Starting new iPhone from scratch but keeping old apps?

[Wetwipes]

Sorry if this is a dumb question but I am a helpless female!

I've got an iPhone 4 coming to replace a 3gs that I got rid of a while ago. I'd like to completely start afresh with this one as I think I'll be less likely to do something wrong if I try to do a "back up" (whatever that is). I would like to keep the apps that I had on the 3gs though, so can I start from scratch with the new one but somehow get my apps onto it ???

 

[-aggie-]

Just right click on the 3GS in iTunes and choose transfer purchases (this should have already been done by a sync, but do it just to be safe). Then when you hook up your iPhone 4 and setup as new, just sync the apps to your iPhone. You might want to look into syncing many other things from your 3GS, if you haven’t already (like contacts, which can be synced with Outlook or the different Address Books on a PC or Address Book on a Mac).

 

[Wetwipes]

Oh gawd! Thanks for your reply but I can't find the 3gs to right click on!

I've opened itunes and can see my apps, podcasts and music in there. Does this mean now that I don't have to do anything else? When the new phone comes I just plug it in, iTunes will ask me if its a new device, I say yes, and then it will ask me if I want to transfer my apps over ????????

 

[-aggie-]

Oh gawd! Thanks for your reply but I can't find the 3gs to right click on!

I've opened itunes and can see my apps, podcasts and music in there. Does this mean now that I don't have to do anything else? When the new phone comes I just plug it in, iTunes will ask me if its a new device, I say yes, and then it will ask me if I want to transfer my apps over ????????

If you have the 3GS hooked up to iTunes via the USB, it should show up in the left pane. If not, there's a problem.

Anyway, if you see the apps, etc. there, then yeah, you don't need to do anything else. However, you should have synced everything you can to make this painless as possible (although it's going to be painful for me, if you have no idea what I'm talking about..). What I mean by syncing everything is that you should sync your contacts to whatever software iTunes shows for syncing, calendar to whatever software iTunes shows for syncing, etc. The Info pane when you have your 3GS in the left pane will show you all the stuff you can sync (besides media, which in the pictures pane, music pane, podcasts pane, etc.).

 

[Wetwipes]

Awwww, bless you for trying to help me!

Not 100% sure about what you're saying but basically, even though I don't know if I have 'synced' my 3gs, if I can see my apps within iTunes I should have no problem in somehow getting them onto my iPhone 4, even if I say it is a new device via the means of syncing!

I guess it will all become obvious once I actually get it an plug it in eh ?

Thanks again! xxx

 

[Fireproof!]

Awwww, bless you for trying to help me!

Not 100% sure about what you're saying but basically, even though I don't know if I have 'synced' my 3gs, if I can see my apps within iTunes I should have no problem in somehow getting them onto my iPhone 4, even if I say it is a new device via the means of syncing!

I guess it will all become obvious once I actually get it an plug it in eh ?

Thanks again! xxx

If you are seeing your Apps in iTunes, then you don't have to worry about anything. Setup your new phone "as new" like you want to do, then after it syncs once real quickly during that setup process, go manually select the apps you want to sync to your new phone (or simply check "all" to do them all) and sync again and it will install them all onto the new phone.

Easy.

 

[eawmp1]

I've opened itunes and can see my apps, podcasts and music in there. Does this mean now that I don't have to do anything else? When the new phone comes I just plug it in, iTunes will ask me if its a new device, I say yes, and then it will ask me if I want to transfer my apps over ????????

Yes

 

[Wetwipes]

Groovy - love you guys!

That's one less thing to worry about........ Now back on to the protectors and cases threads!