Apple announced a whole slew of new features for iPhone iOS 12 and the Apple Watch OS 5 at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday. Highlights included increased performance when opening the iPhone camera, apps, and using the keyboard, as well as finally introducing grouped notifications to declutter your lock screen. A new screen time feature will also allow users to monitor how much time they spend using individual apps, and provide a weekly breakdown of usage habits.
But not all of the new features unveiled to such acclaim. Many were quick to roll their eyes at Apple’s new Animoji and Memoji—the company’s apparent take on the popular Bitmoji. The new feature that seems to be receiving the most ire, however, is group FaceTime video calls.
In addition to being able to use interactive Animoji and Memoji characters in place of yourself, FaceTime will now allow a whopping 32 users to get on one call together. All of the participants in the call will still have their own video bubbles, which will expand when any one individual begins to speak. Thankfully, users are free to drop in and out of the call after being added.
If you think this sounds like a headache waiting to happen, well, you’re not alone. The feature was quickly panned in tech pieces and on Twitter, which featured some of the more creative criticisms, jokes, and memes.
We about to be on group FaceTime looking like pic.twitter.com/QPm4hxYG2z
— ʟᴇᴇʀᴏʏ. (@IamKickz) June 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/tyfromclt_/status/1003705969052995584
I can’t wait until the Apple group FaceTime so I can talk to all of my hoes at once pic.twitter.com/bAevvDxufm
— Khadi Don (@KhadiDon) June 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/vrethren/status/1003735531203715073
Many pointed out the obvious, which is: who among us even has 31 people to chat with in the first place??
https://twitter.com/jpbrammer/status/1003715847536435202
Y’all!!! Apple heard us!! We finally getting group FaceTime. 🗣 up to 32 people.
— youtube/Alonzo (@alonzolerone) June 4, 2018
I don’t even know 32 people. but I ain’t complainin 🤷🏽♂️
Cant wait for group FaceTime with up to 32 people. I don’t even know 32 people but I’m glad that possibility is open to me.
— CHRIS KLEMENS (@ChrisKlemens) June 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/murdermaterial/status/1003698664735432704
Others cracked jokes about the viral footage of the Cavaliers getting benched in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals on Sunday night.
https://twitter.com/darth/status/1003701140888801280
LeBron calls a “players only” meeting over Group FaceTime #WWDC18 pic.twitter.com/yF19Sx49rS
— J. Martin (@stealth_j_m) June 4, 2018
It remains to be seen whether or not this new group FaceTime feature will run smoothly when iOS 12 launches later this year. One has to imagine that at the very least, there may be a few bugs to be ironed out.
