Do you back up apps to iTunes?

[i0Nic]

Hey guys,

Since iOS 5 iTunes has become redundant for me. I use Rdio for music, I sync contacts, calendars etc through iCloud and Google services. I have little use for iTunes so a while ago I stopped backing up apps as well. I don't see the point since I also do an iCloud backup, it's just a waste of space on my Mac.

The only thing I really use iTunes for is for syncing photo albums from iPhoto, and dropping some videos into file transfer for Goodplayer.

However since restoring my iPhone 4S and thinking about the iPhone 5, I've been thinking if I've been missing anything by not backing up my apps.

Do you guys still use iTunes for backing up apps? With iCloud is it even necessary?

 

[spencers]

Do you guys still use iTunes for backing up apps? With iCloud is it even necessary?

No, and no.
Hopefully Apple has a big enough pipe this weekend to supply all the iPhone 5 users to restore their apps from the cloud!

 

[FSMBP]

Hey guys,

Since iOS 5 iTunes has become redundant for me. I use Rdio for music, I sync contacts, calendars etc through iCloud and Google services. I have little use for iTunes so a while ago I stopped backing up apps as well. I don't see the point since I also do an iCloud backup, it's just a waste of space on my Mac.

The only thing I really use iTunes for is for syncing photo albums from iPhoto, and dropping some videos into file transfer for Goodplayer.

However since restoring my iPhone 4S and thinking about the iPhone 5, I've been thinking if I've been missing anything by not backing up my apps.

Do you guys still use iTunes for backing up apps? With iCloud is it even necessary?

I personally don't but there is a good reason to backup your apps to iTunes. If the app gets updated (and developer removes a feature), you can always "downgrade" to the original app backed up to your iTunes (assuming you didn't update it on iTunes yet).

 

[John Adams]

Apple newbie here: So when I get my iPhone five, it will automatically download ALL apps I presently have on my 4? Will they be out in the same groups I've made, etc? No need to use iTunes for this?

 

[Fuzzy.Dunlop]

Always, try downloading a gb app when you're abroad and always handy for when an app is pulled from the store,permanently

 

[i0Nic]

handy for when an app is pulled from the store,permanently

Honestly this is the only reason I can think of to use iTunes to store apps. To me it's not worth it. I have so many gb's of apps I feel it's such a waste to house them iTunes where it's just taking up precious SSD space.

 

[Small White Car]

Apple newbie here: So when I get my iPhone five, it will automatically download ALL apps I presently have on my 4? Will they be out in the same groups I've made, etc? No need to use iTunes for this?

It's possible to re-download apps without backing up, but they'll be in a random order and you won't have any saved data in them (like, say, Angry Birds completed levels).

So you'll want to back-up and restore if you don't want to drive yourself crazy re-arranging everything.

You can do it in iTunes or through iCloud. There's no difference, really. It will come out the same.

I generally back up in iCloud but I'll be using iTunes to move to my 5 since I'm concerned that Apple's servers will be super busy and it may slow down a restore. So I'll use iTunes this weekend only and then will go back to using iCloud to backup next month.

 

[Geckotek]

Between my iPhone and iPad I ran out of space long ago. Turned off iCloud backups and went aback to iTunes.

 

[i0Nic]

Between my iPhone and iPad I ran out of space long ago. Turned off iCloud backups and went aback to iTunes.

Ok so the maximum space you can get in iCloud is 50gb, is a backup included in this?

If so it seems like a fail if you have a 64gb iPhone and a 64gb iPad which I do. Does that mean I can't use iCloud to back up both devices if they're both even at half capacity?

 

[Small White Car]

Ok so the maximum space you can get in iCloud is 50gb, is a backup included in this?

If so it seems like a fail if you have a 64gb iPhone and a 64gb iPad which I do. Does that mean I can't use iCloud to back up both devices if their both even at half capacity?

iCloud backups do not include the app itself or your movies, music, or synced photos. All of this is restored from either Apple's servers or your own computer. The iCloud backup only contains the data that is unique to your phone, like the data in the apps or the photos in the camera roll.

I have a 64 GB iPhone with 46 GB used on it.

My iCloud backup is 11 GB.

EDIT: And 7 GB of that is my camera roll. If I'd capture photos to my computer a bit more often and erase them then my iCloud backup really should be closer to 4 or 5 GB.

 

[Geckotek]

Ok so the maximum space you can get in iCloud is 50gb, is a backup included in this?

If so it seems like a fail if you have a 64gb iPhone and a 64gb iPad which I do. Does that mean I can't use iCloud to back up both devices if they're both even at half capacity?

I think I was just using the free 5GB. Isn't there a charge for the 50GB?

 

[applesith]

I back up to itunes once a week now...ever since I had my iPhone 4 replaced.

Restoring for a 4.8GB iCloud bakup takes forever and doesn't always work. I had to do it 4 times. Apps kept timing out.

No way in heck i am gonna rely on iCloud for the 5 when millions of others are doing that.

 

[Spicedham]

only the apps apple removed from the store

 

[gmanist1000]

Apple newbie here: So when I get my iPhone five, it will automatically download ALL apps I presently have on my 4? Will they be out in the same groups I've made, etc? No need to use iTunes for this?

If you backup to iCloud, everything is restored the way you had it. The only downside is it has to re-download your apps, music and movies, because those would take up too much space on Apple's servers.

 

[John Adams]

If you backup to iCloud, everything is restored the way you had it. The only downside is it has to re-download your apps, music and movies, because those would take up too much space on Apple's servers.

Thanks, that makes sense. I didn't see an option under the iCloud settings to back up the apps, so that made me wonder. But you're saying when I log into my apple acct with my new phone, it knows which apps I have downloaded and will just send them to me again. Is my understanding correct?

 

[gmanist1000]

Thanks, that makes sense. I didn't see an option under the iCloud settings to back up the apps, so that made me wonder. But you're saying when I log into my apple acct with my new phone, it knows which apps I have downloaded and will just send them to me again. Is my understanding correct?

Correct. As long as you are backing up to iCloud and have "Documents & Data" turned On, your Apps and other data will be redownloaded exactly as they were from the last backup.

When you setup your new phone it will ask you if you want to restore from iCloud, an iTunes backup, or setup as new.
-When you select iCloud, it shows you your backups and just select the most recent backup!

 

[Roc P.]

I actually just started doing iCloud backups today! I have an iPhone 4S, iPad 2 and iPod Touch 4th Gen. I am now backing them all up to iCloud.

I am definitely a little confused about what "Documents and data" means. I turned it on just in case.

I am under the impression that if it's off, my game saves etc. wouldn't get backed up and if I ever did a restore that I would lose the game saves.

But is that even correct? What else does "Documents and data" mean? Are any documents and data being synced to iCloud during normal device usage or only during a backup?

 

[SoxX]

It's possible to re-download apps without backing up, but they'll be in a random order and you won't have any saved data in them (like, say, Angry Birds completed levels).

I backed up my iPhone 4s with iCloud and then downloaded to my Phone 5 and my Angry Birds game plays came over just fine. I am still trying to figure out how that happened and if I can get them to sync with my iPad.

 

[Joesmith13245]

No. With the introduction iTunes Match, cloud app management, and backup I have no reason to use iTunes.