Backing up When you Plug Phone Into Itunes?

[Infiniti7]

how come when you plug your phone into itunes it always takes a couple minutes when it is in step 2 of 8? then if you back up again it takes 2 seconds to go through the steps?

 

[Matchoo]

Because the first time it's backing up the changes since last backup. When you back up again right after there's nothing to backup anymore.

 

[Infiniti7]

got ya. so here is my question. i backed up my phone right when i plugged my phone into itunes then i loaded my iphone pics onto my iphoto library organized them the way i wanted to then went back to itunes and clicked "backup" wanting my itunes to back up the changes i just made. well it didnt do anything. i had to hit "sync" to make the changes. why doesn't back up do the same thing as sync?

 

[Laelipoo]

A backup takes what's on your phone and saves it as something you can restore to.

Syncing is making what's in your iTunes and on your phone the same.

 

[Infiniti7]

so what is the difference between the itunes automatically backing it up when you plug your phone in and doing a manual back up your self by clicking on your iphone on the left hand side?