FaceTime broken with new iPhone update

The latest update to iPhone and iPad devices seems to have broken a crucial component of the video chat system FaceTime. Reports have shown the update to iOS 13.4 for iPhone and iPad caused an issue with FaceTime audio and video calls. The bit that doesn't work seems to be the connection between these newly-updated devices and those still running iOS 9.3.5 or iOS 9.3.6 – the newest software some older devices can get.

If you've got a device running iOS 13.4 and you'd like to initiate a FaceTime call – voice or video – with one of several older devices, you might be one of the people finding issues this week. The iOS versions 9.3.5 and 9.3.6 are the newest versions of iOS available for iPod touch (5th gen), iPad mini (1st gen), iPhone 4S, iPad (3rd gen), and iPad 2.

There is a possibility that this change was done intentionally, pushing out older iterations of devices with older software for security purposes. This would be a surprising situation, given the importance of communication – especially face-to-face communication – during the global pandemic in play with COVID-19 right this minute. It's also possible that this issue is a bug – something that'll be fixed by Apple in the near future.

As noted by a MacRumors article about this issue, more than one forum is buzzing. There's Apple support, there's Reddit, there's Twitter (as you'll see above and below.)

UPDATE: This issue appears to be affecting the newest version of macOS as well. That'd be macOS 10.15.4, now unable to connect with devices running older devices running iOS 9.3.6 or iOS 9.3.5 with voice and video. Newer devices can connect with newer devices without issue.

Have you experienced this issue? Let us know! Take a peek at the timeline below for more information on this latest update to iPhone and iPad and macOS as well.