| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the iPhone alarm not working properly had happened again at Apple. This incident was not the first time Apple had faced issues with its alarm clock application. In a previous case in November, the application failed to register the changeover to standard time from daylight saving time for some users, causing alarms to activate too late [3696].
(b) The software failure incident of the iPhone alarm not working properly was not unique to Apple. Similar incidents had occurred with alarms on iPhones in Europe and Australia and New Zealand as the clocks changed the previous year. Additionally, the issue of alarms not working properly was reported by users of other organizations or products on social media platforms like Twitter [3709]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the articles. The incidents were caused by a software programming error that affected the iPhone and iPod alarms. Users experienced missed wake-up calls due to a glitch in the software, specifically affecting alarms set for January 1 or 2 [3709, 3696]. This issue was related to non-repeating alarms set for specific dates, indicating a flaw in the design or programming of the alarm system.
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is also evident in the articles. Users reported that their alarms failed to sound as expected, leading to various consequences such as missing workouts, being late for work, missing flights, and causing an ambulance to be unmanned until staff arrived [3709, 3696]. These operational failures were a result of the system not functioning correctly during its intended use, highlighting issues with the operation or usage of the alarm feature on the iPhones. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the iPhone alarm issue was primarily caused by a software programming error within the iOS 4.0 operating system used by iPhones [3709, 3696]. Users experienced missed wake-up calls and alarms not activating properly due to this internal software glitch. Apple acknowledged the problem and advised users to set recurring alarms as a workaround until the issue was resolved [3709, 3696].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident was not explicitly attributed to factors originating from outside the system in the provided articles. The primary cause of the alarm issue was identified as a software programming error within the iOS operating system [3709, 3696]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
- The software failure incident with iPhone alarms was due to a software programming error that caused alarms to not work properly [3709].
- The problem involved alarms set for one-time use, not repeating alarms, and Apple advised users to set all alarms as recurring ones to avoid the issue [3696].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
- Users complained about missing wake-up calls, meetings, flights, and trains as a result of the software bug [3709].
- Some users, like Jeana Lawrence, relied on Apple's statement that the problem would resolve itself on Monday, indicating trust in the company's assurances [3696]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The incidents reported in the articles [3709, 3696] were primarily due to a software programming error in Apple's iPhone and iPod devices.
- Users experienced missed wake-up calls and alarms failing to activate properly, leading to various consequences such as missing flights, being late for work, and disrupting daily schedules.
- The issues were attributed to a glitch in the software programming of the iOS operating system used in iPhones, affecting alarms set for specific dates like January 1 and 2.
- The hardware itself was not the root cause of the problem; instead, it was the software bug that caused the alarms to malfunction.
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The software failure incident was primarily caused by a software programming error in Apple's iOS operating system, affecting the alarm functionality on iPhones and iPods [3709, 3696].
- Users reported that the alarms did not sound as expected, leading to various disruptions in their daily routines.
- Apple acknowledged the issue and advised users to set recurring alarms as a temporary workaround until the problem was resolved.
- The glitch was specific to the software application responsible for managing alarms, indicating a software-related issue rather than a hardware malfunction. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles is non-malicious. The incidents were related to a software programming error that caused iPhone alarms to not work properly, leading to users missing important events such as meetings, flights, and work shifts. Apple acknowledged the issue and provided guidance to users on how to address the problem by setting recurring alarms. Users expressed frustration and inconvenience due to the software glitch, but there is no indication that the failure was caused by malicious intent or actions [3709, 3696]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the iPhone alarm issue can be attributed to poor decisions made by Apple. The incident was caused by a software programming error that affected non-repeating alarms set for January 1 or 2 [3709]. Apple acknowledged the problem but assured users that it would resolve itself on Monday. However, the issue persisted, leading to further complaints from users whose alarms failed to sound [3696]. This indicates that the initial decision to downplay the severity of the problem and assure users of a quick resolution was not effective, ultimately resulting in continued disruptions for users. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the articles. Users complained about missing important events like meetings, flights, and work due to the iPhone alarm glitch [3709]. The recurring issue with the alarm application failing to activate properly on multiple occasions, despite Apple's assurances, indicates a lack of professional competence in resolving the underlying software programming errors [3696].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is also apparent in the articles. Users like Jeana Lawrence from Houston missed their schedules and routines due to the unexpected failure of the iPhone alarm, which they relied on for timely wake-ups [3696]. The article highlights how users were surprised that the problem persisted despite Apple's promises of a resolution, indicating that the failure was not intentional but rather an accidental consequence of the software glitch. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident related to the iPhone alarm issue reported in the news articles was temporary. The alarms failed to activate properly for a certain period, specifically on January 1st and 2nd, affecting users who had set non-repeating alarms during that time [3709]. Apple acknowledged the problem and assured users that the issue would resolve itself on Monday, indicating a temporary nature of the failure [3696]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, timing, value, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident described in the articles can be categorized as a crash. Users reported that their iPhone alarms failed to activate properly, causing them to miss important events such as meetings, flights, and work shifts [3709, 3696].
(b) omission: The software failure incident can also be categorized as an omission. Users set their alarms expecting them to go off at the specified times, but the alarms failed to sound, leading to users missing their scheduled activities [3709, 3696].
(c) timing: The timing of the software failure incident is related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly in terms of timing. Users expected their alarms to work at the specified times, but they either went off too late or did not sound at all, causing disruptions to their schedules [3709, 3696].
(d) value: The software failure incident can be categorized as a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. Users relied on their iPhone alarms to wake them up at specific times, but the alarms failed to do so, resulting in users missing important events and incurring financial losses [3709, 3696].
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit characteristics of a byzantine failure, which involves inconsistent responses and interactions. The incident described in the articles primarily focuses on the alarms not functioning as expected, rather than providing inconsistent or conflicting responses [3709, 3696].
(f) other: The other behavior exhibited by the software failure incident is the lack of a clear explanation for the glitch causing the alarms to fail. Apple did not provide a specific reason for the issue, leaving users frustrated and questioning the reliability of the software [3709, 3696]. |