Transferring data from 3GS to 4s

[Jesse Stevenson]

Hi,
My iPhone 4s is supposed to arrive today. My understanding is that to transfer my apps, contacts, etc, I should create a backup of the 3GS and restore it to the 4s. I have two questions.

First, will this completely overwrite anything already on the 4s? For example, my 3GS doesn't have Face Time, would that be deleted from the 4s? I want to keep my data, but I don't necessarily want to overwrite all the newest stuff that comes on the 4s.

My second question is will my apps lose their data or state? E.G. Would progress in Angry Birds be erased? Or what I'm actually more concerned about, would my Nike GPS+ history be erased? I believe this is data stored on the phone, not remotely on a server. Thanks!

 

[showguy]

Your current data from your last backup will be written over to your new phone. And no the process will not effect any features of the new phone.

ps: make sure the backup from your old phone is updated right before you restore it to the new phone. This way all your texts, settings, game progress etc. will be up to date.

 

[Bitewound]

Back up your 3gs ,but i would set the phone up as a new phone. You can then sync all your data, apps, music etc. If you use a backup to set up your 4s you won't overwrite any of the 4s features so don't worry.
I'm not sure if you will lose your data for Angry Birds or Nike.

 

[Jesse Stevenson]

Thanks to both of you. Good, so it sounds like the backup restoration is a little smarter than just wiping the phone and restoring an image. I would expect restoring a backup not to lose saved app data, but a sync to be more likely lose it. Bitewound, why do you say you would set it up as a new phone rather than restoring a backup?

 

[showguy]

Keep in mind if you restore as new and sync everything over, your game data, other data in apps, texts, and phone settings "WILL NOT" be on your new phone. If you don't mind losing all of that and starting from scratch restoring as "new" is the cleanest way to restore a new phone. With that said, your post asked "how to keep certain things". Enjoy the new phone..

 

[Jesse Stevenson]

Thanks, you guys have answered my question! Out of curiosity, why (with AT&T, at least) why do you not want/need to transfer the old sim card to the new phone? What's on the sim card, just network settings?

 

[Lon]

Thanks, you guys have answered my question! Out of curiosity, why (with AT&T, at least) why do you not want/need to transfer the old sim card to the new phone? What's on the sim card, just network settings?

You are correct. Unlike some other phones, the sim card on the iPhone does not store date, but rather account information.