Not spammy when using ESP32-WROOM-32

[ExME168]

I've tested this on several iOS 16 devices (one is using iOS 16.2 and the others are using the latest iOS 16.6.1) using an ESP32-WROOM-32 and it does not produce the same spamming effect seen in your demo video. I've reviewed the datasheets of the ESP32-WROOM-32 and the ESP32-C3 and it turns out the former only supports up to BLE 4.2 whereas the latter can support up to BLE 5 (and a bunch more features like simultaneous advertising and scanning and advertising extensions). It's very likely that the ESP32-WROOM-32 is encountering hardware limitations and that's why I can't spam the test devices.

So yeah, if anyone is going to use this tool, make sure to either use the same ESP32-C3 used by the developer or at least any microcontroller with BLE 5 support.

ESP32-WROOM-32 Bluetooth Specs:

ESP32-C3 Bluetooth Specs:

[ckcr4lyf]

Interesting, are you able to capture the BLE advertisement from the ESP32-WROOM on a laptop and see what it's like?

I wonder if it is able to set the random address param / advertisement type "correctly".

[ExME168]

Yeah it's able to set the TxAdd parameter to random

[ckcr4lyf]

That's odd, if it is the same BLE packet I would imagine it doesn't matter what the source device is. What iPhone / iOS are you testing it with?

Unfortunately I only have ESP32-C3s from AirM2M with me, but I can try and target the same iOS device and see the results.

[ExME168]

The only iPhone I have on-hand right now is an iPhone X running iOS 14.8. I'm pretty sure this is way more stubborn compared to iOS 16 devices because the only notification I keep seeing from this is the spoofed "password autofill" for Apple TV (that is index 6 in the short devices array). Sometimes it pops up other Apple TV notifs like Apple TV setup and color balance but it's rare. It never pops up notifs related to audio devices.

As for the iOS 16 devices,
I don't know what iPhone my friend was using exactly (most likely iPhone 13 or 14 because it had three lenses) but it was surely running iOS 16.2. His phone got the popup notifs way more frequently but still I wouldn't consider it "spammy". There were times when the notifs just stopped popping up. The iOS 16.6.1 devices I tested were literally iPhones displayed in a store and they just brought up the popups for the first couple of seconds but then stopped getting them. Still not the spammy effect.

[ckcr4lyf]

Hmm, let me try in an Apple store as well and get back to you.

[h0e4a0r1t]

I use Arduino IDE to program ESP32-WROOM-32 and it can be used normally

[ckcr4lyf]

@h0e4a0r1t are you observing the "spammy" popups on an iPhone with the ESP32-WROOM-32? If so, could you share the iPhone version / iOS version as well

[h0e4a0r1t]

Yes, I can get "spam" popping up on my iPhone. My phone model is iPhone 13/iOS version is 16.6.1

[cryptr0n1x]

Testing with ESP32-WROOM-32 and iPhone 13 mini / iOS 16.6. Unfortunately not "spammy" enough.

[cryptr0n1x]

Yes, I can get "spam" popping up on my iPhone. My phone model is iPhone 13/iOS version is 16.6.1

Could you show us a video, how "spammy" it is?

I tried with RPi + BT Dongle and ESP32-WROOM-32. Both versions didn't get any spam effect on my iPhone 13 mini.

After closing one or two popups nothing happend. Spammy means to me, you cannot use your iPhone anymore XD

[9xcoder]

Can I use any ESP32 circuit or does it have to be an ESP32-C3?

[ckcr4lyf]

Can I use any ESP32 circuit or does it have to be an ESP32-C3?

Which ESP32 is it? If it has a BLE radio it could work, but I've not tested it.

[9xcoder]

Can I use any ESP32 circuit or does it have to be an ESP32-C3?

Which ESP32 is it? If it has a BLE radio it could work, but I've not tested it.

Module Wifi BLE ESP32 Node MCU LuaNode32 CP2102

Do you think it will work?

[ckcr4lyf]

Module Wifi BLE ESP32 Node MCU LuaNode32 CP2102

Looking at some of the boards w/ a generic google search, seems it is a ESP32-WROOM-32. From what others have mentioned in the thread, it may not work as well as an ESP32-C3.

If you live in Asia, and have some kind of Taobao forwarding service available, ESP32C3 on their is only like 13RMB, would recommend it. (And if you get multiple, the effect is even better).