Same issue as the previous poster, but with lots of different information about potential causes and solutions. I’m devastated. The phone was 6 months old. I had many precious memories and pictures of my kids and daughter who was born just days after I got the phone. With Covid19, options are further limited. Apple was initially no help and I need to set aside hours to try and get to the right person. I had iCloud back up turned on and it would not work. It kept saying there was an issue. My memory was full (phone, not iCloud). We tried to get the pictures off and on to the computer and that wasn’t working either. Prior to it going into a boot loop, it was turning off and restarting. If it wasn’t for stores being closed, I would have brought it straight in when I realized I couldn’t get the pictures off. I was told there were “86 updates I was behind on.” How is that possible when I had the phone 6 months? No way haha. Every time I speak with Apple they are short and reading from a prompt and throw their hands up after I try the 1-2 basic things they suggest. I must not be calling the right support. Never once did the phone tell me I had an update. They told us I had the settings turned off, but that wasn’t true to my knowledge. I had even looked for an update because I figured after months I would of had one. If that were true, it came that way and I had no idea. The back up phone they overnighted to me appeared different in the settings. I want answers to why? This has happened to me with each and every phone and iCloud is NOT safe alone for your pictures. It has never worked for me, even when I’m doing everything right. It never automatically downloads connected to power and on WiFi like I set it up to. If it does download it picks and chooses some of my data now and then. Why?! I’m devastated at the thought of losing all my pictures and videos of my kids. I could careless about the phone.
When looking at the iCloud I can see that there is a back up... but I can’t see what it is and nor could Apple. I’m tired of them sending me replacements and demanding my new phones back with my precious data and they throw their hands up to a solution beyond replacing my phone and likely with a refurbished one to boot (they claim it’s new, but I beg to differ). Stand by your products. Help people out. I feel like I lost something incredibly special to me and they act like it’s no big deal. $1500 phone should not have that many issues after 6 months. I might not have been the greatest owner, but I did what they said and it never worked. I have regrets with how I handled things and being too trusting of that device.
After the years of heartache over these issues I should just move on from Apple products altogether. I go through periods of time where I only use my cameras for pictures and videos. I suggest the same to anyone else. Use the phone as a phone only. It’s why I find I have no need for an iPhone. If I can’t get my pictures back and this keeps happening, I don’t want an iPhone at all. Will be using my nicer camera for everything from now on. Back up your camera pictures to multiple places. Memory cards are cheaper these days. Save those and still back them up. It’s what I’m going to only be doing from now on. I got into a habit of reaching for my cell. We use them too much as it is. I’ve learned my lesson.
I hope I can find the right person to get my data back for me. I’m willing to spend the time and the inevitable money to get my things back. We have looked into a lot of third party data recovery companies. It’s what I would suggest after you’ve exhausted every option.
My phone is now stuck in recovery mode. We plugged it in to update when it was stuck in the boot loop and it appeared to have updated, but somewhere failed and I still couldn’t get my phone back. I’m not a tech wizard and I’m going to spend time trying to educate myself. I refuse to take no for an answer and believe there’s no way I can retrieve my data.
I have read in several places this is common with the new phones. I’m mad at myself for being trusting again just to be the most disappointed I’ve been with an Apple product. [br]
I do think there is hope from all the research and companies willing to try (many that won’t charge unless they get your data).
Potential picture/video loss is a terrible feeling! I am stuck in an ugly sad limbo until I have tried everything. I’m pretty upset about it. I feel sorry for anyone who has been here. Guess I’m the fool, it’s not my first time!
Organize your precious pictures and videos and back them up to multiple places.
Don’t trust ICloud. Use an actual camera more often. All I have to say. Hopefully I find a someone with a solution, to which I will sing it’s/their praises. Fingers crossed.
Good luck to everyone!