iOS Bug Restoring Deleted Images; Is Apple Storing Private Data?

Some of the iPhone users were left wondering when they saw their old deleted photos appearing after the latest iOS 17.5 update. If this sounds surprising, what’s more concerning is that even after deleting those photos, they reappear in the gallery. So, among the new upgrades and features, the latest iOS update has brought back long-deleted photos that are hard to remove.

The bug attracted attention when an iPhone user posted on Reddit that photos deleted in 2021 had resurfaced on their iPhone after they updated the phone to iOS 17.5. These photos also carried a tag — recently uploaded to iCloud.

Other users have also noticed something similar with this bug. A user claimed that their photos from 2010 have emerged “as the latest pics uploaded to iCloud.” So, photos from years ago seem to have appeared like this. This is not only baffling but also raises questions about how long Apple keeps deleting user data.

Also Read: iPhone 16 Pro To Come With Big Changes In Camera Department

Is Apple Storing User Data Even After It’s Deleted

According to Apple Support, images that users delete from their Photos app are kept in the Recently Deleted Album for a month and later removed from the device. If users manually delete images from the Recently Deleted Album, then they are deleted forever. 

Technically, when an image is removed, only reference to its location is also deleted. It would need that reference, the encryption key (if any), and perhaps other conditions to restore the deleted image.

According to a Reddit user, the iOS system might be somehow able to “re-find” these deleted images. It cannot be said for certain that that’s the actual case with this bug. So, it would be better to wait for Apple’s response or a fix. The company is known for its on-device photo processing and encryption practices.

Also Read: Apple To Siri A Much-Needed AI Boost With IOS 18

Apple Bringing Motion Sickness-Fighting Feature To iPhone

Apple seems to be working on some new accessibility features that will be rolled out to iPhone and iPad. These features include creating a new way to navigate through apps to reduce motion sickness and others. 

In a blog post, the company announced it plans to launch several accessibility features, one of which enables the user to use their iPhone or iPad with their eyes. 

This eye-tracking feature leverages the front camera and on-device machine learning to help a user navigate their apps using just their eyes. Moreover, these users can use Dwell Control to access extra features using their eyes such as swipes, physical buttons, and gestures.