[anr]

I'm not sure Apple is ahead on backup & restore with the iPhone / iPad.

You shouldn't need a desktop (with an OS that runs iTunes) in the first place. I read that the first thing you need to do with iPad is to connect it to iTunes.

[holman]

What Gruber was getting at is that Apple has a far better syncing strategy since Android wipes everything between updates and Apple neatly brings all your data with you.

That said, the cloud-based syncing that Android will eventually ship looks like the "right" solution. I doubt anyone at Apple considers USB syncing to be the end game, though; I'd be shocked if they didn't have some sort of over-the-air syncing in the pipeline. The question in my mind is will they fix this in 2010 or will they fix this a few years from now. People won't want to stay tethered that much longer.

As a sidenote- syncing over USB makes sense for the iPhone, in some respects, but the iPad lends itself to be a standalone computer. Tying that to another centralized hub is a hassle, and that's where an Android-esque cloud sync would be great.

[portman]

>>since Android wipes everything between updates

My G1 upgraded from 1.0 > 1.1 > 1.5 > 1.6 without wiping.

My Droid upgraded from 2.0 > 2.1 (and will > 2.2 soon) without wiping.

[holman]

Ah; I stand corrected... I misread what Gruber wrote. Looks like Android handles updates fine, but there's no way to cross-load data between devices. So buying the latest and greatest hardware leaves you in the cold, at least until Froyo.

[adamp_android]

Android as a platform doesn't require data wipes to update. A few handset manufacturers have chosen to go this route for certain devices but other devices such as the Nexus One preserve all user data during an update. The cloud-based syncing will certainly improve things for users migrating from one device to another.

[WiseWeasel]

Personally, I feel more comfortable having total control over my data first, and then choosing what I want to share with "the cloud". The direct personal control over syncing to a device I also control is the more critical factor over not requiring a separate computer for me.