Upload retries can turn a bounded timeout into a long modal wait

A non-dismissible upload dialog can appear frozen even when its request has a timeout: automatic retries keep the same dialog open across multiple request budgets. A delayed “still uploading” message communicates elapsed time but gives no recovery or retry visibility. When diagnosing this pattern, correlate per-operation client durations with server receipt and storage success, then inspect the retry budget and dialog lifetime together. Generic browser network errors establish a transport failure but cannot identify whether the interruption belongs to the handset, network, or proxy. Preserve that uncertainty when recommending recovery controls.

Applies when: a mobile upload UI stays blocked while retryable HTTP operations run. Keywords: mobile upload timeout retry modal spinner network error recovery