iCloud vs. Wi-Fi Sync

Submitted by Dan; November 07, 2011


Apple introduced iCloud and WiFi Syncing on iOS 5 and iTunes 10.5 and it's all fine and dandy, but which does what? Both methods wirelessly sync data and work good. iCloud syncing, sends specific information to and from Apples iCloud servers over an Internet connection. While Wi-Fi Sync, syncs your device with iTunes on your Mac via your local wireless network. Lets start with Wi-Fi Syncing: Wi-fi syncing is identical to the way you'd traditionally sync your iDevice while connected via USB. It only syncs data that sits on your Apple Mac or Windows PC. To enable Wi-Fi sync, connect your iOS device to your Mac or PC via a usb-to-dock cable, and then, in iTuness Summary screen for your device, check the box to "Sync With This Device Over Wi-Fi" and hit Apply. Wifi sync, syncs the following:

• Music, video, apps, books, podcasts, audiobooks, ringtones, and iTunes U content youve purchased from Apple and downloaded to iTunes. This includes apps and media youve purchased on other iOS devices and downloaded to iTunes via automatic download.
• Music, video, books, and other media youve ripped or otherwise manually added to iTunes.
• Documents for individual iOS apps that use iTuness File Sharing feature.
• Photos in iPhoto, in Aperture, or in folders on your Macs drive that youve opted, in iTunes, to sync to your iOS device.
• Device backups (though only if youve opted for local backup instead of iCloud backup).
• Contacts, calendars, bookmarks, and notes (though only if youre syncing them locally, via iTuness Info screen for your device, rather than via iCloud or MobileMe)

Wi-Fi sync happens automatically, once per day, when your iOS device is connected to power and on the same Wi-Fi network as the computer running iTunes. You can continue to use the device during the sync. You can also force a Wi-Fi sync. with or without power. your device must be on the same network as your computer and iTunes must be running. On your iOS device, go to Settings > General > iTunes Wi-Fi Sync > Sync Now - You can also force a sync via iTunes: select your device in the iTunes sidebar and then click Sync in the lower right corner of the Summary screen. Now onto iCloud syncing: iCloud differs from WiFi Syncing in many ways -- iCloud is the central storehouse of data, rather than your computer. Once your data is on iCloud, your devices sync directly to it. iCloud doesnt actually sync every type of supported data—for some items, it simply makes media available for you to download.

• Contacts, bookmarks, calendars, and notes.
• Photos youve uploaded to iCloud—from your iOS devices, or iPhoto or Aperture on your Mac—using Photo Stream.
• Device backups—only if youve opted for iCloud backup instead of iTunes backup.
• Documents and data stored in iCloud by iCloud-enabled apps.

There is also types of data iCloud doesnt sync -- it doesnt upload them to iCloud from your device -- but makes available for automatic, over-the-air downloading to your device:

• Newly purchased music, apps, books, and (for Newsstand publications) periodical subscriptions—only if youve opted, in Settings > Store, to automatically download these types of data.

iCloud also makes the following available for manual download to your device:

• Music, apps, books, audiobooks, ringtones, and (in the U.S. only) TV shows youve purchased from Apple.
• Via iTunes Match (Apples $25-per-year music-hosting and -download service), most music youve ripped or otherwise manually added via iTunes.

Tags: Apple iCloud, ios 5, WiFi Sync