There are a few key differences between transferring content from your iPhone and downloading content from iCloud. In general, transferring content from your iPhone requires physical interaction with the phone, whereas downloading content from iCloud can be done without ever touching your device. Additionally, transferring content from an iPhone requires that you have access to the original device and its Wi-Fi network. Downloading content from iCloud, however, can be done even if you don’t have access to the original device or its Wi-Fi network. Finally, transferring content from an iPhone usually takes less time than downloading it from iCloud.