iPhone users are complaining about a bug that is alarming to say the least. downloaded videos via iCloud for Windows wouldn’t open or even show pictures containing strangers.
A disturbing bug seems to affect the iCloud app for Windows. This is the website MacRumours which issued the alert after realizing a high number of user complaints in its forums.
Reportedly, uploaded videos via iCloud on a Windows PC does not open properly. Instead, they get a black screen. Worse, in some cases, their computer displays a random photo of unknown origin instead. The images in question do not come from their iCloud account and users indicate that they have never seen them before, suggesting that they could be photos from other users’ iCloud accounts.
A bug specific to iCloud for Windows
The case would concern the Microsoft Store iCloud application on Windows 10 and 11. It would be more specifically linked to the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro, as well as the Pro Max version. To reproduce the bug, it seems that it is necessary to activate the HDR and HEVC options in the camera settings.
One of the hypotheses put forward is that the application actually downloads encrypted videos from another account. The video would be inaccessible because impossible to decipher, and the unknown photo would be the thumbnail that accompanies it and serves as a preview. Affected users report seeing unknown families, children, a football match, etc. At this time, Apple has yet to comment on the matter. This could seriously tarnish the reputation of the firm, which puts forward respect for privacy, Apple having already been sued because of the collection of data by the iPhone when users have explicitly opposed it.
