Why can't you restore data from the external harddrive? Has it not been actually backed up?

So you used a non-Apple product/service to back up your iphone, restoring doesn't work, and you want to sue Apple for that? Is that right?

Read the TOS and software licensing agreement for the iPhone.

@Greendrake Yes. Data is backed up but cannot be restored. Apple customer care confirmed they do not recommend letting user backup phone data on external device, while at the same time has no solution for how to back up 512 gb phone on a smalled disk sized computer.

@RonBeyer What you mean by non standard Apple? If my photos, bank information, crypto apple standard? Sorry couldn't follow your question. BTW, how do you backup mac's? Non-standard harddrives?

@BlueDogRanch there is no mention on backups and restore on local devices or hard drives.

@kishoredbn I'm talking about the legal redress (or lack thereof) against Apple that you agreed to when you agreed to the license and TOS.

Are you backing up the data with a program offered by Apple? Apple certainly doesn't have liability if you are not using their program or service. If you did use their program the hurdle is that they've likely disavowed merchantability in their ToS.

Apple only supports icloud backups, but that's apparently not what you used? What software did you use to back up the phone? Something offered by Apple, or something from another company? If the latter, Apple can't be held responsible, even if backing up to hard drives seems logical and the data is "typical".

BTW, if you read Apple's terms of service that came with your phone, and even if you did use iCloud, Apple's limit of liability is probably a lot less than what you are claiming, probably up to the extent of the cost of the phone. Lesson here is to not store (the key to) hundreds of thousands of crypto on a phone (or not just a phone)... That's why lawyers don't want to touch this, ultimately Apple may give you a couple thousand...

@IllusiveBrian I have used Apple's product to backup the device. But I choose where to save the backed up data. I was not using thirdparty tools for this.

@RonBeyer Are you suggesting, if I am not using icloud to backup data, which is a paid service, which is restating that if you need to backup data you need to pay to Apple -- then it is not Apple's responsibility to be accountable for making backup process NOT free?

@BlueDogRanch there is no mention of anything like I need to pay/subscribe for backing up my data, which is an essential use case for any device users, let it be Apple or Android or any other device. I agreeed with what I was asked to agree, I didn't agree with that I was not asked to agree with.

@kishoredbn That's my point; you agreed that Apple is not responsible for data backups when you don't use their services. You have no legal recourse against Apple.

@BlueDogRanch "Not responsible for data backup" is different from "Not leaving any options for backup".

@kishoredbn Why do you think Apple is responsible for your mistakes?

@BlueDogRanch which part was the mistake?

@RonBeyer Sir, first though it out of your head that I used third party tool of any kind what so ever, I used apple's software to store my data on external hard drive. The same software refuses to restore back the data.

Please enlighten me as to the software used if not iCloud, it was asked multiple times in these comments... Is it an actual Apple product, or it just something sold through the app store?

@RonBeyer I used Apple's native new finder app to store data on my external harddrive. This is done by creating a logical linking from the default backup location to the external HDD.