Process of upgrading an iPhone at an Apple store

[neilw]

Finally convinced my in-laws to upgrade their old 3Gs to a new 6s. I can't be there to help them when they do it, so I'm trying to figure out the whole process in advance. I'm assuming to send them to the Apple store because I thought it would give them the smoothest overall experience.

Guy at Apple store said the main thing they need to do is backup the phone first, then restore it after the new phone is activated. OK, but that raises questions:
1) Since they don't have a laptop, they'd have to do the backup and restore at home. That would mean (?) that any of the setup the Apple store helps them do would need to be re-done at home after the restore. Actually I'm not 100% sure of this: would any setup survive the restore process?
2) If they used an iCloud backup (instead of using iTunes on their Mac), they could theoretically restore at the store but that would take a long time (no matter how fast the Apple store Wifi is, it still seems like this would be slow. Or would it?)

And so, I'm left with the question: is there any realistic way for them to be able to walk out of the Apple store with a completely restored, fully set-up and functioning new iPhone?

If not, I'm wondering if it would be simpler for them to just mail order the phone and do the whole thing at home in one shot. But I really want them to get the benefit of the Apple store walking them through everything.

 

[skiltrip]

They can also backup and restore using one of the laptops in store, with the help of a floor associate of course. They offered to do this for me when I was in their last, but I always set mine up as new, so I declined.

It's pretty safe to say the Apple Store is equipped to handle anyone's situation right there in the store with minimal fuss.

 

[neilw]

That's what I would have thought, but for whatever reason that option was not offered. I hadn't thought the whole thing through at that point so it didn't occur to me to push back on that point. I will re-check with them, but I expect you're right.

 

[Gav2k]

Backup to iCloud. The initial restore takes 5 minutes. It's the app download side that takes time which can continue once they are home.

 

[SisterBlue22]

Is there anything on their phones they really need to keep? Going from a 3GS to a 6, I'm thinking it might be cleaner to set the phones up as new.

 

[neilw]

Backup to iCloud. The initial restore takes 5 minutes. It's the app download side that takes time which can continue once they are home.

I guess it would make sense to do that, if they have enough space. I don't think I've done a restore from iCloud, so I don't have a feel for what the sequence is like.

Is there anything on their phones they really need to keep? Going from a 3GS to a 6, I'm thinking it might be cleaner to set the phones up as new.

Fair question. Mainly, I'm reluctant to push them to reconfigure from scratch, without my being there to help. Just reconfiguring their email accounts (5 of them, don't ask ) is something I don't want them to have to do again.

 

[Gav2k]

I guess it would make sense to do that, if they have enough space. I don't think I've done a restore from iCloud, so I don't have a feel for what the sequence is like.



Fair question. Mainly, I'm reluctant to push them to reconfigure from scratch, without my being there to help. Just reconfiguring their email accounts (5 of them, don't ask ) is something I don't want them to have to do again.

Your worrying to much. They just need to remember all there passwords. The rep will look after them

 

[SisterBlue22]

Yeah, I'm just thinking that there's SO much that's changed in iOS since the version their phones are on, it might not make much difference.

 

[aristobrat]

They can also backup and restore using one of the laptops in store, with the help of a floor associate of course.

Interesting.

When I worked there a few years ago, it was OK to plug a customer-owned device into an Apple-owned systems to activate, upgrade or restore the customers device, but it was a huge no-no (for privacy and liability reasons) to put any customer data on an Apple-owned system (including backups).

Maybe they finally found a way to safely do that.

 

[Gav2k]

Interesting.

When I worked there a few years ago, it was OK to plug a customer-owned device into an Apple-owned systems to activate, upgrade or restore the customers device, but it was a huge no-no (for privacy and liability reasons) to put any customer data on an Apple-owned system (including backups).

Maybe they finally found a way to safely do that.

Backups are encrypted, that and it's simple to erase the file.

 

[aristobrat]

Backups are encrypted, that and it's simple to erase the file.

Maybe that's enough now? If it still relies on an employee "remembering" to click the Encrypt Backup button, and then remembering to delete the backup, that's inevitably going to result in some unencrypted backups lingering about on some Apple systems, though.

 

[neilw]

I'm still left a bit mystified what happens with Joe Normal's upgrade at the Apple store. Would they typically do a restore (by any means), or not? Obviously, more sophisticated folks could just take the phone home and set it up, but I'm sure plenty of novices get it set up there... somehow.

 

[canuckRus]

I'm still left a bit mystified what happens with Joe Normal's upgrade at the Apple store. Would they typically do a restore (by any means), or not? Obviously, more sophisticated folks could just take the phone home and set it up, but I'm sure plenty of novices get it set up there... somehow.

Backup to iCloud and turnoff Find My Phone first. At store staff will help set up everything needed. Download to setup from iCloud is usually fairly quick as Gav2k mentioned. Might even check to see if perhaps their 3GS has a vestige of trade in value left other than as a paperweight?

 

[neilw]

OK, I think I know enough to advise them. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks for all the responses.