Data Backup Digest

It’s just as important to back up your phone as it is any other device. Some phone manufacturers will help you out with this by offering their own backup service. For example, newer versions of Android have this built-in and iOS has Apple’s Cloud.

Those who own a Samsung phone should be familiar with Samsung Cloud for backing up. Their phones prompt you to sign up to the service when you first get the phone. It’s a decent utility, good for backing up your system settings and app data.

However, Samsung have announced a change to the service. From February 2018, third-party applications will no longer have their data backed up by Samsung Cloud. Although Samsung’s own first-party applications will continue to be supported, those created by external developers will not be.

It’s a shame this change is happening; a backup utility is important, but you want one that is going to capture all of the data on your device, not just the stuff that was created by a particular set of applications.

In a statement, Samsung said that the change will take effect from February 6th. Once the change has been made, users will not be able to back up third-party app data or restore it from a previous backup. Previous backups will be immediately deleted, which Samsung cite as complying to relevant statues and regulations.

Samsung hasn’t explained why they are making this change, but it’s likely that they are trying to reposition themselves as a cloud service rather than a backup solution. It could also be an effort to save costs – Samsung are one of the leading phone manufacturers and backing up all of their user’s data isn’t a cheap enterprise.

Samsung suggest users should look for other backup programs or use the abilities inside certain applications. While it’s true that some developers do offer their own solutions, like the automated ability of WhatsApp, many do not. As such, it’ll be up to users to go to the app marketplace and hunt out a solution that will capture the data of all their applications.

Of course, if Samsung applications and its associated data are all you are concerned about, you can continue to use Samsung Cloud. You could even use it in conjunction with something else. Samsung Cloud will back up your home screen, app installation files, and other device settings. It’ll also store app settings and data for Samsung apps like Contacts, Calendar and Notes. Finally, it’ll take care of user data like documents, videos, photos and music.

If you’re looking for an alternative, you might want to check out Google Drive. It supports a number of popular applications, allowing you to store their data within Google’s cloud service. You can find this function through the Backup and Restore screen in your Settings. Alternatively, check out applications like Helium or Titanium Backup. Note that some of these apps may require root privilege, which is a complicated process that will often void your phone’s warranty.