| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to Apple's AirPower wireless charging mat has happened within the same organization (Apple). The device faced repeated issues with heat management, charging speed, charging interference, and communication with iOS devices. Engineers at Apple were working to address these issues, but the multi-coil design of AirPower led to overheating problems, ultimately causing the project to face significant challenges and doubts about its viability [75401].
(b) The software failure incident related to the AirPower wireless charging mat by Apple has not been reported to have happened at other organizations or with their products and services. The focus of the articles is primarily on the challenges faced by Apple in developing and releasing the AirPower device. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the case of Apple's AirPower wireless charging mat. The device faced repeated issues with heat management, charging speed, charging interference, and communication with corresponding iOS devices. Engineers were working on the complex circuitry to prevent overheating issues, but the multi-coil design with 16 to 24 charging coils may have contributed to the device getting extremely hot, ultimately leading to its failure [75401].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is highlighted by the fact that Apple engineers were facing challenges to ensure that the AirPower wireless charging mat wouldn't overheat during operation. The issues with heat management and the complex circuitry were factors introduced by the operation or potential misuse of the system, which ultimately led to the device facing significant hurdles in its development and potential release [75401]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to Apple's AirPower wireless charging mat was primarily due to internal factors within the system. The device faced issues with heat management, charging speed, charging interference, and communication with corresponding iOS devices. Engineers were working on the complex circuitry to prevent overheating, and the multi-coil design of the wireless charging pad was identified as a factor contributing to the overheating problem [75401]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident related to non-human actions in this case is primarily due to the overheating issues plaguing Apple's AirPower wireless charging mat. The device has faced repeated issues with heat management, charging speed, charging interference, and struggles to communicate with corresponding iOS devices, leading to concerns about its viability and potential failure [75401].
(b) On the other hand, the software failure incident related to human actions involves the design decisions made by Apple engineers. The decision to incorporate as many as 16 to 24 charging coils of different sizes in the wireless charging pad, instead of the typical single coil, contributed to the overheating problems. This design choice, as mentioned by longtime Apple blogger John Gruber, led to the wireless mat getting extremely hot and potentially causing the failure of the AirPower project [75401]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware issues can be seen in the case of Apple's AirPower wireless charging mat. The device faced repeated issues with heat management and charging speed, as well as charging interference. Engineers were working to prevent overheating and faced challenges with the complex circuitry of the device [75401].
(b) The software failure incident related to software issues can be observed in the struggles of AirPower to communicate effectively with corresponding iOS devices, leading to inaccurate charge level predictions. The device also faced challenges in terms of its multi-coil design, which made the wireless mat get extremely hot, indicating software-related design flaws [75401]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to Apple's AirPower wireless charging mat was non-malicious. The failure was primarily attributed to overheating issues, charging speed problems, charging interference, and communication issues with iOS devices [75401]. These issues were not caused by malicious intent but rather by technical challenges in the design and functionality of the product. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
[a75401]
The software failure incident related to Apple's AirPower wireless charging mat was primarily due to poor decisions. The device faced repeated issues with heat management, charging speed, charging interference, and communication with iOS devices. The design choice of incorporating as many as 16 to 24 charging coils of different sizes led to overheating problems, ultimately making the wireless mat extremely hot and impractical. Engineers had initially expressed concerns about the thermal challenges of the design, indicating that the multi-coil approach was not feasible. Additionally, Apple's decision to not release the AirPower device despite initial promises and to remove mentions of it from their website suggests a recognition of the failure resulting from poor decisions in the development and design process. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the case of Apple's AirPower wireless charging mat. The device faced repeated issues with heat management, charging speed, charging interference, and communication with iOS devices. Engineers were struggling to address overheating problems and complex circuitry issues, indicating a lack of professional competence in the development process [75401].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is seen in the design choice made by Apple for the AirPower wireless charging pad. Apple decided to incorporate as many as 16 to 24 charging coils of different sizes to enable charging multiple products at once. However, this design choice led to the device getting extremely hot, which was an unintended consequence of the design approach [75401]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident related to Apple's AirPower wireless charging mat can be categorized as a temporary failure. The device faced repeated issues with heat management, charging speed, charging interference, and communication with iOS devices [75401]. Engineers were working to address these issues, indicating that the failure was due to contributing factors introduced by certain circumstances but not all. Additionally, there were speculations about the device overheating and facing challenges with its complex circuitry, suggesting ongoing efforts to resolve the problems [75401]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, timing, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident related to Apple's AirPower wireless charging mat can be categorized as a crash. The device faced repeated issues with heat management, charging speed, charging interference, and communication with iOS devices, leading to the system losing its state and not performing its intended functions [75401].
(b) omission: The incident can also be categorized as an omission failure. The AirPower mat struggled to communicate with corresponding iOS devices, which meant it couldn't accurately predict the charge levels for those items, resulting in the system omitting to perform its intended functions at instances [75401].
(c) timing: The timing of the software failure incident can be considered a factor in the overall failure. Apple first teased AirPower more than a year before the incident, expecting it to be available for purchase in 2018. However, as time passed, speculation grew about whether it would ever come to fruition, indicating a timing failure in delivering the product as promised [75401].
(d) value: The incident can be linked to a value failure as well. The design of the wireless charging pad with multiple charging coils led to overheating issues, making the system perform its intended functions incorrectly by not being able to manage heat effectively [75401].
(e) byzantine: The byzantine behavior is not explicitly mentioned in the articles.
(f) other: The incident can be categorized under the "other" behavior as well. The multi-coil design of the wireless charging pad, which was a unique feature of the AirPower mat, ultimately contributed to its failure due to overheating issues. This unique design aspect led to the system behaving in a way not described in the other options [75401]. |