[iOS] [Apple Maps] [New Architecture] Custom markers intermittently disappear after zoom/pan

Start by running the provided TSX reproduction with New Architecture enabled on iOS, focusing on MapView, Marker, and the onRegionChangeComplete update. Compare marker behavior during pan and zoom with New Architecture disabled, then trace the Apple Maps native reconciliation path. Done means all visible custom image markers remain present after gestures without changing the underlying data.

Summary

Custom components with image children intermittently disappear from MKMapView after zoom or pan gestures when New Architecture is enabled on Expo SDK 54 (RN 0.81). Markers are still present in React state — a bottom sheet showing the same data array remains complete — and sometimes reappear on subsequent renders. This does not occur with New Architecture disabled.
This is distinct from #5877 (Android) and #5908 (iOS Google Maps) — this affects Apple Maps on iOS specifically, where markers render initially but are silently dropped by the native layer during reconciliation triggered by map gestures.

Reproducible sample code

import React, { useState, useRef, useCallback, useEffect } from 'react';
import { View, Image, StyleSheet, Animated } from 'react-native';
import MapView, { Marker } from 'react-native-maps';

const INITIAL_MARKERS = [
  { id: '1', lat: 37.7882, long: -122.4324 },
  { id: '2', lat: 37.7902, long: -122.4344 },
  { id: '3', lat: 37.7862, long: -122.4304 },
  { id: '4', lat: 37.7842, long: -122.4354 },
  { id: '5', lat: 37.7922, long: -122.4314 },
];

function MarkerComponent({ marker, isSelected, onPress }) {
  const scaleAnim = useRef(new Animated.Value(0)).current;

  useEffect(() => {
    Animated.spring(scaleAnim, {
      toValue: 1,
      friction: 5,
      tension: 50,
      useNativeDriver: true,
    }).start();
  }, []);

  return (
    <Marker
      coordinate={{ latitude: marker.lat, longitude: marker.long }}
      tracksViewChanges={false}
      anchor={{ x: 0.5, y: 0.5 }}
      onPress={onPress}
    >
      <Animated.View
        style={{
          transform: [{ scale: scaleAnim }],
          alignItems: 'center',
          justifyContent: 'center',
        }}
      >
        <View style={[
          styles.markerContent,
          isSelected && { borderWidth: 3, borderColor: '#00A811' }
        ]}>
          <Image
            source={{ uri: 'https://reactnative.dev/img/tiny_logo.png' }}
            style={styles.markerImage}
          />
        </View>
      </Animated.View>
    </Marker>
  );
}

export default function App() {
  const [markers, setMarkers] = useState(INITIAL_MARKERS);
  const [selectedId, setSelectedId] = useState(null);

  // Replacing array with new object references on every region change
  // simulates real-world cache/filter pattern that triggers the bug
  const handleRegionChangeComplete = useCallback(() => {
    setMarkers(INITIAL_MARKERS.map(m => ({ ...m })));
  }, []);

  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      <MapView
        style={styles.map}
        initialRegion={{
          latitude: 37.78825,
          longitude: -122.4324,
          latitudeDelta: 0.05,
          longitudeDelta: 0.05,
        }}
        onRegionChangeComplete={handleRegionChangeComplete}
      >
        {markers.map((marker) => (
          <MarkerComponent
            key={`marker_${marker.id}`}
            marker={marker}
            isSelected={selectedId === marker.id}
            onPress={() => setSelectedId(marker.id)}
          />
        ))}
      </MapView>
    </View>
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: { flex: 1 },
  map: { ...StyleSheet.absoluteFillObject },
  markerContent: {
    backgroundColor: 'white',
    borderRadius: 8,
    padding: 4,
    alignItems: 'center',
    shadowColor: '#000',
    shadowOffset: { width: 0, height: 2 },
    shadowOpacity: 0.3,
    shadowRadius: 3,
  },
  markerImage: {
    width: 30,
    height: 30,
  },
});

Steps to reproduce

Enable New Architecture in app.json: "newArchEnabled": true (default on Expo SDK 54)
Run the reproducible sample above on a physical iOS device or simulator
Allow markers to fully render on initial load
Zoom out then zoom back in, or pan the map in any direction
Observe: one or more markers within the visible viewport disappear entirely
Note: the underlying data array is unchanged — only the native map view drops the markers

Expected result

The markers in current view are all visible on the map

Actual result

Some markers disappear after pan/zoom in/out

React Native Maps Version

1.20.1

What platforms are you seeing the problem on?

iOS (Apple Maps)

React Native Version

0.81.5

What version of Expo are you using?

SDK 53

Device(s)

iphone 16 pro, iphone 17

Additional information

Expo SDK 54, but was also visible on SDK53