A software issue in the recently released iOS 13.4 and macOS Catalina 10.15.4 updates is preventing FaceTime audio and video calls with older devices, according to numerous reports.
Affected people haver flocked to the Apple Support Communities, Reddit and Twitter and elsewhere on the web to complain about the issue.
Apparently, people who attempt to FaceTime a contact from their iOS device running the iOS 13.4 update or from their Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15.4 are unable to make FaceTime audio and video calls with older devices running iOS 9.3.5 or iOS 9.3.6.
@AppleSupport @Apple I need to submit a bug report regarding FaceTime connectivity and have it escalated to engineering. FaceTime Audio and Video calls are not connecting between devices currently running iOS 13.4 and older devices running iOS 9.3.5/9.3.6.
— Ibrahim Homsi (@ibrahimhomsi) March 26, 2020
As MacRumors noted, Apple typically recommends updating to the latest software version as a troubleshooting step, but iOS 9.3.5 or iOS 9.3.6 are the last supported versions for these devices:
- iPad 2
- iPad (3rd generation)
- iPhone 4s
- iPad mini
- iPod touch (5th generation)
MacRumors added:
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.
This couldn’t have come at a worst time.
As the world grapples with the coronavirus crisis and COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of millions of people around the world are staying at home, working remotely, and many of them are relying on Apple’s devices and services like FaceTime to keep in touch with their loved ones.
Are you having this issue with FaceTime?
If so, do let us know in the commenting section down below!