Incident: iPhone 7 Plus Camera Black Screen of Death Issue

Published Date: 2016-12-22

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident with the iPhone 7 Plus rear cameras occurred in December 2016 [58212].
System 1. iPhone 7 Plus rear cameras [58212]
Responsible Organization 1. The software failure incident with the iPhone 7 Plus rear cameras was caused by a hardware fault, specifically related to the camera shutter, as identified by Apple's Genius Bar [58212].
Impacted Organization 1. Users of the iPhone 7 Plus rear camera [58212] 2. Apple as the manufacturer of the iPhone 7 Plus [58212]
Software Causes 1. Software bug causing the rear cameras on the iPhone 7 Plus to display a black screen of death and the warning 'Emergency iPhone needs to cool down' [58212]
Non-software Causes 1. Hardware fault in the shutter causing the issue with the rear cameras on the iPhone 7 Plus [58212] 2. Malfunctioning components in the camera requiring replacement [58212]
Impacts 1. Users experienced a 'black screen of death' when trying to launch the rear cameras on the iPhone 7 Plus, with some also seeing a warning message stating 'Emergency iPhone needs to cool down' (Article 58212). 2. The malfunctioning rear camera issue led to users being unable to use the camera app properly, affecting their ability to take pictures or videos (Article 58212). 3. Some users reported tinted green or purple images when the camera did work, indicating a color distortion problem caused by the software failure (Article 58212). 4. The software failure incident resulted in users resorting to solutions like hard resets, factory restores, and seeking help from Apple support, with some ultimately needing their phones or camera components replaced (Article 58212).
Preventions 1. Ensuring thorough testing of the camera functionality before releasing the iPhone 7 Plus to the market could have potentially prevented the software failure incident [58212]. 2. Implementing a more robust quality assurance process to detect and address any potential hardware faults related to the rear cameras of the iPhone 7 Plus could have helped prevent the issue [58212]. 3. Conducting a comprehensive analysis of user feedback and reported issues related to the camera functionality could have provided early insights into the problem, allowing for preventive measures to be taken [58212].
Fixes 1. Make sure there's nothing blocking the camera lens such as a case. 2. Force close the Camera app and reopen it. 3. Manually restart your handset then reopen the camera app once rebooted. 4. Try toggling between the front and rear cameras. 5. Take the phone to the nearest Apple Retail Store or Authorised Service Provider if the issue persists [58212].
References 1. User reports on Reddit and Twitter [58212] 2. Apple's forum boards [58212]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident related to the iPhone 7 Plus rear camera issue has happened again within the same organization, Apple. Users reported facing a 'black screen of death' and 'Emergency iPhone needs to cool down' warning when trying to use the rear cameras on their iPhone 7 Plus devices. Apple has not publicly acknowledged the issue or provided an explanation, but users have mentioned that Apple either replaced the faulty units with new models or switched out the malfunctioning components [58212]. (b) The software failure incident related to the iPhone 7 Plus rear camera issue has also been reported by users across various platforms such as Reddit and Twitter, indicating that the problem is not limited to a specific region or a small number of users. Users from different regions have experienced the same issue with the rear cameras on their iPhone 7 Plus devices, leading to complaints and requests for assistance on Apple's forum boards and social media platforms [58212].
Phase (Design/Operation) design (a) The software failure incident related to the design phase: The incident with the iPhone 7 Plus rear camera black screen issue appears to be a hardware fault rather than a software issue. Users reported problems with the camera app, such as a black image preview, tinted green or purple images, and a screen stating 'Emergency iPhone needs to cool down' even when the handset wasn't warm. Apple had to replace faulty units or malfunctioning components, indicating a hardware fault introduced during the design or manufacturing phase [58212]. (b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase: The article does not provide specific information indicating that the software failure incident was due to factors introduced by the operation or misuse of the system. Therefore, it is unknown if the incident was related to the operation phase.
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system The software failure incident related to the iPhone 7 Plus rear camera issue can be analyzed as follows: (a) within_system: The failure of the iPhone 7 Plus rear camera appears to be a within-system issue as it is related to the hardware component of the phone. Users reported issues such as a black screen, tinted images, and warnings like 'Emergency iPhone needs to cool down' when trying to use the rear camera [58212]. (b) outside_system: There is no explicit mention in the article of the failure being caused by contributing factors originating from outside the system. The focus is primarily on the issues with the rear camera itself and the steps recommended by Apple to address the problem [58212].
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions (a) The software failure incident in the article is related to non-human actions. Users reported issues with the rear cameras of the iPhone 7 Plus, such as a black screen of death or a warning message saying 'Emergency iPhone needs to cool down,' when attempting to use the camera. The problem seems to be affecting a small number of users, and it is unclear what is causing the issue. Apple has not provided a public explanation for the problem, but users have mentioned that Apple either replaced the faulty units with new models or switched out the malfunctioning components [58212]. (b) The software failure incident in the article is not directly related to human actions. Users experiencing issues with the iPhone 7 Plus rear cameras did not mention any actions they took that could have caused the problem. The reported problems, such as a black screen or a warning message, seem to be related to a hardware fault rather than actions taken by the users [58212].
Dimension (Hardware/Software) hardware, software (a) The software failure incident related to hardware: - Users reported issues with the rear cameras of the iPhone 7 Plus, experiencing a 'black screen of death' and a warning message stating 'Emergency iPhone needs to cool down' when trying to use the camera [58212]. - Some users mentioned that Apple had to replace their phones due to a 'hardware fault' related to the camera issue [58212]. - Apple's forum moderators provided advice for users experiencing camera issues, suggesting steps like ensuring nothing blocks the camera lens and restarting the device, indicating a hardware-related problem [58212]. (b) The software failure incident related to software: - Users reported software issues with the camera app on the iPhone 7 Plus, such as not being able to take pictures or videos, but portrait mode working, and the camera functioning in the Instagram app [58212]. - Some users mentioned that the camera problem occurred without even updating the software, indicating a software-related issue [58212]. - Apple suggested steps to remedy the camera issue, including force closing the Camera app, restarting the device, and toggling between front and rear cameras, which are typical software troubleshooting steps [58212].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) non-malicious (a) The software failure incident reported in Article 58212 is non-malicious. Users of the iPhone 7 Plus reported issues with the rear camera, such as a black screen of death and a warning message indicating the phone needs to cool down when trying to use the camera. The problem seems to be related to a hardware fault, as some users had their phones replaced or the camera component changed by Apple due to the malfunction [58212].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) accidental_decisions (a) The software failure incident related to the iPhone 7 Plus rear camera issue does not seem to be directly linked to poor decisions. Instead, it appears to be a technical fault or hardware issue affecting a small number of users. The article mentions that users have experienced issues with the rear camera, such as a black screen or a warning message indicating the phone needs to cool down when trying to use the camera. Apple has been replacing faulty units or components for affected users, indicating a hardware-related problem rather than a result of poor decisions [58212]. (b) The software failure incident with the iPhone 7 Plus rear camera issue seems to be more of an accidental decision or unintended consequence rather than a direct result of poor decisions. Users have reported issues with the rear camera, such as a black screen or tinted images, without any specific mention of poor decisions leading to the problem. Apple has been addressing the issue by replacing faulty units or components, suggesting it is more of a technical fault or hardware issue rather than a consequence of poor decisions [58212].
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) accidental (a) The software failure incident in the article seems to be more related to accidental factors rather than development incompetence. Users reported issues with the iPhone 7 Plus rear camera, such as a black screen, tinted images, and a warning message about the phone needing to cool down when the handset wasn't warm. Apple forum moderators provided advice on steps to remedy the problem, and users mentioned that Apple either replaced faulty units or switched out malfunctioning components. The article does not indicate any specific development incompetence as the cause of the camera issues [58212].
Duration temporary (a) The software failure incident described in the article seems to be temporary. Users reported issues with the rear cameras of the iPhone 7 Plus, such as a black screen or a warning message indicating the phone needs to cool down when trying to use the camera. Some users mentioned that their front-facing camera was not affected, indicating that the problem was specific to the rear cameras [58212]. Apple provided steps to try and remedy the issue, such as force closing the Camera app, restarting the device, and toggling between the front and rear cameras. Some users mentioned that Apple either replaced their faulty units or switched out the malfunctioning components, suggesting a hardware fault rather than a permanent software issue [58212].
Behaviour crash, omission, other (a) crash: The software failure incident described in the article is related to a crash. Users reported experiencing a 'black screen of death' when trying to launch the rear cameras on the iPhone 7 Plus. This crash prevented the camera from functioning as intended, leading to a complete failure of the camera feature [58212]. (b) omission: The software failure incident also involved omission. Users mentioned that when they opened the camera app, the screen would go black, indicating that the rear camera was not performing its intended function of displaying the camera feed properly. This omission of expected behavior led to user frustration and the need for replacements or repairs [58212]. (c) timing: The timing of the software failure incident does not seem to be the primary issue. Users did not report delays in the camera function; instead, they faced immediate failures such as a black screen or error messages when attempting to use the rear cameras on the iPhone 7 Plus [58212]. (d) value: The software failure incident is not directly related to a value failure. The issue was not about the camera producing incorrect images or data but rather about the camera not functioning at all, displaying a black screen or error messages instead of the expected camera feed [58212]. (e) byzantine: The software failure incident does not exhibit characteristics of a byzantine failure. Users did not mention inconsistent responses or interactions from the camera system; instead, they consistently experienced the same issue of the camera not working properly when launched on the iPhone 7 Plus [58212]. (f) other: The software failure incident could be categorized as a hardware-related failure rather than a software-specific issue. Users reported that Apple either replaced their faulty units with new models or switched out malfunctioning components like the camera itself. This hardware-related aspect of the failure incident is an important consideration in understanding the root cause and resolution of the problem [58212].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception None None
Communication None None
Application None None

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence unknown (a) death: People lost their lives due to the software failure (b) harm: People were physically harmed due to the software failure (c) basic: People's access to food or shelter was impacted because of the software failure (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure (e) delay: People had to postpone an activity due to the software failure (f) non-human: Non-human entities were impacted due to the software failure (g) no_consequence: There were no real observed consequences of the software failure (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed of the software failure that did not occur (i) other: Was there consequence(s) of the software failure not described in the (a to h) options? What is the other consequence(s)? The software failure incident related to the iPhone 7 Plus rear camera issue did not result in any observed consequences such as death, physical harm, impact on basic needs, property loss, or non-human entities. The main consequence discussed in the articles was the malfunctioning of the rear camera on the iPhone 7 Plus, leading to users experiencing a 'black screen of death' or receiving a warning message to cool down the phone when trying to use the camera. Users reported issues with the camera app, but there were no reports of any severe consequences beyond the inconvenience caused by the malfunction.
Domain information (a) The software failure incident reported in Article 58212 is related to the information industry. The incident involves users experiencing issues with the rear cameras on the iPhone 7 Plus, leading to a 'black screen of death' or a warning message stating 'Emergency iPhone needs to cool down' when trying to use the camera. Users have reported these problems on platforms like Reddit and Twitter, indicating a disruption in the production and distribution of visual information captured by the phone's camera system. Apple has provided troubleshooting steps to address the camera issues, and some users have had their faulty units or components replaced by Apple [58212].

Sources

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