Earlier this week Apple released iOS version
12.4 and in it they have significantly changed the way that setting up a new iPhone is performed
So prior to iOS 12.4 there were really two ways you could set up a new iPhone through iTunes
No one did or you could go through the setup process
That would restore your data through iCloud, now in that iCloud restore process
There were really two ways
You could perform an iCloud restore
One, was manually by setting up your Wi-Fi logging into your iCloud account and then selecting the backup that you wanted to restore
or a new feature introduced about two years ago or so you could use your old iPhone to scan a code and that would
automatically handoff your Wi-Fi credentials your iCloud account info and
Restore your new iPhone with the most recent iCloud backup via the internet
It was pretty slick
But in iOS 12.4 that all changes and it's kind of weird because there doesn't seem to be much visual
Indication that there's a big difference but there really is there are now four ways to transfer backup data to your new phone
Method one which is an iTunes restore method two, which is an iCloud restore
and by the way
Both of these methods are the same as they have always been
So method one on iTunes restore everything except for your app binaries are transferred locally all your photos videos
contacts messages app data settings and more are
Transferred from the backup file locally stored on your computer so long as that data isn't already present in iCloud
According to Apple more on that in a second and method two the iCloud backup
Obviously downloads everything via iCloud the internet, but there are two new ways to restore a new iPhone
method three transfer from iPhone over Wi-Fi and method four,
transfer from iPhone over a wired connection now methods three and four both act
Similarly to iTunes in that they transfer everything not present in iCloud
except for your app
Binaries with method three rather than establishing a Wi-Fi connection to your router and downloading everything via the internet like an iCloud restore
Transfer from iPhone makes an ad-hoc Wi-Fi connection to your old iPhone
And then transfers data directly from the source
Method four is nearly identical in functionality, but rather than using local ad-hoc Wi-Fi
It utilizes the Lightning camera connection kit
You can plug the adapter into the destination phone and then you plug the lightning cable into the source phone
Isn't that so elegant? I mean way better than USB C to USB C Isn't it?
Thank you Apple
So those are the four methods, but which should you do?
Why and which is the fastest we've done a lot of?
fricking restores over the last two days and we have determined in our testing the following first off
every single backup method redownloads your apps from the App Store as of last year app binaries have been thinned and
Fingerprinted to each individual device to A prevent piracy and then B to reduce how much local storage apps take up on your phone
But what that also means is that you've got to redownload all of them regardless of the backup method
In terms of raw speed, iCloud restores remain the fastest this, of course, is because unlike other methods
it only transfers core data initially and the remaining content either just hangs out in iCloud until the user requests it or
It continues to download non crucial data in the background
Several hours after the restore is allegedly completed the iTunes and transfer from iPhone over Wi-Fi. Methods are
similar in speed and it's our opinion that these methods are worth the extra wait over an iCloud restore as
despite Apple's documentation
They actually appear to transfer everything present on the device being transferred from including full resolution photos complete message history
More complete app data, etc. That is not transferred by an iCloud backup despite
Apple's indications contrary to the matter
Strangely enough the transfer from iPhone over wired method was all over the place the first time we tested it
It was quite a bit faster than the transfer from iPhone over Wi-Fi
It makes sense the second time though, it just straight-up failed and the third time it took nearly double that of the Wi-Fi transfer
Weird to think that Wi-Fi is more reliable than a wired transfer but it's 2019. I mean we live in the future
future without USB-C. In conclusion
iPhone continues to flex on Android when it comes to easy backups and new device migration
What was already good gets even better and we strongly recommend the transfer from iPhone over Wi-Fi method come iPhone 11
that is if the iPhone is even worth upgrading to
I just burned iPhone and Android in the same sentence. I'm so good at this. Thank you, sir
I don't deserve your thumbs up, but if you want to give them great if not, whatever
Thank you so much for watching and as always stay snazzy!
Subscribe To Snazzy Labs!