Whenever I try to upgrade an application with a network extension (NEPacketTunnelProvider) to a new version and the VPN is in the "Connect" or "Connected" state, the update will always hang with the following message in the console logs:
Oct 7 13:43:24 XXX-iPad SpringBoard(FrontBoard)[47] <Notice>: Error acquiring hold on plugins for com.example.apple-samplecode.SimpleTunnel.myapp2: Error Domain=PlugInKit Code=14 "plug-ins are busy" UserInfo={busyPlugInUUIDs=( { XPCExtensionBundleIdentifier = "com.example.apple-samplecode.SimpleTunnel.myapps.PacketTunnel.myapp2"; } ), NSLocalizedDescription=plug-ins are busy}
Even if I wait a long time, it never ends, sometimes it shows about 55% completion, and sometimes the icon is black. If I click on the icon and restart the update, it sometimes works, but then I need to go back and configure the VPN a second time. Sometimes I see an error message that asks if I want to repeat the update.
This will be a serious problem for customers, since it seems to happen every time, at least on iOS 10. I could not find a reasonable solution.
I wrote a bug with Apple, but all they reported was a duplication of the existing Open problem (27872696). They have not yet been able to provide any workaround.
Stopping the VPN before the update time allows the update to work without problems, but it is a very bad user interface.
If anyone has seen this problem or can provide workaround or other information, please let me know.
By the way, I rewrote it using the Apple Simple Simple Tunnel app, so this is not something weird that my app does. I can play back by performing the initial download and updating on Intunes using the IPA made in Xcode, but I also see this when updating from the app store, which is the biggest problem.
UPDATE: This section discusses where Apple says this is a known issue. If this problem affects you, try adding an answer to it, as there is an Apple person in the stream.
https://forums.developer.apple.com/thread/61659