Good article on why Samsung (and other companies) are getting rid of MicroSD Cards

[Aquila]

One positive impact of removing removable batteries (in addition to the obvious engineering improvements) is that not having that feature makes people less likely to deplete batteries to 0%. Now that we know that batteries should ideally remain above 40% (certainly above 20%) - quick charging technologies and the inability to let it die and hot swap should encourage healthier battery behaviors.

 

[f1nzup]

Re: Or they may find they made a mistake, and lose a market share.

The difference would be that with Coke, the public revolted and they lost SUBSTANTIAL market share. With the Note, very few people even know that it is different, let alone care. The .01% of Samsung users that are the NO SD AND/OR NO REMOVABLE BATTERY = NO BUY crowd aren't going to cause a market share change of any kind.

I'm pretty sure that LG is loving that .01% Samsung cast offs. I know in our family we went from four Samsungs to four LG G4's, and based on everyone around me that were getting new phones (this was over three different days) MANY other people were jumping on the LG band wagon as well. We will see if Samsung only loses .01% when it is all said and done, because I think Samsung has overplayed their cards.

 

[Ry]

Here in the US we have carriers that have systematically removed features and choices from their customers. Those of us that have been technophiles the longest remember there used to be FM chips in most phones, removable storage and replaceable batteries. There were even stylus pens in the phones, IR transceivers and full sized applications that didn't require cloud computing. We had unlimited plans on every carrier, our privacy was respected, our lives were not mined for data and ads did not exist on our phones.

I don't think carriers asked for SD card slots and user replaceable batteries to be removed as features. It actually gives them the ability to upsell on accessories.

FM, maybe. But AT&T is requesting all new Android devices have the FM radios enabled.

re: stylus, IR, and "full sized applications" - I think you're misunderstanding the transition from Windows Mobile to Android.

re: privacy, the spying probably existed prior it being "news" now.

re: ads - um. That's how Google works.

 

[wvtarheel]

One positive impact of removing removable batteries (in addition to the obvious engineering improvements) is that not having that feature makes people less likely to deplete batteries to 0%. Now that we know that batteries should ideally remain above 40% (certainly above 20%) - quick charging technologies and the inability to let it die and hot swap should encourage healthier battery behaviors.

Definitely. I have noted that a lot of the same people saying "what are you going to do when your internal battery loses its ability to hold a charge" are the same people who love to let their battery die totally and hot swap to 100%. I don't think its a coincidence.

Personally I carry a spare battery but its rare that I need to swap out. I'm hoping quick charge eliminates the need entirely.

 

[Aquila]

Definitely. I have noted that a lot of the same people saying "what are you going to do when your internal battery loses its ability to hold a charge" are the same people who love to let their battery die totally and hot swap to 100%. I don't think its a coincidence.

Personally I carry a spare battery but its rare that I need to swap out. I'm hoping quick charge eliminates the need entirely.

Between quick charge and wireless charging, it is definitely easier now than in prior eras.

 

[cybertec69]

what cracks me up is the iphone has never had SD card storage and nobody cares yet samsung moves in that direction and they aren't listening to the customers and on the losing side. I for one, don't really care, with SD cards comes another point of failure. yeah I may have more "local" storage but what happens when that SD card crashes? it happens.... also, people don't realize that you can't put a cheap SD card in a device and expect it to run smoothly that then gives the impression that there is something wrong with the phone when trying to access pictures from the SD card and it's taking longer than normal.

Samsung is not Apple, it never will be.

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[wvtarheel]

Between quick charge and wireless charging, it is definitely easier now than in prior eras.

Yeah. My current phone doesn't have wireless, but I've noticed wireless charging pads at several airports and in waiting areas at several businesses I frequent, built into the coffee tables. My local starbucks has them too. It isn't going to be too long before they are everywhere. If Apple adopts Qi or powermat or both, watch out.

 

[recDNA]

Wireless will be the new norm eventually... Wifi isn't hard to find now and in the future will be almost impossible not to find I believe

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S6!

That doesn't make it better. It may well be google screwing us by telling Sammy future updates will not support sd cards at all. That said, I'd rather see Sammy abandon Google entirely and create their own ecosystem with their own os that DOES support sd card.

 

[recDNA]

Re: Or they may find they made a mistake, and lose a market share.

I'm pretty sure that LG is loving that .01% Samsung cast offs. I know in our family we went from four Samsungs to four LG G4's, and based on everyone around me that were getting new phones (this was over three different days) MANY other people were jumping on the LG band wagon as well. We will see if Samsung only loses .01% when it is all said and done, because I think Samsung has overplayed their cards.

If LG put the buttons back where they belong I might try one.

 

[MDMcAtee]

If you need your SD card because you can't afford data charges and don't have wireless internet, then a flagship, top of the line smartphone is probably not where you need to invest your money. Wait three months to buy it, and use the money you save over that three months to buy a wifi router. Welcome to ten years ago.

This is exactly the point I was trying to make in my post before about people claiming they want "power user" features when they are stuck in the past, asking for the same features as the note 4 when the rest of the mobile universe (among top of the line phones anyway) is moving away from these outdated technologies. Get a wifi router, my grandma had one ten years ago, it might be time for you to get with the times instead of complaining that Samsung won't cater to your taste for outdated technology.

And you honestly think that " a home router" will satisfy a person's needs when they aren't at home?

Wake up and face reality.

Posted from my Samsung S6 Active

 

[Bobby_Phoenix]

Hate to break it to you but most of these old timers don't believe in the future lol they think SD cards and removable battery are the future. Nice read and I'm loving what Samsung has done to the note 5.

I don't think SD cards and removable batteries are the future, but I do think they are the present. Until you can buy a phone with built in storage of 168GB, and have a battery of 6400, for the same total cost of buying a phone now that can take an SD card, and have a removable battery to add an extended one, then I say don't remove either until that time comes. I currently have a Note 3 with those features. I paid $80.00 after I bought the phone for the SD card and Anker 6400 battery. I'd buy a Note 5 right now if those were features on it without having them removable, but for the price of the 32GB model since they don't have removable items. Small batteries are not good at all. Quick charge is good for in the house or office, but when you're out all day you can't get to a charger and wait for two hours for a charge. I'd much rather a huge battery I charger overnight, and never have to worry about during the day. As far storage I can get by with 64GB, but I'm not paying more just because they don't have an SD. If anything give me a trade in for my SD, and discount the phone to offset it.

 

[Carrtman]

Wireless will be the new norm eventually... Wifi isn't hard to find now and in the future will be almost impossible not to find I believe

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S6!

Again some people you know don't want to be online in order to watch videos or their music.

Yeah sure public WiFi lol one of easiest and dumbest ways to spy and deliver viruses, such crap will for sure be the new norm. Another downside of the Note line downgrade is that now all the s6 sheep's will recreate the same defense they have used since Samsung lost it with their top phones . Now is a huge chance for LG.

In regard to the snapdragon 820, it doesn't get released until 2016 so not sure what your point is. YOu might see it in the S7.

Thanks for accepting it

The sd 820 was officially released a few weeks ago so I'm sure it would have been available to companies earlier iean this monster will power VR - although I don't see the big deal with vr - with ease and will enable companies to finally bring 4k displays

 

[buttus]

If you need your SD card because you can't afford data charges and don't have wireless internet, then a flagship, top of the line smartphone is probably not where you need to invest your money. Wait three months to buy it, and use the money you save over that three months to buy a wifi router. Welcome to ten years ago.

It's not about affording data charges when you're on an airplane or cruise ship with either no or horribly slow (and yes, expensive) wifi available. It's for people that want to have 30-40 gigs of MP3's and 30-40+ gigs of movies available to them at any time and not have to rely on wifi.

 

[rushmore]

Why can't we all just get along? Drink beer and watch sports! For the younger posters, drink rootbeer and watch sports

 

[mavrrick]

Because to many people can't see past their own arse to understand others have valid differing use cases. But then again so much of society always believes that they are the only ones that matter and everyone else should just fall in line.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Ry]

That doesn't make it better. It may well be google screwing us by telling Sammy future updates will not support sd cards at all. That said, I'd rather see Sammy abandon Google entirely and create their own ecosystem with their own os that DOES support sd card.

Tizen.

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

 

[Ry]

Re: Or they may find they made a mistake, and lose a market share.

Coke change their formulas all the time. Not long ago a can of Coke was 220 calories. Now it's just 150 calories. The marketing mistake wasn't because the product was bad. They just chose to make that formula adjustment a way to sell more Coke. By letting their customers know about what changed, the customer rebelled. If they just had moved forward like they always do, the customer would have been none the wiser.

But while there will be some that don't buy the Note 5 because if what it lacks, there are people that will still buy the Note 5 because it's the Note 5.

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

 

[cybertec69]

Re: Or they may find they made a mistake, and lose a market share.

But while there will be some that don't buy the Note 5 because if what it lacks, there are people that will still buy the Note 5 because it's the Note 5.

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

And soon afterwards will look to dump it, but won't come here and admit it.

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[Ry]

Re: Or they may find they made a mistake, and lose a market share.

And soon afterwards will look to dump it, but won't come here and admit it.

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Throw the winning lottery numbers my way please.

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

 

[cybertec69]

Re: Or they may find they made a mistake, and lose a market share.

Throw the winning lottery numbers my way please.

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

Are you implying that I am Nostradamus

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