I have been doing both every night (although the wifi sync has not been working perfectly). What exactly happens with iCloud and what exactly happens with wifi sync? I'm only interested in hearing the responses from someone who actually knows and is not assuming. I need to know since i'm yet to find info online to fully explain this.
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What's the difference between iCloud backup and wifi sync?
- Thread starter NWI73
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I'm no expert, but iCloud backup syncs, and backs up your data to Apple's servers (and stays online) under your iCloud account. WiFi sync will sync and backup to your computer (locally stored).
Well, iCloud backup is exactly what the name is. It's a backup of your phone in iCloud. Wifi sync is exactly what the name is as well. It is syncing your phone to your computer via wifi.
The difference is that any changes you've made to your iTunes library like albums, genius info, purchased apps, etc is updated on both phone and computer when you sync. A backup is just a copy of all that information stored in the cloud so if your computer or phone goes belly-up, you can do a restore and get all of your stuff for your phone back.
The difference is that any changes you've made to your iTunes library like albums, genius info, purchased apps, etc is updated on both phone and computer when you sync. A backup is just a copy of all that information stored in the cloud so if your computer or phone goes belly-up, you can do a restore and get all of your stuff for your phone back.
Exactly. And I'll add that, with iCloud backups, if your phone experiences problems while away from home and you need to go to an Apple store to get it replaced, you can restore from your iCloud backup right then and there without needing to go home to restore from your Wi-Fi sync backup.
What you explained is exactly what I am questioning. What is a "sync" and what is a "backup"?
Should I be backing up to the cloud every night to have a full data backup as well as a sync with my computer or..? Is my wifi sync also performing a data backup to macbook?
I used this example fully when I purchased my 4S. Bought the phone, came back to work and restored from iCloud backup to get my phone exactly where my old iPhone 4 was.
I am still questioning whether I should be doing both every night or not. When I used my iCloud sync, everything came back except for my music so all I had to do was sync with my MacBook at home to get that back. Everything else came back via iCloud.
Help?
Wifi Sync syncs your phone with iTunes, same as it used to do via USB. It copies Music/Videos/Apps etc as needed from one to the other.
Backup (iCloud or Local) stores your phone settings and App data.
Backup (iCloud or Local) stores your phone settings and App data.
the names are different
okay so my understanding is when you enabled icloud backup your phone will backup to icloud through syncing between your phone and mac wirelessly if you enabled wifi sync
Gotcha. I don't have much music on my phone at the moment but I'm pretty certain music is one thing that iCloud doesn't back up. As such, while I personally wouldn't back up to both iCloud and my local machine every night, doing both as often as you deem fit is probably a good idea.
Icloud backup : backups all your app data and other data.
Wireless sync: backups all your app data and other data. Also syncs with itunes to ensure any changes you made in itunes to what you are choosing to sync is in place.
So no you don't have to do both, but there is no harm in doing both (unless your on a limited data plan). Having a icloud backup means you can restore your device even if your nowhere near your itunes library.
Wireless sync: backups all your app data and other data. Also syncs with itunes to ensure any changes you made in itunes to what you are choosing to sync is in place.
So no you don't have to do both, but there is no harm in doing both (unless your on a limited data plan). Having a icloud backup means you can restore your device even if your nowhere near your itunes library.
So if I do all my iTunes app purchases through my iPhone then a wireless sync really isn't necessary, correct? At this point, the only thing I do with iTunes is download podcasts. With that said, the only reason to wirelessly sync would be to get new podcasts, right?
Wireless (or any other) sync does not backup any data if you have iCloud backups turned on (it does if you don't) - you get a specific warning to that effect when you turn it on
I'm beginning to think that iTunes WiFi Sync doesn't back up the data your phone. It only syncs your media, books, etc.
Anyone else using iTunes WiFi Sync notice that where it says "Last Backup" on the Summary tab is actually the time and date of the last time you plugged in your phone?
I was hoping that iTunes WiFi Sync was the 100% equivalent of plugging your phone into the computer via USB but I'm not so sure anymore.
Here's what I think so far:
- iTunes Sync via USB will do a contents sync and phone data backup.
- iTunes WiFi Sync will only do a contents sync.
- iCloud Backup will only do a phone data backup.
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Right.
If you have a lot of music/media that was purchased outside of iTunes, then Wireless Sync is preferable. If all your media was purchased through iTunes, you can probably just do cloud backups.
Do we still need to manually download new episodes on iTunes and then do the wifi sync? Is there any way to get iTunes to detect and automatically download new episodes?
You are mixing up two different things: backing up and syncing.
They are not the same. Backing up can only be done one of two ways: during iTunes syncing or via iCloud.
Therefore you can sync to iTunes and STILL be backing up to iCloud.
Syncing is no different than what we always did via USB cable. It syncs your new music, adds any apps added via iTunes and not in the iOS device yet, new music, etc.
Backing up is the same whether you choose to do it via iTunes or iCloud, with the difference being that iCloud backups are available anywhere you have an internet connection.
Backing up saves just about everything on the iOS devices except apps, music, etc. (the stuff that "syncs"). So the backup will include app data, settings, camera roll, etc. Many of the items backed up are not included in normal syncing (e.g., camera roll).
Michael
May I ask why you use your computer to download podcasts? You can just as easily download and delete podcasts directly from your iPhone. I've been doing it for years.
I agree but there is a way around it (not automatic though). You can right click on your phone's icon on itunes and it will give you an option to back it up to the computer (it will do so wirelessly and whether you are plugged in or not).
So long as you can remember to do that occasionally you can have a backup from either.