App launch performance is within store limits

Apple's watchdog process kills any app that doesn't become interactive within 20 seconds of launch. Google Play triggers an ANR (Application Not Responding) rejection when the main thread blocks for more than 5 seconds. Synchronous I/O in module initialization, blocking API calls before the first render, or missing SplashScreen.hideAsync() calls all cause the app to appear frozen — ISO 25010:2011 time-behaviour failure. A slow launch doesn't just risk rejection; it trains reviewers to view the app as low quality, increasing scrutiny of everything else.

Move all async startup work behind the splash screen and defer it past first render.

// app/_layout.tsx (Expo Router)
import * as SplashScreen from 'expo-splash-screen';
import * as Font from 'expo-font';

SplashScreen.preventAutoHideAsync();

export default function RootLayout() {
  const [ready, setReady] = useState(false);

  useEffect(() => {
    async function prepare() {
      try {
        await Font.loadAsync({ 'MyFont': require('./assets/MyFont.ttf') });
      } finally {
        setReady(true);
        await SplashScreen.hideAsync();
      }
    }
    prepare();
  }, []);

  if (!ready) return null;
  return <Slot />;
}

Add a 10-second AbortController timeout to any API call that runs during startup. Test on a low-end device or throttled simulator, not a flagship.