[bug]: BackHandler.removeEventListener causes crash on React Native 0.72+ / Expo SDK 53

[tommilleruk]

Description

Summary
The @walletconnect/modal-react-native package appears to call the deprecated BackHandler.removeEventListener() API, which was removed in React Native 0.72+. This results in a crash when navigating away from a screen that renders <WalletConnectModal /> on newer versions of React Native (including via Expo SDK 53, which uses RN 0.79).

WalletConnect Modal SDK version

1.1.0

Output of npx react-native info

info Fetching system and libraries information...
System:
OS: Windows 10 10.0.19045
CPU: "(8) x64 AMD Ryzen 7 4700U with Radeon Graphics "
Memory: 3.65 GB / 15.23 GB
Binaries:
Node:
version: 20.11.0
path: C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.EXE
Yarn: Not Found
npm:
version: 10.5.0
path: C:\Program Files\nodejs\npm.CMD
Watchman: Not Found
SDKs:
Android SDK: Not Found
Windows SDK: Not Found
IDEs:
Android Studio: Not Found
Visual Studio:
- 17.4.33103.184 (Visual Studio Community 2022)
Languages:
Java: Not Found
Ruby: Not Found
npmPackages:
"@react-native-community/cli":
installed: 18.0.0
wanted: ^18.0.0
react:
installed: 19.0.0
wanted: 19.0.0
react-native:
installed: 0.79.2
wanted: 0.79.2
react-native-windows: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
"react-native": Not Found
Android:
hermesEnabled: Not found
newArchEnabled: Not found
iOS:
hermesEnabled: Not found
newArchEnabled: Not found

Expo Version (if applies)

53

Steps to reproduce

1. Use @walletconnect/modal-react-native@1.1.0 in a React Native app (e.g., with Expo SDK 53).
2. Render the <WalletConnectModal /> component inside a screen.
3. Navigate away from the screen.

Snack, code example, screenshot, or link to a repository

            <WalletConnectModal
                explorerRecommendedWalletIds={[
                    '',
                ]}
                explorerExcludedWalletIds={'ALL'}
                projectId={projectId!}
                providerMetadata={metadata}
            />

[ignaciosantise]

hey @tommilleruk the issue might solve if you update react-native-modal to 14.0.0-rc.0

https://github.com/react-native-modal/react-native-modal/releases/tag/v14.0.0-rc.0

Also, have you thought of migrating to AppKit? We are about to release a new major version with Multichain support