iCloud backup - I don't get it

[maflynn]

Ok, so with my iPhone, I have the option to backup to the iCloud instead of my computer. I opted to try this, and over the weekend I gave it a shot. For the most part I have to say it's an utter failure.

I have an iPhone 6 plus (64gb), and it was taking anywhere from 9 to 14 hours to backup. I can't leave my phone plugged in not really usable for that long (the directions told me plugged in, locked and on wifi). The last straw was last night after chugging away for 6 hours, it failed for some reason.

What's the benefit of the iCloud backup, especially if I wanted to restore the phone at some point. I'd have to wait all day before the backup finishes restoring or am I missing something here?

Backing up to my iMac via iTunes takes like 40 seconds.

 

[zhenya]

I would set it up and forget about for a week or two while it does its thing. It will probably take quite a while to do the initial backup just like it would when connecting to your iMac, depending on size.

The advantage of iCloud backup is it's the first way that I have found to backup multiple devices regularly without any intervention on my part. We have 5 iDevices in the house and previously wifi backup was very spotty (and had gotten worse in recent years) and I wasn't going to manually remember to backup those devices very often.

Restores happen reasonably fast because like the backups, it restores the most essential data first, and then slowly pulls down the bulk of the backup in the background where you will likely not even notice it if you aren't actively looking.

 

[whsbuss]

I set a reminder to backup all my iOS devices to my Macbook pro every 14 days. Backup done via wifi and is done within 1-2 minutes after initial. I would never accept what the OP has experienced.

 

[maflynn]

I would never accept what the OP has experienced.

I'm not accepting it, it seems ludicrous. I like the idea of it, but the execution is lacking. Its not Apple's fault per say, but given the current speed of wifi, I don't think its a viable option - at least for me.

 

[aristobrat]

What's the benefit of the iCloud backup, especially if I wanted to restore the phone at some point.

For me, it's the ability to backup or restore my phone, when away from the computer.

I'd have to wait all day before the backup finishes restoring or am I missing something here?

Maybe it's just the first one that takes so long? I know that when I get an new iPhone, I'm always away from my home computer (at my desk at work, or at the Apple Store), and doing a manual iCloud backup only takes seconds.

 

[zhenya]

Only the first backup will take a long time and it can be interrupted. This is exactly the same with any backup, whether via Time Machine or to any cloud service.

Again, set it up and let it do its thing for a week or so to allow the full backup to complete.

 

[Julien]

I have always preferred iTunes. However as an AppleSeed beta tester I got burned by a backup bug in early beta 9.0 that would not use iTunes backups and lost a couple of weeks of data. I now keep iCloud and iTunes backups.

Also to maflynn, the first backup is a complete and takes the longest. All backups are then just deltas and will only take a few minutes.

 

[bbrks]

I'm not accepting it, it seems ludicrous. I like the idea of it, but the execution is lacking. Its not Apple's fault per say, but given the current speed of wifi, I don't think its a viable option - at least for me.

Something is wrong with your iCloud backup. For the last 3 or 4 years I only use iCloud, set to do it once every day.
Never had any problem with it. I could understand, that initial backup takes a bit longer, but after that, it should be only a matter of minutes.

EDIT: just did it now manually, it took all together 6 minutes. Of course it depends of what exactly are you backing up. For me, it's only contacts, notes and photos.

 

[maflynn]

Only the first backup will take a long time and it can be interrupted.

For some reason my backup was not able to restart after being interrupted. I had tried a number of times throughout the weekend. I got fairly close last night but it failed around 10:00pm (after starting it around 4:00pm).

I gave up on it, why go through a long process (even if its an initial backup) when I can backup via my computer in minutes (if not seconds).

 

[Julien]

....I gave up on it, why go through a long process (even if its an initial backup) when I can backup via my computer in minutes (if not seconds).

While iTunes backup will almost always be faster keep in mind you are comparing a complete iCloud backup to an iTunes delta backup. If you delete your iTunes backup and start over it will take longer.

Why not do like I do and keep a backup in both?

 

[maflynn]

Why not do like I do and keep a backup in both?

Because it seems like the iCloud backup doesn't finish for me. As I mentioned above, its just stops backing up. I got a failure notice last night while plugged in and on wifi.

 

[Gav2k]

Because it seems like the iCloud backup doesn't finish for me. As I mentioned above, its just stops backing up. I got a failure notice last night while plugged in and on wifi.

I've never had an issue with it to be honest. My process has always been to set up the device as new enable the backup and then go from there. Each night I put my phone on charge and it backs up every night without fail.

 

[Alrescha]

What's the benefit of the iCloud backup, especially if I wanted to restore the phone at some point. I'd have to wait all day before the backup finishes restoring or am I missing something here?

It is always nice to have an offsite backup. On topic, I have never had any major problem with iCloud Backup. Off topic, I do not use it because data in iCloud Backup is not protected by the passcode the way it is on the iPhone (it is readable by Apple et al).

A.
(who does not keep any national security secrets on the iPhone, but you never know)

 

[zhenya]

It is always nice to have an offsite backup. On topic, I have never had any major problem with iCloud Backup. Off topic, I do not use it because data in iCloud Backup is not protected by the passcode the way it is on the iPhone (it is readable by Apple et al).

A.
(who does not keep any national security secrets on the iPhone, but you never know)

Not true. iCloud backups are encrypted. This is why health data is backed up to iCloud by default, but not to iTunes unless you turn on encryption for iTunes backups.

 

[Blujelly]

The benefit for me is that I'm not backing up my iOS devices every day or two. I do all my devices at the weekend inc the MBP.

The bonus is if I need to restore my iPhone the backup is going to be 2 days old max, rather then the previous weekend (assuming I don't forgot to do it at the weekend)

 

[Qbnkelt]

I've experienced loooooong backups on initial backups. But that's the only time. I do both, by the way.

 

[Alrescha]

Not true. iCloud backups are encrypted. This is why health data is backed up to iCloud by default, but not to iTunes unless you turn on encryption for iTunes backups.

I did not say they were not encrypted. I said they were not protected by your passcode. I am sure they are encrypted on Apple's servers, albeit with an encryption key under Apple's control.

But perhaps I am out of date. When did this change:

http://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2013/06/can-apple-read-your-imessages.html

http://arstechnica.com/security/201...ssages-ars-deciphers-end-to-end-crypto-claims


A.

 

[Rigby]

Not true. iCloud backups are encrypted. This is why health data is backed up to iCloud by default, but not to iTunes unless you turn on encryption for iTunes backups.

Yes they are encrypted. The problem is that anybody who somehow gains access to your iCloud account can restore a backup and access anything you had on your device. This is how the celebrity photographs were hacked two years ago ("Fappening"). If you use iCloud backup, make sure to use two-factor authentication to reduce the risk.

Personally, I don't see much sense in using iCloud backup. Almost all of the information on my phone (emails, contacts, notes, music etc.) lives somewhere in the cloud anyway or can be easily restored, so the only real value of the backup would be to save some time setting everything up again. But I never had the need to restore a device from a backup in 7+ years of using iPhones, so backing up via iTunes from time to time seems enough.

 

[rugmankc]

OP, may be your wifi or iPhone. Maybe your dropping your connection over a long backup. I don't remember any issue or long backup times like you mentioned on any initial backups.

I back up 6gb movies over wifi to Time Capsule in about 12 minutes give or take. At 60gb that's 2 hours.

Assume you are ok backing up with the iPhone not connected to computer.

 

[maflynn]

My wifi seems ok for everything else, whether its streaming movies, or using my other devices. I don't see any issues or red flags with my network - so far.

 

[Dizzler]

To the OP: this same thing happened to me. It would be nice if Apple would say more than just "Backup failed." It would be nice for them to add "because...." I'm going to try again tonight but after that I'm giving up.
[doublepost=1459458789][/doublepost]Well, guess what? I just looked on my phone settings and there IS an iCloud backup in there! From yesterday. Why, then, did the backup process say that the backup had failed???????????