Why audio messages with 'H&M' aren't delivering on iPhones
What's the story
A strange bug in Apple's Messages app is preventing users from sending voice messages containing ampersands. The issue was first reported on the Search Engine podcast and later investigated by app developer Guilherme Rambo. The glitch prevents you from using audio messages to inform your friends about places like Dave & Buster's, H&M, Tiffany & Co., or any other similar proper name.
Glitch details
The bug's impact on audio messages
The problem lies with the transcript that accompanies every audio message sent through Apple's Messages app. When you send a voice message saying something like "Do you want to go to Dave & Buster's?" it gets transcribed as such, with the proper name. However, this is where things go wrong due to the ampersand symbol in "Dave & Buster's."
Error explanation
Parsing error triggers Apple's BlastDoor Messages feature
The issue stems from Apple's transcription engine not rendering the ampersand XHTML correctly, resulting in a parsing error on the recipient's device. This parsing error activates Apple's BlastDoor Messages feature, which is designed to protect users from malicious messages that could exploit faulty parsing. As a result, the audio message fails to send successfully.