react native keyboard does not pop up when the Android Textinput autoFocus is true

You can use a useRef hook to do this. Live example (https://snack.expo.dev/@heytony01/smiling-candy).

export default function App() {
  // Use to get reference to keyboard
  const textInputRef = React.useRef();

  // Focuses on keyboard once screen starts 
  React.useEffect(()=>{
    // Use the textInput focus function
    textInputRef.current.focus(); // opens keyboard
  },[])

  return (
    <View style={{flex:1,justifyContent:"center",alignItems:"center"}}>
        <TextInput ref={textInputRef} placeholder="Type here" style={{backgroundColor:"lightgray"}}/>
    </View>
  );
}