Short circuit on the processor

If you sent copies of any of the lost photos to friends or relatives – e.g., in e-mail or in text messages – you might try asking them if they still have copies of those photos, and if they could send you copies back.

I know that won't replace all of the photos that were not backed up, but it might let you recover some.

Well, this isn’t really an issue solely with an iPhone. This is an issue with all storage devices, such as computers, cameras, hard drives, and ANY issue they may face. It is always vitally important to have a backup of all personal data. Without a backup the same problem would occur if the phone was lost, dropped in a toilet, stolen, run over by a car, or other damage.

If you have data stored in only one place, and a catastrophe happens that takes out that place, your data is gone. That catastrophe could be due to any number of things – including hardware failure, theft, fire, or natural disaster (e.g., hurricane, tornado, flood). Or accidental damage (dropping a device, exposing it to liquids, etc.).

That's not just true of iPhones, but of any type of computer, smartphone, tablet, or similar electronic device. Even with hardcopies, if your only copies of your family photos are on prints and negatives stored in your home – and a devastating fire burns your home to the ground – those photos will be gone forever.

Who diagnosed the issue? Was it Apple support or a third party?