| Recurring |
one_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to iMessage causing texts to not arrive when switching from iPhone to Android has happened again within the same organization, Apple. The incident has led to a lawsuit being filed against Apple for negligence in addressing the issue [26683]. Apple has been criticized for not providing a concrete solution to prevent the problem, with affected users facing difficulties in receiving texts after switching to Android [26683].
(b) The software failure incident related to iMessage causing communication issues when switching from iPhone to Android has also affected multiple users who have switched between these two platforms. The issue has been reported by select former iPhone owners who have experienced texts not being delivered to their new Android devices due to the iMessage account of their deactivated iPhone still being active [26683]. This problem has impacted users beyond just the initial incident, showing a recurring issue when transitioning between iPhone and Android devices. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase can be seen in the article where it mentions the issue with iMessage that arises when former iPhone users switch to Android. The problem lies in iMessage, a service rolled out in 2011 with iOS 5, that causes texts sent from existing iPhone owners to fall into a void when the recipient has switched to an Android device. This issue appears to be on a device level, indicating a design flaw in how iMessage handles the transition from iOS to Android [26683].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is evident in the article where it discusses the current fixes for the iMessage problem. Users are advised to deactivate iMessage in the settings panel of their iPhone before switching to a new Android phone. This operational workaround suggests that the failure is exacerbated by the operation or misuse of the system, as users need to take specific actions to mitigate the issue caused by the software [26683]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to iMessage causing texts to not arrive for former iPhone users who switched to Android was primarily within the system. The issue stemmed from iMessage not properly disassociating the phone number from the iMessage account, leading to texts being lost in the iMessage account of a deactivated iPhone. Apple was criticized for not having a concrete solution to prevent this issue, indicating an internal system failure within iMessage itself [26683].
(b) outside_system: There is no specific mention in the article about the software failure incident being caused by contributing factors originating from outside the system. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident related to non-human actions:
The iMessage failure incident described in the article is primarily due to a technical issue within the iMessage service itself. When former iPhone users switch to Android, their texts may get lost in a void because the iMessage system still thinks the new Android user is using an Apple handset. This issue occurs at a device level, indicating a technical glitch within the iMessage service rather than being directly caused by human actions [26683].
(b) The software failure incident related to human actions:
The article does not specifically mention any contributing factors introduced by human actions that led to the iMessage failure incident. The focus is more on the technical aspects of the issue within the iMessage service itself and Apple's alleged negligence in addressing the problem [26683]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware, software |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The article mentions that the issue with iMessage occurs on a device level, indicating that the problem is related to the hardware of the devices [26683].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The article highlights that the iMessage fiasco, where texts are not arriving for some users, is specifically related to the iMessage service, which is a software feature rolled out by Apple [26683]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the iMessage fiasco can be categorized as non-malicious. The issue stemmed from a technical flaw in the iMessage service that caused texts to be lost when iPhone users switched to Android devices. Apple was criticized for its negligence in addressing the problem, and affected users had to resort to workarounds like deactivating iMessage or having iPhone users delete and re-add contacts to resolve the issue. The lawsuit filed by Adrienne Moore against Apple sought to hold the company accountable for failing to disclose and fix the issue, indicating a non-malicious nature of the failure incident [26683]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the iMessage fiasco experienced by former iPhone users switching to Android can be attributed to poor decisions made during the development and implementation of iMessage by Apple. The issue arose from the design of iMessage, which tied users' cell numbers to the iMessage service, causing texts to be lost when sent from existing iPhone users to those who had switched to Android [26683]. Despite being aware of the problem, Apple was reportedly clueless on how to fix it, indicating a lack of foresight or effective decision-making in addressing this issue [26683]. The lawsuit filed against Apple by a Samsung owner further highlights the consequences of the poor decisions made in handling the iMessage transition for users [26683]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the iMessage fiasco experienced by former iPhone users switching to Android. Despite the issue being reported since the rollout of iMessage in 2011, Apple has been criticized for its negligence in addressing the problem effectively. The article highlights that Apple has been sued over its failure to provide a concrete solution to prevent texts from getting lost when transitioning from an iPhone to an Android device. The support specialist mentioned in the article also indicated that Apple is aware of the problem but seems clueless about how to fix it, showcasing a lack of professional competence in resolving the issue [26683].
(b) The software failure incident can also be attributed to accidental factors, as the issue with iMessage causing texts to be lost when transitioning from iPhone to Android appears to be a result of unintended consequences. The article mentions that the problem lies at a device level, where each current iPhone user's device may mistakenly believe that a new Android user is still using an Apple handset. This unintended consequence leads to texts being trapped in the iMessage account of a deactivated iPhone, indicating that the issue is not intentional but rather a side effect of how iMessage functions [26683]. |
| Duration |
permanent |
(a) The software failure incident related to iMessage affecting former iPhone users who switched to Android can be considered as a permanent failure. The issue with iMessage causing texts to be lost when sent from existing iPhone owners to Android users was ongoing and did not have a concrete solution from Apple to prevent it from happening [26683]. The problem was described as texts being wrapped up in the iMessage account of a deactivated iPhone, indicating a persistent issue that was not easily resolved [26683]. |
| Behaviour |
omission, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident described in the article does not involve a crash where the system loses state and does not perform any of its intended functions. The issue with iMessage causing texts to be lost when switching from iPhone to Android does not result in a complete system crash.
(b) omission: The software failure incident is related to omission, as the system omits to perform its intended functions at instances. When former iPhone users switch to Android, texts sent from existing iPhone owners may not be received by the new Android user, leading to an omission of message delivery [26683].
(c) timing: The software failure incident is not related to timing, where the system performs its intended functions correctly but too late or too early. The issue with iMessage causing message delivery problems is not about timing but rather about messages not being delivered at all.
(d) value: The software failure incident is not related to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly. The issue with iMessage does not involve the system delivering messages incorrectly but rather failing to deliver them altogether.
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident is not related to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions. The issue with iMessage causing texts to be lost when switching from iPhone to Android is more about a failure in message delivery rather than inconsistent responses.
(f) other: The behavior of the software failure incident can be categorized as a failure due to a specific design flaw in iMessage that causes messages to be lost when transitioning from iPhone to Android. This flaw results in a situation where messages are not properly routed to the new Android device, leading to a breakdown in communication [26683]. |