iPhone 4 FaceTime Glitch Takes Secret Photos Of Users, Some Say

Some iPhone 4 users are reporting that their Apple smartphones appear to be taking pictures of them without their knowledge, then displaying these mysteriously snapped photos during FaceTime calls.

Users have taken to an Apple support forum to complain of the issue. According to their posts, they have seen photos taken with the iPhone 4's front facing camera--but which they themselves did not take--freeze on the phone's screen during FaceTime calls.

"My boyfriend and I have both recently experienced this problem several times - when one of us is calling the other via FaceTime, an old picture freezes on our screen, while the person receiving the call only sees a black screen," wrote kar0786. "It's kind of creepy, because it brought up photos of both of us at work, where I have used FaceTime a few times but he never has. We're just wondering how/why this is happening, and if there is a fix. It's not terribly inconvenient, but it's definitely unsettling, where is seems that even if we haven't taken a picture or used FaceTime, the camera is keeping images."

Another wrote, "I have a dashboard mount for my phone. I had left the phone in the car when I ran in to get my sandwich. This was at a strip mall that I had never visited before and never connected to any WiFi. I parked in the middle of the lot, about 75ft from the doors to Subway. Ran it, got my food, hopped back in the car. I hit the button to see if anyone called me (no one did) and drove off. After I got in to where I was working and ate my sandwich, I tried to use FaceTime and saw a frozen image of me in the car from 20-30 minutes prior!"

What might be causing the alleged issue has not been determined, though Apple support reportedly told one user, nasetron, to restore the factory settings on the iPhone 4 in order to resolve the problem (nasetron notes the problem "didn't go away after that, so they actually had me return it to an Apple store and swap it out for a new one."). People have reported the issue on both iOS 4.3 and iOS 4.3.1.

Have you experienced this issue? Let us know by sending us a tip or by posting a comment below.

Comments

[elicourey]

01:33 AM on 04/10/2011

This article on Technorati explains it all http://bit.ly/huz245

[Mister Grumpy]

04:01 PM on 04/09/2011

Don't worry......... just stroke the back of your iPhone a few times........ it's just lonely and wants some affection.........

[elicourey]

12:47 PM on 04/09/2011

Check out the latest complaint about this FaceTime glitch. A lady says a picture of her taking a shower at the gym flashed on her screen when she started a FaceTime call! and she claims she never brings her iPhone into the gym.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2792410&start=30&tstart=0

[Cartoon Head]

02:16 PM on 04/09/2011

... so the phone is performing miracles? How did it take a picture of her at the gym, if she doesnt take it to the gym?

Maybe, just maybe, she DID take it with her to the gym. Or has it has grown legs?

[elicourey]

03:14 PM on 04/09/2011

or the entire "FaceTime glitch" is just made up

[India1148]

12:26 PM on 04/09/2011

We are being observed constantly. Throughevery piece of technology we use not to mention just walking down the street or going into a store. So there will never be total privacy unless a person is willing to live on a deserted island. But even then Google Earth could find you!

[ishawarner]

06:25 AM on 04/09/2011

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[arevolutionofone]

02:47 AM on 04/09/2011

Big Brother is watching....

[MSMSucksCom]

04:17 PM on 04/08/2011

The govt. can spy on you via YOUR phone.

http://news.cnet.com/2100-1029_3-6140191.html

http://www.politechbot.com/docs/fbi.ardito.roving.bug.opinion.120106.txt

[trojoe]

03:40 PM on 04/08/2011

Welcome to a world where cameras are in everything.

[jkbucks]

02:57 PM on 04/08/2011

spooky. My girlfriend and I think that they're putting cameras on both sides of phones now so that no matter what way you put it down, they can see you. dundunnndunnnnnn! Yes, I smoke a lot.

[Shawn Wolfe]

11:15 AM on 04/08/2011

My wife and I both have the ghost image problem but it is only created when we try to exit out of facetime .. the phone does not just take random photos in our instance..

My bigger weird issue is that I have a work cell phone and a personal iPhone.. I have a bluetooth headset paired to both devices. Whenever I disconnect from a work call The iPhone will reconnect and instantly begin playing music through my bluetooth even if I was not listening to music on it before the work call.. Which tends to scare the crap outa me and makes me think I am hearing voices for a split second

[imtheyeti]

10:56 AM on 04/08/2011

Decepticons!

[JdubJ]

10:50 AM on 04/08/2011

First World Problems.

[kenrynne]

08:32 AM on 04/08/2011

iStingiPhone
Every breath you take
And every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
Ill be watching you

[spkatt]

08:27 AM on 04/08/2011

if,like paranoid conspiracy guy was saying..the phone trax you 24/7........if one is using a prepay phone....will it still spy on you when the $$ runs out?just a thought.

[Chris Antaki]

02:11 PM on 04/08/2011

Does it still connect to cell phone networks & show you signal bars? Then yes, obviously it can figure out your location by combining the signals it gets from 3+ towers. Is that what you mean by "trax"? Lol

[elicourey]

08:20 AM on 04/08/2011

This is not true. http://bit.ly/fuV8sJ It's been proven to be a joke.

[George Faris]

08:44 AM on 04/08/2011

Maybe someone should have done a little more research before writing the $tory.

[tinyredcouch]

09:35 AM on 04/08/2011

Because that article is TOTALLY convincing. & chock full o' sources to boot!

[elicourey]

12:51 PM on 04/09/2011

It's more convincing than the people on Apple Discussions that started this whole lie. Check out the latest, some lady says a picture of her taking a shower at the gym flashed on her screen, and she claims she never had her iPhone in the gym. Who are you going to believe? http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2792410&start=30&tstart=0