Backing up via iCloud vs. Itunes

[ccapman670]

Currently my iPhone backs up when I plug it into my Macbook Pro via iTunes. I have syncing with iCloud turned off. Is there an advantage to either one? Seems like if you turn on iCloud syncing it says you will no longer automatically backup to iTunes. My concern would be pictures, emails and texts not being private or secure in iCloud. Is it still secure? What do you guys use?

Thanks

 

[Weaselboy]

The benefit to iCloud is it backs up without having to be at your computer. Also you can do an iCloud restore while away from your computer. Say you are out of town and break your phone. Just get a replacement and restore from iCloud and you are back up and running again.

I see no reason not to run iCloud backup. Everything is secured on Apple's servers. How secure that is, I suppose we just don't know. I have not seen any reports of it being hacked. If you are really that worried about Apple getting hacked, then maybe iCloud is not for you.

You can do iCloud backup and still backup in iTunes. This is what i do. While the iPhone is plugged in to USB and with iTunes running, right click on the phone in iTunes and from the resulting menu select backup. This will give you a local iTunes backup as well as iCloud backup. Like wearing suspenders with your belt.

 

[alphaod]

Backing up to iCloud is worthless if your phone malfunctions, you need to restore it and don't have a good Internet connection. Or if you're jailbroken.

I backup to iTunes.

 

[newagemac]

You don't have to be physically connected to your computer to back up with iTunes. With iOS 5, Apple added Wifi sync to the iTunes syncing. It automatically happens whenever you charge your device and you can also make it sync anytime just by going into settings on your device.

Also, the iTunes sync is both faster and more comprehensive than doing it over iCloud. And probably the most important reason of all is if you use iTunes instead of iCloud for backup, you free up your free 5GB of space for email and other iCloud uses and don't have to worry about managing what apps are allowed to back up.

If you don't have a computer on the same wifi network that your iDevice regularly accesses is the only reason I would turn on the iCloud backup.

Edit: I guess if you only have a laptop, wifi sync is a little less convenient than my situation where my Mac Mini is always on and ready to sync but I think the benefits still outweigh syncing over iCloud.