Because they charge more for their internal memory.
You are living with blinders on if you think there is no backlash happening. Try actually looking at what people are saying who not only have been loyal Note users but others as well.
Seriously. ...you think people aren't aware of the SD card? Your sadly mistaken.
http://www.sandisk.com/about-sandis...card-as-technology-marks-10-year-anniversary/
People are not going to get over having to pay more for less. As far as Samsung not investing in the SD card, they have been all along and still are, but can not compete against the likes of Scan Disk and the prices they sell for. The technology hasn't stopped, but growing
Here's something else since you think SD cards are dead...
http://www.em.avnet.com/en-us/desig...ture-Speed-and-Capacity-meet-Reliability.aspx
The SD card business is steadily moving forward and allowing the consumer resonably priced solutions that the oems like Samsung and Apple hate because it allows more storage for what they could even dream of charging for their "better " solution and this technology is pushing all kinds of phone technology forward.
Samsungs vision is to copy Apple's business model and become as profitable.There is nothing wrong with that, however the problem is that the majority of Android users demand choices and will reject those oems who don't listen to us. HTC is the latest victim of this, and Samsung will be as well in time. Why do you think that the Asian market has the capabilities to use a SD card? Funny that their core group still has the capabilities. ..why do you think that is. ......?
http://www.techradar.com/us/news/ph...e-dual-sim-note-5-takes-microsd-cards-1301923
Camera technology is not slowing down and the need for larger storage will become even greater in the near future. Samsung is trying to have the largest ROI by forcing higher priced internal memory. There is absolutely no other reason than this. Most all top tier phones have the capability of utilizing up to 2 TB right now why else would a company elect to gimp their phones? To blindly believe that they are doing this to push technology forward is a joke. Theyare loosing market share and even though they are making good money, they are still loosing money they could have been earning. Add their other looses and those yet to come from their legal troubles, it belies common sense to belive the rubbish you are saying.
There's a old saying we often used in the military back in the 70s went like this. ..don't pee down my back and say it's warm rain...meaning don't try to sell this nonsense to folks who know better. It doesn't work.
Cloud services works fine for some, but for the majority of the world it doesn't quite work out that way, and to propagate a need to use it like Samsung and Apple are doing is bs. Don't say that SD card technology is outdated because that is total fud,it's not outdated it's advancing and becoming greater than it has ever been.
Posted from my Samsung S6 Active