I’m a long time FaceTime user. I use it everyday since 2010. It looks like a very simple app that just makes video or audio calls. It doesn’t have any settings. Nothing to configure. It “Just Works”. I agree. But Apple somehow manages to break it in someways and make it buggy with every single major iOS release and yet at the same time adding nothing new to it. It happened once again with iOS 10. These bugs annoy me so much that decided to write this post.
First bug comes from iOS 8. When on FaceTime Video Call I switch camera to the rear camera, it freezes and on the other end of FaceTime, the video image freezes, then goes black indicating that the connection is poor. This bug annoyed me on iOS 8 and only iOS 9.2 or 9.3 fixed it. It happens again on iOS 10 on different devices, including the ones I’ve had issues on (iPhone 6S, SE, 5s, iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2, iPad 4).
Second bug is the new one and it’s related to compatibility with older devices. I have some friends with iPhone 4 running iOS 7.1.2 and iPod touch 4th generation on iOS 6.1.6. Well, FaceTime between iOS 10 (and macOS Sierra) and these devices barely works now. When iOS 7.1.2 device and iOS 10 device both on WiFi making a video call, it works just fine. But when at least one of these devices is on a cellular network, the sound quality incoming to iOS 10 (macOS Sierra too) device is so bad that I can’t even distinguish any words. With iPod touch on 6.1.6 it’s the same bug + one more. When my friend calls me from iPod touch to iOS 10 or macOS Sierra device, call will never connect. I have to call him back. Only then we can finally talk.
So to conclude everything, if you rely on FaceTime as I am, especially if you or your friends have older devices, you might consider holding on updating to iOS 10 or macOS Sierra.
If you encounter any other FaceTime bugs, please post them into this thread.
First bug comes from iOS 8. When on FaceTime Video Call I switch camera to the rear camera, it freezes and on the other end of FaceTime, the video image freezes, then goes black indicating that the connection is poor. This bug annoyed me on iOS 8 and only iOS 9.2 or 9.3 fixed it. It happens again on iOS 10 on different devices, including the ones I’ve had issues on (iPhone 6S, SE, 5s, iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2, iPad 4).
Second bug is the new one and it’s related to compatibility with older devices. I have some friends with iPhone 4 running iOS 7.1.2 and iPod touch 4th generation on iOS 6.1.6. Well, FaceTime between iOS 10 (and macOS Sierra) and these devices barely works now. When iOS 7.1.2 device and iOS 10 device both on WiFi making a video call, it works just fine. But when at least one of these devices is on a cellular network, the sound quality incoming to iOS 10 (macOS Sierra too) device is so bad that I can’t even distinguish any words. With iPod touch on 6.1.6 it’s the same bug + one more. When my friend calls me from iPod touch to iOS 10 or macOS Sierra device, call will never connect. I have to call him back. Only then we can finally talk.
So to conclude everything, if you rely on FaceTime as I am, especially if you or your friends have older devices, you might consider holding on updating to iOS 10 or macOS Sierra.
If you encounter any other FaceTime bugs, please post them into this thread.