For people that say 16gb isn't enough....

[decepticlone]

Google talks a big game about cloud storage and how you shouldn't *need* large amounts of off-line storage on your device...but then they don't have a cloud solution for those who wish to purchase and play games with very large file sizes...they don't have a solution for folks like myself who travel a lot, and don't always have network access in the subway or on an airplane -- these would be perfect opportunities for me to enjoy media on my phone, but cloud storage doesn't do me much good it I have no Internet access.

Exactly. 'The Cloud' is simply the internet re-branded. It's a marketing gimmick which companies, especially Google, have a vested interest in because they stand to profit from it, which is cool. Datacenter virtualization makes this a no brainer. But, to say the 'cloud' will make physical storage obsolete is a delusion I think many companies either suffer from or peddle to their consumers. Google pushes the cloud, but the carriers punish you if you want to use it by instituting download caps. Until the year 2030 or so where there is fibre everywhere, no bandwidth caps and wireless 50Gbps saturating urban areas, the cloud (internet) simply cannot work as physical storage and 16GB phones ain't enough.

 

[ddot196]

16gb is usually enough for the average person during the span of life of the phone. 8gb is most definitely not for one to two years. So there is your answer.

 

[sniffs]

What are you putting on your phone? I have quite a bit of apps and I'm not nearly close to filling up my internal memory! I agree that Samsung shouldn't be able to pass this off as a 16gb model but they can so oh well. Serious question tho, what are you guys putting on your phone? Haha

Sent from my ATT Galaxy S4

Download 1 movie and a couple larger games, like Real Racing 3 and Dungeon Hunter 4 and you've used up almost all your space.

As an example, Transformers 3 was just over 4GB and each of those games are over 1GB.. You could argue that you can stream the video, but really, unless you're on LTE(with an unlimtied plan) or at home on WIFI), that's not really an option, so you'll want to store locally.

Plus, toss in a few podcasts and viola..Some of the video podcasts are over 1GB on average, like The Vergecasts.. you can see the need for more than 9GB of meager space.

 

[AndyS]

Well, up until the more heavy app users find out they were duped by carrier sales staff and Samsung telling them they can put apps on the sd card. That will be interesting, since a tiny fraction read forums or tech sites.

I was actually told by someone in a Sprint store that I could move apps to the SD card on the S4. I didn't really trust them specifically, because most of the time those aren't the most informed people around.

My big thing is I kind of want to use Google Music and pin a decent amount of my music. You don't have the option of where that stuff goes. It lives on the internal phone memory.

So it's not just games.

I don't see why people are so defensive against others wanting things that support different use cases than what they themselves have. Especially when Samsung announced the variety of memory configurations, and Sprint has in the past offered higher memory phones in the same product line.

If 16GB is fine for you, why act like people who want more are making a big deal out of nothing? I don't get it.

 

[decepticlone]

removed

There IS a perfect phone (for me): the Samsung Galaxy S4 32GB. It was supposed to be available in stores April 30 for $250. I do hope we see it before the end of the world. And I'm running on a GS2 with a cracked screen which was submerged in water not too long ago. I'm as patient as they come, but do enjoy having consumer choice.

 

[HNNNNNGHHH]

Being an audiophile and a gaming freak, 16GB of internal storage just isn't enough. Of course, there is the option to insert a high-capacity external microSD card for media, but many brands seem undependable (many cards from certain brand names such as SanDisk IMO are prone to failure) and the ever-increasing size of data an application takes up is of no help either.

 

[decepticlone]

Actually, using some of the logic from others on these boards and especially this thread, I am just going to get the 16GB model. It should be lighter. If you fill up the 32GB model, it may become too heavy. 2500 music files would obviously weigh much, much more than 500 or so. And movies are made of video AND audio, so those would be twice as heavy. If you do the math, the 16GB model has 9GB of space, so it should be approximately 3.5x lighter when full of data than the 32GB. And since I keep my phone in my pocket, I won't need to buy a sturdier belt.

 

[paintdrinkingpete]

So let me get this straight. People complain about phones not having SD storage and dramatize the whole situation like the world will end. Now...S4 has SD storage, but now you people ***** about not enough internal storage. Complain much? You dont like having the 16gig, well sit your *** down and wait for the 32 or 64 instead of crying like a little *****. Fact of the matter is there is no completely perfect phone out there to suit your taste and need. At some point you whiny ***** are going to complain about something. If it aint about storage, its going to be about software. If it aint about software, its going to be about how the phone looks cheap in plastic. No one is forcing you to buy the damn phone. You dont like it, tough, its your money, buy something else. It aint the end of the f*cking world. Get over it.

Sent from my Verizon Galaxy Note II

In a way, it's apples and oranges. SD Card expansion provides a great alternative to off-load large amounts of media, whereas internal storage is required to run apps. No SD card support means having to store all media on internal storage, so obviously having it does help to make a 16GB more manageable, but the inclusion of SD support doesn't factor in one way or the other on having sufficient space to run all of your apps, especially if you're into high def games.

This is actually specifically what folks are griping about...Google and the manufacturers and carriers go on about cloud storage, which is useless when it's not available, or having SD card support to compliment phones with less internal storage, yet apps can't be loaded to it. Sure, having access to both is great, and even a must-have feature for many, but because those options are not ubiquitous, always available, and/or fully functional for all types of storage needs, neither of those options will replace the need for larger internal drives.

It would be like going to the car dealership and complaining that the windows in your car won't go down, and having the salesman tell you that never need to roll the windows down because the car comes with an air conditioner.

 

[rushmore]

Actually, using some of the logic from others on these boards and especially this thread, I am just going to get the 16GB model. It should be lighter. If you fill up the 32GB model, it may become too heavy. 2500 music files would obviously weigh much, much more than 500 or so. And movies are made of video AND audio, so those would be twice as heavy. If you do the math, the 16GB model has 9GB of space, so it should be approximately 3.5x lighter when full of data than the 32GB. And since I keep my phone in my pocket, I won't need to buy a sturdier belt.

Hey, based on your logic you are either Samsung's spokesman, or the training director for Verizon CSRs

 

[decepticlone]

It would be like going to the car dealership and complaining that the windows in your car won't go down, and having the salesman tell you that never need to roll the windows down because the car comes with an air conditioner.

LOL! Perfect analogy. I don't EVER roll MY windows down, nor do 75% of our consumers. Why would YOU ever need to???

 

[Cigar-Junkie]

I was actually told by someone in a Sprint store that I could move apps to the SD card on the S4. I didn't really trust them specifically, because most of the time those aren't the most informed people around.

My big thing is I kind of want to use Google Music and pin a decent amount of my music. You don't have the option of where that stuff goes. It lives on the internal phone memory.

So it's not just games.

I don't see why people are so defensive against others wanting things that support different use cases than what they themselves have. Especially when Samsung announced the variety of memory configurations, and Sprint has in the past offered higher memory phones in the same product line.

If 16GB is fine for you, why act like people who want more are making a big deal out of nothing? I don't get it.

This has my interest. I don't pin a lot of music but but I do pin some for times that i am out of coverage or for plans that have bad or no internet. I just assumed that I could pin to my SD card but never really thought about it. I am going to have to opt for the 32GB model for sure now. Thanks

 

[dd_terry]

Started this petition yesterday to show Sprint how much interest there is for 32 and 64gb S4's.

If you want to see these higher capacity phones please sign the petition:

Petition Sprint should sell the Samsung Galaxy S4 32gb and 64gb versions

 

[roberts68]

I am very mad.
I am almost full already.
My music and photographs are on the sd card.
I heard the bbc is addressing the false advertising issue with the 16gb vs what we actually get.


Sent from my amazing Samsung Galaxy S4... there is none better!

 

[skiner5246]

Well I have to chime in. Everyone here has made some very valid points. On both sides. I bought a 16GB S4 on pre-order. So did a lot of people. Why? because its a hot phone, and Samsung and their supporting carriers know it. Fact is, I have to live with the device for the next 18-24 months. Now I have to ask myself the question. Will this be enough for my needs or not? I also have a 32 MB sd card installed. Again, I find myself rationalizing if this will work for me or not? Yeah, Samsung says you can expand the memory, however you can't put apps or games on it. Now I'm not a gamer, BUT I would like to have the option of placing games on it IF I CHOOSE TOO. Or, anything else I wanted to for fear of running out of space down the road. That's the game I'm playing now and I can't help but feeling like I got served in some small way. I'm a grown-a*s man and I take full responsibility for my actions. But I feel the right thing to do was offer the different versions of the phone when they initially launched. Let the consumers decide at the get go what would be the best solution for their individual needs. Not sending out 16 GB versions with 9 GB available and telling folks to get sd cards. That's called a cop-out folks! Plain and simple. Now I have an opportunity to get the 32 GB version in the next 24 hrs and now I'm really torn because its only available in black mist. Frost white ( the phone i currently own) is not available. This is going to sound petty but if i had wanted the Black Mist, i would have bought it ! So its my thought that they, (Samsung and the providers) should shoulder a little of the responsibility here. its 2013. 9 GB of internal memory IMO is slowly but surely not the norm anymore. Especially within this next contract period.
just my $.02.

 

[Wilbur]

Well I have to chime in. Everyone here has made some very valid points. On both sides. I bought a 16GB S4 on pre-order. So did a lot of people. Why? because its a hot phone, and Samsung and their supporting carriers know it. Fact is, I have to live with the device for the next 18-24 months. Now I have to ask myself the question. Will this be enough for my needs or not? I also have a 32 MB sd card installed. Again, I find myself rationalizing if this will work for me or not? Yeah, Samsung says you can expand the memory, however you can't put apps or games on it. Now I'm not a gamer, BUT I would like to have the option of placing games on it IF I CHOOSE TOO. Or, anything else I wanted to for fear of running out of space down the road. That's the game I'm playing now and I can't help but feeling like I got served in some small way. I'm a grown-a*s man and I take full responsibility for my actions. But I feel the right thing to do was offer the different versions of the phone when they initially launched. Let the consumers decide at the get go what would be the best solution for their individual needs. Not sending out 16 GB versions with 9 GB available and telling folks to get sd cards. That's called a cop-out folks! Plain and simple. Now I have an opportunity to get the 32 GB version in the next 24 hrs and now I'm really torn because its only available in black mist. Frost white ( the phone i currently own) is not available. This is going to sound petty but if i had wanted the Black Mist, i would have bought it ! So its my thought that they, (Samsung and the providers) should shoulder a little of the responsibility here. its 2013. 9 GB of internal memory IMO is slowly but surely not the norm anymore. Especially within this next contract period.
just my $.02.

Now you have me scared. What if Verizon offers their 32Gb model only in ... [gulp] ... white?? I want the black one !!

 

[roberts68]

I thought I was buying a 16gb phone, not a 9gb phone. I'm not a gamer, thus I am extremely disappointed in the lack of space on this phone.
I love this phone but the false advertising had to be addressed.

Sent from my amazing Samsung Galaxy S4... there is none better!

 

[paintdrinkingpete]

I thought I was buying a 16gb phone, not a 9gb phone. I'm not a gamer, thus I am extremely disappointed in the lack of space on this phone.
I love this phone but the false advertising had to be addressed.

Sent from my amazing Samsung Galaxy S4... there is none better!

but the thing is that's normal... if you buy a Windows (or Mac... or Linux...) computer, the advertised hard drive space never excludes the space for the OS. Heck, Windows 7, as good as it is, can consume 20+ GB of space. I'm not saying higher capacity isn't needed, but this isn't a new practice.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD

 

[eyecon82]

but the thing is that's normal... if you buy a Windows (or Mac... or Linux...) computer, the advertised hard drive space never excludes the space for the OS. Heck, Windows 7, as good as it is, can consume 20+ GB of space. I'm not saying higher capacity isn't needed, but this isn't a new practice.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD

It's the relative difference that matters.... Meaning the percentage, which equals to almost a 40% loss

I don't mind losing 6gb if I had a 32 or 64gb phone.

But on a 16gb phone, it is unacceptable

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Android Central Forums

 

[DARKNEZ777]

But the feature to move apps from the device to SD card has been removed in android 4.2, correct me if I'm wrong here. Maybe because Google is pushing us to use the cloud now. On my old htc sensation with ice cream sandwich I can move and install apps to the SD card easily and run them too.

 

[rushmore]

but the thing is that's normal... if you buy a Windows (or Mac... or Linux...) computer, the advertised hard drive space never excludes the space for the OS. Heck, Windows 7, as good as it is, can consume 20+ GB of space. I'm not saying higher capacity isn't needed, but this isn't a new practice.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD

The premise of that on its own is valid, but here is the rub, ticking people off far more than just the bubble of forums:

1. The trend over the last year is more data heavy apps and this is being driven by the advancing hardware
2. Carriers, content providers and Samsung are marketing a pushing the data heavy apps
3. They are also misinforming people they can put apps on sd cards
4. In spite of the lower storage and the issues noted above, only one carrier apparently on the planet so far is offering a 32gb option.

Not a good mix.