iOS 13.4 and macOS 10.15.4 Prevent FaceTime Calls From Working With Some Older iPhones and iPads Amid Pandemic

Newer devices running Apple's recently released iOS 13.4 and macOS 10.15.4 software updates are currently unable to make FaceTime audio and video calls with older devices running iOS 9.3.5 or iOS 9.3.6, according to numerous users across the Apple Support Communities, MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and Twitter.

facetimeiphoneipad
Apple normally recommends that users who cannot make or receive FaceTime calls update their devices to the latest software version, but iOS 9.3.5 or iOS 9.3.6 are the last supported software versions for several older devices, including the iPad 2, third-generation iPad, iPhone 4S, the first-generation iPad mini, and the fifth-generation iPod touch.

Devices running iOS 13.3.1 or macOS 10.15.3 can still make FaceTime calls with older devices, so it is unclear if this is a bug introduced with iOS 13.4 and macOS Catalina 10.15.4 or if this was an intentional decision. Apple did not immediately respond to our request for comment, but we will update this story if we hear back.

In any case, the timing of this is unfortunate due to the ongoing pandemic. Many affected users have mentioned being unable to reach a grandparent who still uses an older iPad, for example, during a time when social distancing is strongly recommended.

Hopefully this proves to be a simple bug that is resolved in short order.

Related Forums: iOS 13, macOS Catalina

Top Rated Comments

IUBall22 Avatar
52 months ago
Talk about bad timing...
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrono1081 Avatar
52 months ago

I like Apple's products as much as the next guy on here, but **** are they a disgusting company...
Planned obsolesce and removal of features because "we want you to buy new hardware during a pandemic" should be grounds for a lawsuit.
Spoken exactly like someone who doesn't understand software development. "Planned Obsolence" is largely a conspiracy theory, nothing more. When you add new features and functionally and security fixes some older hardware has to be left behind, you can't support the old stuff forever and those older models are pretty old.

This isn't "Apple wants you to buy new hardware during the pandemic!" frankly, its sad that's the first place you went. Reality is closer to "a change was made for <bug fix, security, etc> and either broke something by accident, or simply isn't compatible with older hardware.

Nothing more.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rosalindavenue Avatar
52 months ago
I've never needed to videoconference much pre-pandemic, but one thing I have observed is that facetime really needs a static grid view for multi-person calls. The dancing windows approach is annoying and unusable, at least for me.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
watchmainspring Avatar
52 months ago
I'll just say it before someone else does. People will argue that Apple is trying to force people to upgrade hardware by degrading the performance and functionality of older models.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
feldpos Avatar
52 months ago
Inconvenient timing but I guarantee it's a change in required encryption due to a security issue found in FaceTime and the older devices don't support e.g., TLS 1.3.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lpuerto Avatar
52 months ago

Spoken exactly like someone who doesn't understand software development. "Planned Obsolense" is largely a conspiracy theory, nothing more. When you add new features and functionally and security fixes some older hardware has to be left behind, you can't support the old stuff forever and those older models are pretty old.

This isn't "Apple wants you to buy new hardware during the pandemic!" frankly, its sad that's the first place you went. Reality is closer to "a change was made for <bug fix, security, etc> and either broke something by accident, or simply isn't compatible with older hardware.

Nothing more.
I think that planned obsolescence is just a conspiracy theory. But if they are going to make such a big move, they should announce on their release notes —at the very least— and this kind of things it should wait for a major version update. Right now I can't talk to my mom that is on confinement in Spain, lucky my wife hasn't update her devices and we can still call my mom, but WTF!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...