It looks like a classic case of poorly managed expectations - the technologists would prefer an approach like the one you outline (and this was what I was expecting), however given their visibility they had to deliver a working application that people could download and install and have it do something.

While meeting both of those objectives in those timescales might be possible it would be a truly remarkable achievement. Not surprisingly it didn't happen and they released something that pleased nobody - all we can hope for is that they learn some lessons and move onto better things.