Group FaceTime Delayed
Apple today removed Group FaceTime from the latest iOS 12 and macOS Mojave betas, which were released this morning, and has instead decided to release the feature at a later date.
We need a word for this. It’s happened to several big features in recent years, including AirPlay 2 and Messages in iCloud.
Previously: iOS 11.4 and Messages in iCloud, Pre-Announcing AirPower, HomePod Delayed.
Update (2018-08-14): Adam Engst:
Frankly, we’re not surprised. In testing of the current betas with TidBITS and Take Control authors, Group FaceTime was nowhere near ready for primetime.
These delays are disappointing, yes, but I actually prefer this policy of holding off on new features until they’re ready rather than shipping them in a buggy state just because it’s September and time for new iPhones to be released.
Think of WWDC less as “Here’s what’s coming in our point-oh releases this fall” and more “Here’s our OS roadmap for the next year”.
This is fine, and I’m all for holding back software that isn’t ready. But Apple is certainly not presenting the schedule this way at WWDC, so instead it looks like they’re repeatedly misestimating with their tentpole features.
Previously: Apple Delays Features to Focus on Reliability, Performance.
8 Comments RSS · Twitter
"We need a word for this."
ÆthelredWare.
After Æthelred the Unready. For features that are unready (not finished) and whose announcement was unræd (ill advised).
"These delays are disappointing, yes, but I actually prefer this policy of holding off on new features until they’re ready rather than shipping them in a buggy state just because it’s September and time for new iPhones to be released."
Mmmhhh, OK, but then what was the point of the January changes?
https://9to5mac.com/2018/01/30/ios-12-apple-features-performance-reliability/
If you read Daring Fireball, you'd know that the January changes weren't changes at all, just normal software development practices. Everything is fine.
(not coincidentally, the exact same argument is deployed here)
@someone_else
I wouldn't put "delaying a touted feature one month before release" as being a "everything is fine" situation. Even more considering that the feature is still prominently marketed on the iOS 12 page.
So you have the possible following cases:
- the feature will be available when iOS 12 ships this fall. Perfect.
- the feature will be available after iOS 12.0 ships. But will be available this fall. Not too bad. And the website is, at the time of this writing, correct. It's just that it's a bit awkward to have pre-announced this at WWDC.
- the feature will be available after this fall. Not fine. The website is incorrect.
Once upon a time my G3 iMac was listed as compatible with Mac OS X Leopard, and then the feature was pulled. I'm used to the marketing and then the letdown (to be fair, I doubt many features would have run well on even the last generation G3 models, but it was still curious). Again, never base decisions on vaporware, only shipping features.
