Apple delays working on iPhone 16, iOS 18, macOS, focusing on fixing bugs in upcoming features

Apple has made the decision to temporarily suspend the development of software updates slated for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other devices set to launch in the coming year. Instead, they will be focusing on tackling existing glitches in their current devices and features which was announced internally to Apple employees last week, as per a report by notable Apple analyst, Mark Gurman.

This decision was prompted by a surge in bugs discovered in early versions of the software. Insiders familiar with the matter revealed that this delay was essential to uphold quality control, as opposed to introducing new features.

Instead, Apple’s engineering team has been assigned the task of rectifying the identified flaws and enhancing the overall software performance. These individuals, who requested anonymity due to the confidentiality of the situation, emphasized the importance of this move to maintain the integrity of Apple’s renowned software.

When reached for comment, a spokesperson for the Cupertino-based tech giant declined to provide further information.

Apple’s software has long been celebrated for its user-friendly interfaces, ease of use, and emphasis on privacy, making quality control a top priority. The challenge lies in striking a balance between innovation and ensuring that operating systems run smoothly.

In recent years, Apple has placed a greater emphasis on software quality, even if it meant postponing the introduction of new capabilities. In 2018, Craig Federighi, Apple’s software engineering chief, deferred several unreleased iPhone features to the following year due to concerns about software bugs.

In 2019, Federighi initiated significant changes to the software development process to prevent such problems. This involved enabling each feature manually, a process known as “feature flags,” allowing employee testers to assess its impact on the system before full integration.

Additionally, Apple employees committed to “The Pact,” an agreement not to knowingly allow software “regressions” and to promptly address any errors. These measures have led to fewer bugs and feature delays in recent Apple software releases.

However, the most recent round of software development encountered unexpected challenges. The software engineering management team responsible for the upcoming operating systems identified numerous “escapes,” a term denoting bugs overlooked during internal testing. Consequently, they took the unusual step of suspending all new feature development for one week to concentrate on resolving these issues.

With a diverse workforce of thousands working on various Apple operating systems and devices that must seamlessly interact, it’s not uncommon for glitches to arise. As one insider familiar with the situation put it, “It’s a problem of 10,000 people typing code and potentially disrupting the entire operating system.”

Last month, Apple completed the initial version of its next iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating systems, referred to as M1, marking a significant milestone. Internally, the iPhone and iPad software is named “Crystal” (iOS 18 and iPadOS 18), while the Mac software is labelled “Glow” (macOS 15). As a result of this pause in development, work on the subsequent milestone release, known as M2, was postponed. This decision also impacted the next Apple Watch operating system, watchOS 11, named “Moonstone,” and an update for the current iOS 17, titled iOS 17.4, is expected to be released around March.

The development delays also had repercussions for future versions of visionOS, the software designed for Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro headset, set to launch early next year. Despite these delays, the release schedule for consumers is not expected to be affected, as Apple intends to resume normal operations this week.