iPhone Emergency!

Nephew turned his phone on this morning. Instead of the normal white Apple start up screen, he got the thin line screen as if were updating the operating system.

Now, everything is gone as the phone was restored to factory settings.

He has never attached the phone to a computer and I do think he has the cloud. Pictures and contacts and old texts are his biggest concern.

I don't think this has anything tondo with it but I was just informed that Internet service was disconnected yesterday due to non-payment and then restored last evening. 

Verizon told them something about needed to re-accept terms on each device. I think it's just a weird coincidence but you tell me.

There's no way to get data off of a phone that isn't set up, so the only choice would be to set it up again and restore from an iCloud backup if he has one. Likewise some of his photos could be in the iCloud Photos but if they're not then they're probably gone.

Needless to say, backups are important! For photo backup I recommend Google Photos which has unlimited free storage. The app generally backs up automatically but it helps to go in and look every once in a while. Since my pictures are in there I go in there every so often anyway, that's the way that I normally get pictures to a computer if I need it. Just make sure it's synced up and then download off the web. For texts you really need to either back up to a computer or iCloud. Also, eventually texts will fill up your phone (attached videos and pictures) and you'll be forced to delete them on a contact by contact basis, so it's not a good idea to only keep things in text that you want to actually keep.

Called Apple and they restored it (from cloud I guess). Said something about an iOS update glitch. Yes, he should back it up. I'll show him how next time I'm there. He ( or his mother) should also be capable of remembering his Apple ID and password and calling Apple customer care too! Instead, I get a bunch of panicked calls at 8am while on a client call. Of course, I thought for sure someone died. (Venting....)

Thanks!

everyone should also be aware of 'error 53' and the new update: apparently if you've had your iPhone repaired by a nonApple tech, the phone will be automatically bricked. Supposedly, it's a security thing and can't be fixed. Everything gone. 

Apple is a good company in many respects. Why do they have to be such @ssholes?

interesting, Joanne. Maybe that's what happened to him- I don't know if it's ever been serviced by a non- Apple tech

From what I've read your phone can be working perfectly for months when this latest update decides to brick it. That's the nasty part: no warning. It just isolates the home button from anything and cuts everything off forever. Read up. 

Believe that error has to do with touch sensor repairs only, but could be wrong about that.

That error would only be if you had the home button replaced on a Touch ID model iPhone, so your average screen repair wouldn't do it. We have about 10 phones at work (maybe more?) I've never had to have a home button replaced as far as I know. Generally if it's beyond the screen then it's just a phone replacement (water damage, etc.)

The work-around to a broken iPhone Home button is activating the 'assistive touch' feature in settings.  I liked it so much, I've added it to my screen on the new iPhone 6.

latest on 'error 53'

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/feb/12/seattle-law-firm-files-first-lawsuit-against-apple-over-iphone-error-53

Good. I got scared earlier this week. I recently bought a refurbished iphone 5S but the battery was wonky, so I bought a replacement battery. I bought a second battery for my daughter, as her old 5S had a worn out battery, too. I took my phone apart according to the instructions on ifixit.com. It was hard. After getting it back together, it didn't work. After a second try, it worked, but for a day, it wouldn't accept a charge. Holy cr*p. Now it works inexplicably. Then last night, with fear and trepidation, I replaced the batter in my daughter's phone. It worked almost perfectly. It couldn't find the cellular carrier. I put it into airplane mode and took it out of airplane mode. Now it works fine.

Apple products are excruciatingly hard to service. My daughter watched me wield the nearly invisible screws with amazement. They are so small I can barely feel them in my fingers, and my 55 year old eyes, with reading glasses. were barely up to the task. Plus orienting the tiny pieces inside the tiny phone could make a person scream. I managed somehow.

I am in awe of the patience and skill you've demonstrated! More than that, that the device works is wonderful!!

Within the last 24 hours, Apple decided to apologise and publish the fix for "error 53". People who've been affected and charged can get their money back.

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-35611756

Thanks for the reports.

I didn't tell my daughter about my difficulties. I told her the repair would work fine. I got lucky, and so did she.

I know, I'm pretty determined when doing some kinds of things. I like to fix things.