(Reset from) Backup in the Cloud

[GerritV]

As of now, both my iPhone 4S and iPad 3 have a bckup in the Apple Cloud. I wonder what exactly is being stored in case I ever need to reset from this backup (please note I don't have an iTunes backup of my devices so far):

1. The default apps? I guess not, since they're part of the iOS ?
2. The settings of the default apps? Account settings, iOS prefs? I think they are stored in the backup.
3. The data stored in them? I guess not, since contacts, activities, mails... are in my cloud account (in the cloud, yes, but not in the backup part of the cloud so to speak).
4. 3rd party Apps you purchased through the AppStore? It would seem they don't get stored, probably just a listing of them so they'd be redownloaded freshly upon a reset from backup.
5.The settings of these apps? No idea if they're stored in backup.
6. (my main concern) The data stored in them? I'm using apps like Remarks, Notes Plus, Bamboo Paper... Some allow p.e. Dropbox storage, which I do use, while others just seem to store all data on the iPad itself. Are these data part of the app, stored within and not copied to the cloud backup (see point 4), or are these data stored in separate files that are placed in the cloud backup, ready to be installed on a possible reset from backup?

Sorry for the long post, but I'd really like clarity on these issues, and I can't find good answers so far. All of the above are merely assumptions I make, so chime in on all aspects!

 

[CosmoPilot]

Wirelessly posted

1. Any app you've downloaded is not stored in the cloud, rather that app is marked as being on your device. A backup from the cloud will download all your apps in the exact same location on your device. Again, the are not stored in the cloud so you don't have to worry about apps going against your cloud storage.
2. Settings are stored in the cloud. This includes apps and iOS. A restore from cloud will set your device exactly as it was on your last cloud backup. This data is very small in terms of cloud storage.
3. All data is stored in the cloud to include app data, game info, etc. All your messages, notes, mail, etc., will be restored as well.
4. Read #1 above. This is exactly the case.
5. Read #3 above. Every app on your device is restored to the same setting, configuration, etc., to include any data within the app.
6. As mentioned, all data is restored for every app you have. The storage hit depends on the particular app.

It's been my experience that the camera roll (which gets backed up as well) uses the most data. You have to manage this by moving photos from camera roll to albums/events in iPhoto or another program and re-sync those albums through a computer. If you never do this, your camera roll will eventually grow bigger than 5GB and your iCloud storage will be inadequate.

 

[GerritV]

CosmoPilot, thanks for your very complete and clear answer to all of my questions. Exactly what I wanted to know, for once and for all.
Cheers

 

[CosmoPilot]

Wirelessly posted

CosmoPilot, thanks for your very complete and clear answer to all of my questions. Exactly what I wanted to know, for once and for all.
Cheers

No worries! Also, if you have an app that encrypts data...that data will be stored in the cloud (encrypted). Once you restore your devices for the cloud, it downloads the encrypted data. You provide the password after your device restores and BAM!!! You have your data again!