| Recurring |
unknown |
The software failure incident related to the faulty power buttons on the iPhone 5 is an example of a hardware issue rather than a software failure. Therefore, there is no information in the provided article about the incident happening again at the same organization or at multiple organizations in terms of software failures. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article where it mentions that a 'small percentage' of iPhone 5 handsets, typically manufactured before March 2013, have faulty mechanisms that can lead to problems with the sleep/wake button switch. This fault in the design of the switch mechanism caused affected devices to be unable to be turned on or off, or locked in the usual way, leading to intermittent issues with the device [25732].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase can be observed in the article where it describes how users faced issues with the sleep/wake button becoming unresponsive over time. Users reported problems with the button not working properly, with one user mentioning that the button was fine when pushed on the left side but completely unresponsive on the right side. This indicates that the failure was due to the operation or misuse of the device, leading to the need for a replacement scheme by Apple [25732]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) The software failure incident related to the faulty power buttons on the iPhone 5 can be categorized as within_system. The issue with the sleep/wake button was acknowledged by Apple, and they initiated a free replacement scheme for affected users. The fault was attributed to a faulty mechanism within the iPhone 5 handsets, particularly those manufactured before March 2013. Users reported problems with the switch mechanism, preventing the device from being turned on or off, or locked in the usual way [25732]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is primarily due to a non-human action, specifically a fault in the switch mechanism of the iPhone 5 handsets. The faulty mechanisms in a 'small percentage' of iPhone 5 handsets, predominantly those manufactured before March 2013, led to problems with the sleep/wake button. This fault prevented the devices from being turned on or off, or locked in the usual way, causing intermittent issues with the affected iPhone models [25732].
(b) The human actions involved in addressing this software failure incident include Apple launching a dedicated webpage for U.S. and Canadian users to submit their serial numbers to check if they qualify for the replacement scheme. Additionally, affected users can send in their iPhones for inspection through the post, visit an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider listed on the site. Apple also offered a 16GB iPhone 5 on loan to affected users who took their handsets to an Apple store for fixing. Furthermore, users who had paid for an out-of-warranty replacement to fix the problem may be eligible for a refund from Apple [25732]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The article mentions a problem with the sleep/wake button on the iPhone 5, indicating a hardware issue with the switch mechanism [25732].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The article does not specifically mention any software-related contributing factors to the failure incident. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the faulty power buttons on the iPhone 5 is categorized as non-malicious. The issue with the sleep/wake button was attributed to a faulty mechanism in a small percentage of iPhone 5 handsets, particularly those manufactured before March 2013. Apple acknowledged the problem and initiated a free replacement scheme for affected users, indicating that the failure was not due to malicious intent but rather a manufacturing defect [25732]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
accidental_decisions |
The software failure incident related to the faulty power buttons on the iPhone 5 can be attributed to accidental_decisions. The issue with the sleep/wake button on the iPhone 5 was acknowledged by Apple after two years of customer complaints, indicating a delay in recognizing and addressing the problem [25732]. This delay in response suggests that the failure was more likely due to unintended decisions or mistakes rather than poor decisions intentionally made by the company. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is not explicitly mentioned in the provided article.
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is evident in the article as it describes a fault in the sleep/wake button mechanism of the iPhone 5 handsets. This fault, which prevented the device from being turned on or off or locked in the usual way, was acknowledged by Apple after two years of customer complaints [25732]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident related to the faulty power buttons on the iPhone 5 can be categorized as a temporary failure. The issue with the sleep/wake button on the iPhone 5 was not a permanent failure but rather a temporary one that affected a 'small percentage' of iPhone 5 handsets, particularly those manufactured before March 2013 [Article 25732]. The fault prevented the affected devices from being turned on or off, or locked in the usual way, causing intermittent problems with the functionality of the iPhone models. Apple acknowledged the problem after two years of customer complaints and initiated a free replacement scheme for the affected users, indicating that the issue was not a permanent one but rather a temporary glitch in a subset of devices. |
| Behaviour |
omission, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident in the article is not related to a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions [25732].
(b) omission: The software failure incident in the article is related to omission where the system omits to perform its intended functions at an instance(s). Specifically, the faulty power button on the iPhone 5 caused affected devices to not be able to be turned on or off, or locked in the usual way, leading to intermittent issues and some models stopping working [25732].
(c) timing: The software failure incident in the article is not related to timing where the system performs its intended functions correctly, but too late or too early [25732].
(d) value: The software failure incident in the article is not related to a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly [25732].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident in the article is not related to a byzantine failure where the system behaves erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions [25732].
(f) other: The software failure incident in the article is specifically related to a hardware issue with the sleep/wake button on the iPhone 5, causing functionality problems, rather than a software-related failure [25732]. |