| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to SiriusXM's iPhone app losing features like the 5-hour rewind functionality due to licensing contracts is an example of a software issue happening again within the same organization. The article mentions that the update to version 2.0.2 did not fix the network errors or bring back the missing features removed in version 2.0.1, indicating a recurring problem within SiriusXM's app development process [11540].
(b) The incident also highlights how licensing contracts and restrictions from third parties can impact software features, potentially affecting other organizations facing similar challenges with their products and services. This situation suggests that issues related to contractual limitations and feature removals due to external agreements may not be unique to SiriusXM but could be a broader industry concern affecting multiple organizations [11540]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in the article can be attributed to the design phase. The removal of the 5-hour rewind feature from many popular stations in the SiriusXM app was a result of licensing contracts getting in the way of convenience and technology. The update to version 2.0.1 introduced network errors and removed features like the exit button and the 5-hour rewind, causing inconvenience to users. The article mentions that the iTunes description of the app remained unchanged, promising the 5-hour rewind feature on all stations, indicating a discrepancy between the actual functionality and the advertised features. Additionally, the clarification in version 2.0.2 that 5-hour rewind would only be available on "most" stations further highlights a design failure in managing user expectations and delivering on promised features [11540].
(b) The software failure incident can also be linked to the operation phase. Users who updated to version 2.0.1 of the app reported network errors preventing them from using the app, indicating issues related to the operation or usability of the system. Despite the release of version 2.0.2, which was supposed to address network errors, users continued to face the same issues according to comments from app users. This suggests that the operation of the app, specifically in terms of network connectivity and functionality, was impacted by the software failure incident [11540]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system, outside_system |
The software failure incident described in the article involves contributing factors from both within and outside the system:
(a) within_system: The failure within the system is evident from the glitches and missing features in the SiriusXM iPhone app versions 2.0.1 and 2.0.2. Users reported network errors, the loss of an exit button, and the absence of the 5-hour rewind feature on some stations after updating the app [11540].
(b) outside_system: The failure also involves factors originating from outside the system, specifically related to licensing contracts and third-party restrictions. The removal of the 5-hour rewind feature on some stations was attributed to restrictions imposed by third parties and contractual obligations with them, as mentioned by SiriusXM's Twitter help team in response to user inquiries [11540]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in the article was primarily due to non-human actions, specifically related to licensing contracts and restrictions imposed by third parties. The removal of features like the 5-hour rewind on certain stations was attributed to these contractual limitations rather than direct human error or actions [11540].
(b) However, human actions were also involved in the sense that the software updates were released by the company, and there were issues with the app itself such as network errors and missing features. The decision to update the app and the lack of clear communication regarding the changes could be considered as human actions contributing to the software failure incident [11540]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident in the article does not seem to be related to hardware issues. It primarily discusses how licensing contracts and restrictions imposed by third parties affected the features and functionality of the SiriusXM iPhone app [11540].
(b) The software failure incident is attributed to contributing factors that originate in software, specifically related to the update of the SiriusXM iPhone app versions 2.0.1 and 2.0.2. Users reported network errors, missing features like the exit button and 5-hour rewind, and glitches in the app after the updates. The article highlights that the software glitches and feature removals were causing inconvenience to subscribers, indicating a software-related failure [11540]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article does not seem to be malicious. It appears to be a non-malicious failure related to licensing contracts and technical limitations rather than any intentional harm to the system [11540]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident described in the article seems to be related to poor decisions made by SiriusXM in updating their iPhone app. The removal of the 5-hour rewind feature from many popular stations was attributed to licensing contracts getting in the way of convenience and technology. Users who updated to version 2.0.1 experienced network errors and the loss of features like the exit button and 5-hour rewind. Despite these issues, the subsequent release of version 2.0.2 did not address the network errors or bring back the missing features. The decision to limit the availability of the 5-hour rewind feature to only "most" stations also indicates a lack of clarity and consistency in the app's functionality, potentially stemming from poor decision-making by the company [11540].
(b) Additionally, the article mentions that the reasons behind the removal of the 5-hour rewind feature were not clearly communicated by SiriusXM's public relations team. The lack of transparency and communication regarding the changes in the app could be seen as accidental decisions or mistakes on the part of the company. Users were left confused and frustrated by the sudden disappearance of features they had come to rely on, with the app description in the iTunes store not reflecting the actual changes made in the updates. This lack of clear communication and alignment between the app's advertised features and its actual functionality could be considered accidental decisions that contributed to the software failure incident [11540]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident in the article can be attributed to development incompetence. The update to version 2.0.1 of the SiriusXM iPhone app introduced network errors and removed features like the exit button and 5-hour rewind from many popular stations. Users reported glitches and inconsistencies in the app, indicating a lack of thorough testing and quality control before the release. Additionally, the iTunes description of the app continued to promise features that were no longer available, showing a disconnect between the development team and the actual product functionality [11540].
(b) The software failure incident can also be considered accidental. The removal of features like the exit button and 5-hour rewind, as well as the introduction of network errors, may have been unintended consequences of the update to version 2.0.1 of the app. The lack of clarity on whether the feature loss was permanent or a glitch suggests that the changes were not deliberate but rather unexpected outcomes of the update process. Furthermore, the failure to fix the network errors in the subsequent release of version 2.0.2 indicates a lack of control over the unintended issues that arose [11540]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
The software failure incident described in the article appears to be more temporary than permanent. The article mentions that after the update to version 2.0.1 of the iPhone app, users reported network errors preventing them from using the app and missing features like the exit button and 5-hour rewind [11540]. Subsequent updates, like version 2.0.2, did not seem to fully resolve these issues, indicating that the failure was not permanent but rather ongoing and potentially fixable. Additionally, the article discusses how the loss of certain features may be related to licensing contracts and restrictions imposed by third parties, suggesting that the failure was not inherent to the software itself but rather influenced by external factors that could potentially be addressed in the future. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident described in Article 11540 can be associated with a crash behavior. Users reported network errors preventing them from using the app after updating to version 2.0.1 of the iPhone app. Additionally, the app was full of glitches, and the release of version 2.0.2 did not seem to fix the network errors or bring back missing features, indicating a failure in the system losing its state and not performing its intended functions [11540].
(b) omission: The incident also involves omission behavior. Users lamented the loss of features like the exit button and the 5-hour rewind from their favorite stations after the app update. The iTunes description of the app remained unchanged, promising 5-hour rewind on all stations, but the feature was missing for many users, suggesting a failure of the system to perform its intended functions at an instance [11540].
(c) timing: The timing behavior is not explicitly mentioned in the article.
(d) value: The incident does not directly relate to a value behavior.
(e) byzantine: The byzantine behavior is not evident in the described software failure incident.
(f) other: The software failure incident could also be categorized under the "other" behavior as it involves issues related to licensing contracts interfering with the functionality of the app, unclear communication about feature availability, and potential conflicts with third parties affecting the user experience [11540]. |