PSA: Group FaceTime's Video Chat Not Available on Older iOS Devices

[HoosBruce]

It probably would have taken a couple of days more time to optimize for those devices. But you know Apple, once a device is out the door, no more improvements, no loyalty to older customers. Apple is all about what hardware have you bought this year.

Yea, this is not a smart or good take whatsoever. Nice try though.

 

[C DM]

It probably would have taken a couple of days more time to optimize for those devices. But you know Apple, once a device is out the door, no more improvements, no loyalty to older customers. Apple is all about what hardware have you bought this year.

Yup, that's why it's only available on devices that are sold now ... oh, wait ...

 

[Aston441]

In other words, it’s available in its full capacity on the devices with at least 2 gigs of RAM. There go all those Apple defenders claiming that 1 gig was enough lol

Exactly this. I really think many of the Apple apologists aren't real people.
[doublepost=1540934463][/doublepost]

I don't think group facetime is a killer feature to force people to upgrade 4 year old phones. Likely if they're holding onto their phones now, they still will.
[doublepost=1540929360][/doublepost]
If this were limited to the latest phones, you'd have a real case for this. But phones that were released ibefore 2014 are lucky they receive updates at all.

BS. Are you telling me that if after tax if someone lays down $1700 for a XSMax512, after 4 years it should be obsolete? Insane.
[doublepost=1540934542][/doublepost]

iPod touch?
As in the model still sold new by Apple?

So a current product is incapable of running the current software optimally?
Or the current software is unable to run satisfactorily on current hardware?

Good point. Very very good point.

 

[bodonnell202]

Yay, planned obsolescence...

I suspect it has more to do with devices with only 1 GB of RAM not being able to process that many video streams with a good user experience, but whatever. Notice that the iPad Air 2 is as old as the 6/6 Plus and it still supports the feature.

 

[FeliApple]

It's awful that a currently sold device doesn't support every feature of an iOS update. I guess not working on the 5s and 6 is acceptable due to processor bottlenecks, but the same is true for the iPod Touch 6G, and that's currently being sold new.

 

[czoli]

First Apple Attempt at multiconference .... they have a long way to go, for some reason they never understood much the topic but I understand that being Able to do a videoconference and appear like a Dog Poop sounds appealing if you are 5 years old.

(this is my field so please refrain from Fanboy comments)
[doublepost=1540938260][/doublepost]

I don't think group facetime is a killer feature to force people to upgrade 4 year old phones. Likely if they're holding onto their phones now, they still will.
[doublepost=1540929360][/doublepost]
If this were limited to the latest phones, you'd have a real case for this. But phones that were released ibefore 2014 are lucky they receive updates at all.

They could have updated Facetime App only if they only wanted just too lazy as usual
[doublepost=1540938576][/doublepost]

I suspect it has more to do with devices with only 1 GB of RAM not being able to process that many video streams with a good user experience, but whatever. Notice that the iPad Air 2 is as old as the 6/6 Plus and it still supports the feature.

Potentially devices with 1 GB RAM could get forwarded and then decode only the active speaker instead, anyways it proves again Apple is always too cheap when it gets to RAM and that impairs longevity of the devices.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

Yay, planned obsolescence...

It's called introducing new features, not planned obsolescence. It wasn't as if iPhone 6 buyers were promised this feature and had it taken away or worsened. If Apple had included it and the performance was terrible, you would be saying planned obsolescence as well.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

First half the forum said it wasn't needed. Now the crying about old devices not having it. If you need group Facetime you need a new phone.

 

[timborama]

FaceTime hasn’t worked properly since iOS 7. When they were forced to reengineer FaceTime from the virnetx lawsuit. Each and every time since then “Poor Connection” and/or black screen.

 

[C DM]

FaceTime hasn’t worked properly since iOS 7. When they were forced to reengineer FaceTime from the virnetx lawsuit. Each and every time since then “Poor Connection” and/or black screen.

Strange. This is across different devices for you? Seems like it's working fine for many/most others.

 

[KnighsTalker]

Could anyone clarify if the iPad (6th gen) works.

 

[KeepCalmPeople]

Nobody is forced to do anything. It’s a new feature, so users of older devices can hardly complain about being left out. If you think you’re entitled to any more functionality than what is in the iOS that is shipped with your device, you’re wrong.

 

[thirteen1031]

.Will be the end of my ios journey though when it dies. Apple's priced me out of the market.

Not necessarily. Apple has a habit of selling brand new phones from prior years at a lower price point each subsequent year. So, next year, any unsold Xr’s will go down in price and you might find them affordable. And if not, then wait a year. The Xr will still be around, and even lower in price. Just as the iPhone 7 is still around and lower in price this year than it was last year.

So, maybe when you finally do need a new phone (say two years from now) you might actually be able to get an “X” model that has come down dramatically in price. Or, at the very least, you might be able to buy a used/refurbished one.

Apple seems to really want to transition customers to Face ID, AR, etc. The Xr (still out of reach for a lot of people) might be the best they can do for now, but I suspect they’ll try harder, each year, to offer more and more affordable versions and so get everyone on board with this technology.

 

[C DM]

Not necessarily. Apple has a habit of selling brand new phones from prior years at a lower price point each subsequent year. So, next year, any unsold Xr’s will go down in price and you might find them affordable. And if not, then wait a year. The Xr will still be around, and even lower in price. Just as the iPhone 7 is still around and lower in price this year than it was last year.

So, maybe when you finally do need a new phone (say two years from now) you might actually be able to get an “X” model that has come down dramatically in price. Or, at the very least, you might be able to buy a used/refurbished one.

Apple seems to really want to transition customers to Face ID, AR, etc. The Xr (still out of reach for a lot of people) might be the best they can do for now, but I suspect they’ll try harder, each year, to offer more and more affordable versions and so get everyone on board with this technology.

On the other hand Apple isn't selling the iPhone X that is just from last year anymore.

 

[smacrumon]

That's good. People on older devices are now forced to update if they want Group FaceTime.

Force? Why is forcing people a good thing?
[doublepost=1540967068][/doublepost]Thank you for the technical investigation. The article didn't seem to explore the common hardware requirement for this feature. Was thinking it was processor related.

In other words, it’s available in its full capacity on the devices with at least 2 gigs of RAM. There go all those Apple defenders claiming that 1 gig was enough lol

[doublepost=1540967335][/doublepost]

It's awful that a currently sold device doesn't support every feature of an iOS update. I guess not working on the 5s and 6 is acceptable due to processor bottlenecks, but the same is true for the iPod Touch 6G, and that's currently being sold new.

Apple isn't a technology company though, it's a marketing company that pretends it's about technology. There's no good reason ipod has not been upgraded.

 

[Spendlove]

I doubt group FaceTime will be a big deal or used widely - how many people do you know who all have iPhones as their main phone and be capable of using the new feature? Not many unless you work at Apple or in a business where everyone is issued iPhones.

Pretty useless feature for me as this is iPhone only. If they open it up to other platforms then it might be useable.

 

[Marshall73]

I doubt group FaceTime will be a big deal or used widely - how many people do you know who all have iPhones as their main phone and be capable of using the new feature? Not many unless you work at Apple or in a business where everyone is issued iPhones.

Pretty useless feature for me as this is iPhone only. If they open it up to other platforms then it might be useable.

Over 1 billion iOS devices and macs out in the world. That’s a lot of potential users. Even if only 1% of those users used it that’s a million+ users.

 

[arkitect]

Over 1 billion iOS devices and macs out in the world. That’s a lot of potential users. Even if only 1% of those users used it that’s a million users.

True, but that was not @Spendlove 's point.

If I had to rustle up 30 odd of my nearest and dearest a good 75% of them would not have an iPhone. So this FaceTime feature is pretty much useless unless everyone I know or need to communicate with owns iOS devices.

Of course your mileage may vary.

*shrug*

 

[bayelrey80]

It probably would have taken a couple of days more time to optimize for those devices. But you know Apple, once a device is out the door, no more improvements, no loyalty to older customers. Apple is all about what hardware have you bought this year.

That's a load of crap. If I recall, iPhone 5S still supported for iOS 12. Enjoy those 2 years of software support on Android, IF the manufacturer actually releases updates.
[doublepost=1540984609][/doublepost]

I suspect it has more to do with devices with only 1 GB of RAM not being able to process that many video streams with a good user experience, but whatever. Notice that the iPad Air 2 is as old as the 6/6 Plus and it still supports the feature.

You do realize the iPad Air 2 has 2GB of RAM and the iPhone 6 has 1GB right?

 

[dewski]

That's good. People on older devices are now forced to update if they want Group FaceTime.

I do not see how that is a good thing for users of old devices?
[doublepost=1540988779][/doublepost]

What do you think the pricing should be for the current iPhone lineup?

I'd say the XR at $500, XS at $750 and XS Max at $800.

I don't like their line up model, though. I think they should just make a small, medium and large of the same device and quit separating features.
[doublepost=1540988835][/doublepost]We tested group facetime last night. Made a call with an SE, 7, 6s and a x. Worked surprisingly well.

 

[InuNacho]

I love FaceTime. I love it when people I don't know need to talk as loud as possible with their phone volume all the way up, now I get to hear more people doing it.

 

[bodonnell202]

You do realize the iPad Air 2 has 2GB of RAM and the iPhone 6 has 1GB right?

That was kind of the point of what I was saying. The person I was responding to claimed it was planned obsolescence and I was trying to say it was just a hardware limitation (not enough ram). The iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2 are the same age but the Air 2 supports the feature because it has 2 GB of ram.

 

[gsurf123]

The concept of expecting a device of any type to be continually updated by the manufacturer is absurd. There are things that older processors cannot do or in this case cannot due in a usable fashion. When you buy a device you will be lucky if the firmware ever gets update, much less features added. Apple has set the standard that is yet to be surpassed for delivering updates for several years after a products release. Sure there are things your older device cannot do, but that is to be expected.

 

[Marshall73]

True, but that was not @Spendlove 's point.

If I had to rustle up 30 odd of my nearest and dearest a good 75% of them would not have an iPhone. So this FaceTime feature is pretty much useless unless everyone I know or need to communicate with owns iOS devices.

Of course your mileage may vary.

*shrug*

Im the opposite, all of my friends and relatives use Apple devices.

 

[timborama]

Strange. This is across different devices for you? Seems like it's working fine for many/most others.

All devices. I guess you don’t read discussions.apple.com.