shuffle so it restores proper local track aspect ratio)

[pblazej]

@bombruch I made some draft changes to prevent the dimension freeze, feel free to test them ⏫

[DanilaPositive]

@pblazej I'm experiencing a similar issue in my project, which I believe is related to the one described above by @bombruch . I tried the suggested fixes too (branch and PR). When rotating the screen, the video frame is distorted and stretched. The result is visible in the screen recording (the fix didn't help):
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/14d5d510-f439-40a6-b5be-cb6b955aca89

The steps to reproduce are the same:

• take sample app;
• add signing;
• specify the connection parameters (url and token);
• disable the isDebugMode flag in VideoView (the default is false);
• launching the application, rotate the screen to landscape and then back to portrait - the video frame is distorted and stretched.

Note that when the isDebugMode flag is true, the video frame stretches for a moment, but immediately returns to its original normal state. The issue has been reproducible starting with LiveKit 2.7 (and 2.12.1 too).

[pblazej]

@DanilaPositive thank you for detailed reproduction steps! I think we've got enough info to pinpoint the issue.

[pblazej]

@DanilaPositive @bombruch both of your issues may indeed have the same root cause, I created a more focused fix above ⏫ 🙃 blaze/rotation-dimension-freeze

It would be great to confirm whether it helps or not.