iPhone 6: software failures undermined the mantra of Apple that their products “just work”
San Francisco – The release of a software update from Apple Inc. that prevented users from making calls through iPhone is linked to another problem still fresh in people’s minds: the introduction of a new program maps in 2012.
The similarities are not just excuses in the Apple urged disgruntled customers. The same person was responsible within Apple by finding problems before both products being launched.
Josh Williams, a middle manager who oversees quality assurance for the group’s mobile iOS software, Apple also was in charge of quality control of maps, according to sources with knowledge of Apple’s management structure.
Williams was taken off the team after the software maps provided unreliable directions and points of reference misbranded, but continued in command of the tests for the iOS, said a source, who asked not to be identified because the information is not public.
A large number of customers used social networks to complain that he had lost the ability to make calls after installing the iOS 8.0.1 update, which Apple said it had withdrawn from circulation after more than an hour.
The software failures undermined the Apple mantra that their products “just work” and the, at least temporarily, undermined what CEO Tim Cook called “the best launch in the history” of the latest iPhone models, Apple, in last week.
Apple apologized again and has now issued another update, iOS 8.0.2, saying that less than 40,000 devices iPhone 6:06 Plus were affected by the previous version.
Trudy Muller, a spokeswoman for Apple, a company headquartered in Cupertino, California, the declined to comment about the program of quality assurance of the company. Williams did not respond to a request for comment sent by email.
Quality Control
“Normally, things like that – software update – are the strong point of Apple and are somewhat easier for them than for almost any other manufacturer devices or operating systems, because Apple has full control of the hardware and software “said Frank Gillett, an analyst at Forrester Research Inc.
Williams has a team of more than 100 people around the world responsible for putting the new software to the test before they reach the customers and find faults that may eventually reach users, according to a source. Apple relies more on people than in the use of test automation technology to discover bugs, according to former employees.
Analyses of bugs
Apple has a council to determine which flaws need fixing, a committee called Bug Review Board, known internally as BRB.
The panel is overseen by Kim Vorrath, vice-president who heads product management for iOS and Mac software. She reports to Craig Federighi, Senior vice president of software engineering Apple.
The rapidity of the issue the update was unusual, a few days after the introduction of iOS 8, the latest major update to the software that runs on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices.
As for the problems related to maps, Williams was not the only person who worked on them. Richard Williamson, the vice president in charge of the product, was fired after the full launch of problems.
Scott Forstall, senior vice president in charge of all mobile software, was also dismissed, in part because of problems with the map service.
No comments:
Post a Comment