ContextEngine iOS: intermittent blank startup UI on real device blocks capture controls

[meharajM]

Summary

Real-device QA on iPhone 18.5 intermittently opens ContextEngine into an empty/blank accessibility tree where capture controls are missing, which blocks deterministic startup interactions.

Environment

• Device: meharaj’s iPhone (00008110-001C05241A86201E)
• iOS: 18.5
• WDA: http://192.168.29.124:8100 (ready=true)
• Date: 2026-06-01

Reproduction

1. Run: node ContextEngine/scripts/real-device-qa.js --wda http://192.168.29.124:8100 --bundle com.meharaj.contextengine
2. Script creates WDA session and reads initial source.
3. In failing runs, the app tree has no actionable controls (thought_input, tabs, buttons), causing no such element errors.

Expected

Home/Reflections UI should consistently render with automation IDs such as thought_input, record_button, tab_reflections, tab_queue.

Actual

Initial UI source sometimes only contains an empty nested XCUIElementTypeOther hierarchy and no controls.

Evidence

• ContextEngine/artifacts/real-device-qa/2026-06-01T17-56-07-577Z/baseline_reflections.xml
• WDA error: unable to find an element using 'name', value 'thought_input'

Impact

Blocks reliable device QA and indicates a startup/render stability issue on physical iOS.