Empty `Text` component has non-zero width on iOS

Description

When rendering the following component tree:

<View style={styles.container}>
  <View style={{ flexDirection: 'row' }}>
    <Text>Left</Text>
    <Text style={{ backgroundColor: 'red' }}></Text>
    <Text>Right</Text>
  </View>
</View>

The middle Text component has an incorrect non-zero width on iOS:

However, on Android and web it has zero width:

Steps to reproduce

1. Paste the reproducer into RNTester
2. Run the app on iOS simulator

React Native Version

0.84.0-rc.4

Affected Platforms

Runtime - iOS

Areas

Fabric - The New Renderer

Output of npx @react-native-community/cli info

System:
  OS: macOS 15.7.3
  CPU: (12) arm64 Apple M3 Pro
  Memory: 258.31 MB / 18.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 20.19.5
    path: /Users/tomekzaw/.nvm/versions/node/v20.19.5/bin/node
  Yarn:
    version: 4.1.1
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/yarn
  npm:
    version: 10.8.2
    path: /Users/tomekzaw/.nvm/versions/node/v20.19.5/bin/npm
  Watchman:
    version: 2026.01.12.00
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.15.2
    path: /Users/tomekzaw/.rbenv/shims/pod
SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
    Platforms:
      - DriverKit 25.2
      - iOS 26.2
      - macOS 26.2
      - tvOS 26.2
      - visionOS 26.2
      - watchOS 26.2
  Android SDK:
    API Levels:
      - "30"
      - "31"
      - "33"
      - "34"
      - "35"
      - "36"
    Build Tools:
      - 30.0.2
      - 30.0.3
      - 31.0.0
      - 33.0.0
      - 33.0.1
      - 34.0.0
      - 35.0.0
      - 36.0.0
    System Images:
      - android-33 | Google APIs ARM 64 v8a
      - android-34 | Google APIs ARM 64 v8a
      - android-35 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
      - android-36 | Google APIs ARM 64 v8a
      - android-36 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
    Android NDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2025.2 AI-252.27397.103.2522.14514259
  Xcode:
    version: 26.2/17C52
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.18
    path: /usr/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 3.3.6
    path: /Users/tomekzaw/.rbenv/shims/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli": Not Found
  react: Not Found
  react-native: Not Found
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true

Stacktrace or Logs

No stacktrace

MANDATORY Reproducer

https://snack.expo.dev/@tomekzaw/upbeat-violet-raspberries

Screenshots and Videos

iOS:

Android:

react-native-web:

Start by running the mandatory Snack reproducer in RNTester on the iOS simulator and compare the empty Text width with Android and web. Trace the Fabric New Renderer path for Text layout on iOS, then add or update regression coverage so the empty middle Text has zero width while the surrounding text remains correctly laid out.