Future of expandable storage in phones?

[Detonation]

With Google dropping microsd support from the Nexus line years ago and most 2013 flagships not including them anymore either, what can we expect for the future of expandable storage?

I have a GS3 with a 64GB microsd card and about 50GB of music on it (and like to listen to all of it on shuffle)...if I want to upgrade and still use my microsd card I'm basically limited to another Samsung device (which I'm not that interested in doing). I know there's cloud storage options, but I'm yet to find a player/experience as good as using PowerAmp. Google Music is a great service but I hate the app's interface..complete form over function. Plus cloud storage requires good data reception, which is not always available. There's also USB OTG options (the Meenova Reader looks pretty good) but I don't know how seamless that would be (not to mention having to plug it in every time)

I wouldn't mind the lack of microsd as much if phones came with 64GB, but very few do. I realize carriers probably don't have much incentive to offer more storage, as more cloud usage means more data usage which means more money for them.

Should I basically just accept that I won't be able to carry all my music around in the future and adjust my habits accordingly?

 

[garublador]

My guess is that we're in a storage "dead zone" at the moment. Few companies are offering SD card options but few are offering large internal memory. In a couple years when internal storage is cheaper it will be easier to get larger amounts of internal storage. So you'll have to decide now if you want to change your habits for the next couple years or live with a phone that offers more storage for the next couple years.

 

[JigJames]

You do have some choices in the expandable storage field. The Optimus G2 and G Pro, two awesome phones, still offer expandable storage. The Sony Xperia line does also. Not to mention Samsung's phones.

I was in your exact same predicament when I switched to the 8GB Nexus 4. Eventually I just moved all my music to a old 120GB ipod. Does the job perfectly and also saves my phone battery.

 

[benhmadison]

It will eventually go away completely. As you said you are pretty much limited to Samsung devices from here on out. I know the Optimus G Pro had expandable storage but I believe the American variant of the G2 does not have expandable storage. In the future the internal storage of devices should increase. However the carriers do have motivation to dictate the limited storage size to the manufacturers therefore allowing you to use more data.

 

[Detonation]

I'm on Verizon so yea, Samsung is about it...was very disappointed when the new moto droid line up didn't include them. Looks like I might as well ween myself off sd cards then, at least natively. Thinking about picking up a DNA so the 16GB will definitely test that. I've got unlimited data still so I might as well make use of it and start streaming, though I'll probably pick up that Meenova reader since it looks pretty handy.

 

[benhmadison]

Oh if you have unlimited data then storage shouldn't be an issue I have a 3gb data plan and a 16gb Moto X. I make it work with ease. I carry about 3 gigs of my favorite music on my phone and pin music through Google Play Music when I know I want to listen to it away from wifi.

 

[Phil Wales]

How much data does say an album take (10) tracks or so, Over 3G etc?

 

[the1m.polo]

http://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=315200
Android is Leaving me with little choice


Same issue I posted about
I feel ya pain
Sent from my SCH-I605 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[anon(50597)]

I'm not sure smartphones were ever meant to carry an entire music collection. There are other devices for that.

 

[garublador]

I'm not sure smartphones were ever meant to carry an entire music collection. There are other devices for that.

I disagree with that. Smartphones are "meant" to replace many, single use devices. Using a smartphone as an MP3 player is one of the most blatantly obvious functions. It's just that we're at a time when many software and hardware engineers don't want to design around the downsides to removable storage and internal storage is still on the expensive side. Cloud services are bridging the gap for some, but not everyone.

 

[gollum18]

With Google dropping microsd support from the Nexus line years ago and most 2013 flagships not including them anymore either, what can we expect for the future of expandable storage?

I have a GS3 with a 64GB microsd card and about 50GB of music on it (and like to listen to all of it on shuffle)...if I want to upgrade and still use my microsd card I'm basically limited to another Samsung device (which I'm not that interested in doing). I know there's cloud storage options, but I'm yet to find a player/experience as good as using PowerAmp. Google Music is a great service but I hate the app's interface..complete form over function. Plus cloud storage requires good data reception, which is not always available. There's also USB OTG options (the Meenova Reader looks pretty good) but I don't know how seamless that would be (not to mention having to plug it in every time)

I wouldn't mind the lack of microsd as much if phones came with 64GB, but very few do. I realize carriers probably don't have much incentive to offer more storage, as more cloud usage means more data usage which means more money for them.

Should I basically just accept that I won't be able to carry all my music around in the future and adjust my habits accordingly?

Get an iPod. The point of the matter is that at their core, these devices are still phones. As long as they can make and receive phone calls, that's all you, everyone else, and I should care about.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Detonation]

Get an iPod. The point of the matter is that at their core, these devices are still phones. As long as they can make and receive phone calls, that's all you, everyone else, and I should care about.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

I disagree...if all I wanted was a device that can make a receive calls/texts, I would get a flip phone. I pay the premium to have a smartphone so I can do more than just make calls. I used to have an ipod but got sick of carrying two devices when I could just put it all on my phone. But now years later, I can't do that because of the lack of storage options. Maybe 50GB is bit excessive for the average person to carry around, but 64GB of memory is not that expensive anymore...a retail card costs $50, so I can only imagine a wholesale chip is a fraction of that. And even though companies will charge you $50-100 more for that bump, I'm ok with paying that if I could - but no one is really offering it. I still think it just comes down to carriers wanting to pad their profit margins - data speeds are getting faster and files are getting larger, yet data usage is costing more and storage options are shrinking.

 

[garublador]

Maybe 50GB is bit excessive for the average person to carry around, but 64GB of memory is not that expensive anymore...a retail card costs $50, so I can only imagine a wholesale chip is a fraction of that.

I don't think the 64GB eMMC's are as cheap as you think, even wholesale. You also have to keep in mind that every extra dollar spent on the BOM gets multiplied by at least several million, so even paying $15 more for a card will cost you $150M if you sell 10M phones. You have to be pretty sure your customers want that if you're going to spend $150M on it.

I do think the OEM's and carriers are being too conservative with how much memory we get on phones without uSD cards. The One got it right, but it's only available on one carrier at 64GB. The problem is it's main competitor for the first several months was the S4, who also got it right by adding a uSD card. Customers haven't really shown that they demand larger internal storage yet, but we also haven't been given the opportunity to do that.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I do think the OEM's and carriers are being too conservative with how much memory we get on phones without uSD cards. The One got it right, but it's only available on one carrier at 64GB. The problem is it's main competitor for the first several months was the S4, who also got it right by adding a uSD card. Customers haven't really shown that they demand larger internal storage yet, but we also haven't been given the opportunity to do that.

I agree. At the very least, they could poll users with questions like how much space would you like, etc...

Sent from a Slim 4.3 S3

 

[anon(50597)]

I disagree with that. Smartphones are "meant" to replace many, single use devices. Using a smartphone as an MP3 player is one of the most blatantly obvious functions. It's just that we're at a time when many software and hardware engineers don't want to design around the downsides to removable storage and internal storage is still on the expensive side. Cloud services are bridging the gap for some, but not everyone.

But when you try to replace many single use devices with one device, you are going to give up something. Using a smartphone as an mp3 player may be obvious, but how much storage is necessary? Who needs 10 days of music on their smartphone? That's overkill.

 

[Geodude074]

But when you try to replace many single use devices with one device, you are going to give up something. Using a smartphone as an mp3 player may be obvious, but how much storage is necessary? Who needs 10 days of music on their smartphone? That's overkill.

You're right, having one device that can multitask as several devices is just overkill. Who really needs fancy iPods and smartphones to play music on anyways? I still have a 1985 500w boombox that I carry on my shoulder to listen to music on. All of my cassettes and compac discs I keep in my backpack so I can change songs in a matter of minutes. Screw internal storage capacity, oldschool external storage is the way to go.

 

[garublador]

But when you try to replace many single use devices with one device, you are going to give up something. Using a smartphone as an mp3 player may be obvious, but how much storage is necessary? Who needs 10 days of music on their smartphone? That's overkill.

That reminds me of the misattributed Bill Gates quote:

640K ought to be enough for anybody.

The amount of storage that's "necessary" is enough to hold someone's entire music library. Having to decide what music to bring along with you is a concept that should be dead now. We have the technology to allow most everyone to carry all the music they own with them at all times. Cost is the only reason it's not in every phone. There isn't some other logical reason not to have it, it's just too expensive for most OEM's to put 64GB eMMC's in their phones and still sell them at the right price point and coverage/data plans aren't widespread or large enough to allow everyone to stream music whenever they want.

 

[anon(50597)]

You're right, having one device that can multitask as several devices is just overkill. Who really needs fancy iPods and smartphones to play music on anyways? I still have a 1985 500w boombox that I carry on my shoulder to listen to music on. All of my cassettes and compac discs I keep in my backpack so I can change songs in a matter of minutes. Screw internal storage capacity, oldschool external storage is the way to go.

An iPod Is for music storage. Don't get me wrong, storage will increase on smartphones.

Another point for discussion: I have a feeling you are younger than me. We probably have different viewpoints on what is necessary vs. what we want. There, that should fire this discussion up!

 

[anon(50597)]

That reminds me of the misattributed Bill Gates quote:



The amount of storage that's "necessary" is enough to hold someone's entire music library. Having to decide what music to bring along with you is a concept that should be dead now. We have the technology to allow most everyone to carry all the music they own with them at all times. Cost is the only reason it's not in every phone. There isn't some other logical reason not to have it, it's just too expensive for most OEM's to put 64GB eMMC's in their phones and still sell them at the right price point and coverage/data plans aren't widespread or large enough to allow everyone to stream music whenever they want.

You are most likely correct. Cost is a huge factor.

 

[stackberry369]

[quoted post deleted by moderator]

Who will come out with the first 128 GB internal storage phone?

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