Why I think no removable batter/MicroSD is a good thing.

[Yathani]

Lets talk about the MicroSD first

Like everyone I love to have a phone with MicroSD feature. It makes it easier to swap between my phones as well as to transfer data to my PC. I myself won't mind spending lots of money on a fast microSD card but I have yet to find one that is both FAST and LARGE in capacity. On my Note 4, i'm using Sandisk Extreme and my fastest bench mark test was 70mb Read and 39 Write. Now these numbers are decent but In my opinion MicroSD cards are not keeping up with the speed of phones these days which is cause bottleneck issue and is one of the reasons behind all the lag that people complain about.

Now with the Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 2.0 which has 350Mb/s Read and 150Mb/s, you can rest assure it will not cause any lag from viewing pictures and videos as well as swapping from app to app. Not to mention you can always plug in your OTG cable with flash usb and do all your backups there titanium backup or simply copying your data there which is what i'm doing currently.


Samsung has ultra fast 128GB UFS 2.0 ready for smartphones


As for the Battery,

While having a removable battery is a plus, from my personal experience I have yet to use it when I want too. I have extra battery and charger for my Note 4 but i always find my self plugging it in rather than taking the cover off and restart my phone. Now with all the new features to charge wirelessily and fastcharge 2.0, I don't think anyone would have any issue. Iphone users as well as other brands from nexus 5,6 and htc didn't complain about their battery then why should we when are ahead of the game in many ways?

With all the features we are getting on the GS6, I think i can easily sacrifice on these too.

 

[UJ95x]

I agree. MicroSD cards are generally reliable, but are still far more likely to corrupt than internal storage. Now with the larger internal options I don't see a need for microSD. For most users, even 32GB is more than enough. Another thing about UFS is that it's going to help now that Lollipop has FDE by default. The Nexus 6 has appalling read/write speeds, which impact performance when doing things like installing or updating apps.

And for the battery, there is now quick charge and wireless charging. With a 14nm SoC, it should also be a big improvement over the S5. If you're still a heavy enough user that it's not enough for you, you can carry an external charger. They vary in size, but you can find a good capacity one that is no larger than the extra battery you'd be carrying with you.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 running SlimLP 5.0.2

 

[Rukbat]

1) A good card, used for long-term storage (SD cards aren't designed for constant write cycles, the way SSDs are) is fast enough. How fast do you want to load a picture or a document? (The read and write tests are burst speeds, not thruput.)

2) If you want to throw your phone out because it isn't worth wasting time selling it on Craig's List for $10 - with the original batteries still giving you almost new capacity - at the end of the month let the battery drop down to about 40%, then swap batteries. My spare phone, a Motorola V-551 (over 10 years old) is still running on the original pair of batteries I had when it was new. (Also, never discharge the battery past 40%. If you need more than that, swap in the spare. If you're going to be doing that, keep the spare fully charged. It'll probably lose 2% the first month if you store it fully charged, but if you swap every day because 1 battery isn't enough for your use, it won't lose enough to measure overnight. The fastest way to kill a battery? Use it until the phone tells you to charge it, which is usually around 5%-10%. Keep using it regularly down to when the phone shuts off and it won't last 6 months.)

Another consideration. If your battery starts getting hot - really, too-hot-to-hold hot - you can pull the cover off and flip the battery out. (And get upwind of it.) If the battery starts burning, you're out $15. If you can't remove the battery, you drop the phone on the ground and watch it turn into a little bonfire, and you're out ... well, whatever the retail price of the phone is.

And if the phone gets wet, immediately remove the battery. Kind of difficult to do with an M8 (which is great phone otherwise).

Unfortunately the industry is going in the direction of no cards and non-removable batteries. So my Note 3 better outlast me.

 

[SlappyMcgee]

I use the microSD in my S3 to store my music. It is currently sitting at 20GB of space used. To the OP, that does make sense in regards to system performance, not to mention the fact that if your SD does start to corrupt then the media scanner runs constantly using up battery.

 

[Jdroids]

I think this is trend for mainstream flagship phones that are not phablets today whether we like it or not. General buying public just wants slim design and simplicity. If Samsung remained on their traditional design with S6, the reaction across medias would be no different than S5 last year, heavily criticizing for not doing metal uni-body like Apple, HTC. They probably realized those of us wanting micro sd/removable battery are small minority and had to make this choice. But I hope they keep the Note design that way for those of us wanting every hardware feature.

 

[Carrtman]

All that benchmarks really are is a show off...I guess there will always be some people getting trapped into the latest and greatest PR speeches...

You've just provided a spec sheet with the internal storage speeds fine but a micro SD card is an external speed for sure it will be slower but the point of a microsd card is so simple:

- backup your important stuff
- easily switch phones
- use 1 card for more devices i.e my sd card is used on my tablet, computer so I'm having all my movies, music with me all the time
- it doesn't matter how much storage Samsung is providing and how fast it is 128, 256 will be full at some point...and then what ?
- if the micro SD card is full ---> buy another one problem solved.

As far as removable battery goes:

- I'm sure those stupid powerpacks are great when a phone call is coming in and the phone is still charging...instead of swapping out the old with a new battery and boom 100 %
- I couldn't care less what Iphone, HTC, Sony and Nexus users think if those phones would be of interest for me I would have purchased one but they are not, they are limited overpriced and lacking the stuff I'm expecting from a premium phone.
- quick charging is not the answer ...it's great that my Note 4 takes about 90 minutes to be fully charged but smartphones are meant for a mobile world and mobile means NO charger ..I have two spare batteries and I love it, no powerpasck, super ult ra charger or whatever will ever come close to that, period.

but like I've said if Samsung is only planning to ruin the S line go ahead at least keep the Note line, the premium AND functional one...to me turning a S line into an I-like device is a bad bad choice.

There's also a huge mis information on why the S 5 received such luckwarm reactions:
they didn't improve the resolution and then released a korean only version with everything the S5 should have been: QHD, SD 805. If Samsung really cares what Iverge and other "journalists" are thinking we would have never seen something like the Note series...S Active line

 

[anon8380037]

I agree about SD cards in general. Some people use them for the wrong reasons. They don't increase internal storage and are prone to all sorts of things, including straining the OS and battery (just my opinion with my experience).
Long term pc storage and an otg thumb drive when you really need it.

I wouldn't be surprised if Android 6.0 will not recognise an sd card at all.

I don't hold with the charge no lower than 40% thing. 50% to full is a half life cycle and that's great if you can stick to that.
With a sealed battery that is not going to happen for most people. I have abused my battery abysmally for 14 months, but am occasionally kind and it's fine, not new fine, but fine. (I've not had an sd card for about 6+ months btw).

The crux is, as put before, the quick salvageability (new word) of a wet device, a stuck device, and its long term capacity.
So Samsung joins most other OEMs and loses a major usp.

 

[anon(749368)]

I used to think that SD card is a must but after checking my usage, I believe that a 32 Gb phone would be enough for me. But the battery has to be removable; so many times I come home from work (where I can't plug in to charge all the time) and have to go out and I just swap batteries and I'm good to go. On a non removable battery, I would have to hug the wall for a hour or more before heading out or carry an bulky external battery pack with me. In conclusion dear Samsung, u will not get the s6 (or as I call it the 6s).
Now, for those who feel like reading a long post, let me tell you why I think this is a iphone copy: rounded edges, speaker grille, headphone jack placement, home button fingerprint scanner, glass back, Samsung pay, non removable battery, no SG card, storage sizes at 32,64,128 GB... Hats just off the top of my head, I'm sure there are more other similarities.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[anon8380037]

They want to convert iPhone 6 buyers at the expense of their loyal fans.
Big gamble but they might get away with it overall.

If not they may release an S7 or S6 Extra early.

 

[KJ78]

I used to think that SD card is a must but after checking my usage, I believe that a 32 Gb phone would be enough for me. But the battery has to be removable; so many times I come home from work (where I can't plug in to charge all the time) and have to go out and I just swap batteries and I'm good to go. On a non removable battery, I would have to hug the wall for a hour or more before heading out or carry an bulky external battery pack with me. In conclusion dear Samsung, u will not get the s6 (or as I call it the 6s).
Now, for those who feel like reading a long post, let me tell you why I think this is a iphone copy: rounded edges, speaker grille, headphone jack placement, home button fingerprint scanner, glass back, Samsung pay, non removable battery, no SG card, storage sizes at 32,64,128 GB... Hats just off the top of my head, I'm sure there are more other similarities.

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Bingo! As an auditor work all over the place and am often forced to work in rooms with little cell service and must be away from chargers. Sometimes I have to take public transportation which lacks charging capabilities. I need that extended battery to get me through the day and back home. I don't feel like sitting somewhere for 30+ minutes for my phone to charge just so I can go home.

Same thing for non-work. I don't like going into the city knowing my phone will be dead before the day is over and having to minimize it's use for peace of mind it will be available when I need it.

 

[GregMargie]

I still vote on the side of keeping removable battery! I really hope Samsung does not change this on the Note series! I want to have that choice! Most of the time I 'am' where I can charge my phone if need be, but there are often times I 'm not. I just don't see how a non-removable battery would be in favor in any way...... say you keep a phone for a long time and the phone is perfect but battery is old and tired, now you have to send the phone in for repair just for a new battery.

I actually do carry a portable Halo charger in my purse at all times and it transfers a charge to my phone pretty quick, but I can also use the phone while it is attached and charging.

 

[sqa4life]

it's Android, so, you can simply copy and paste all your personal data into your personal storage.
In addition, the Galaxy S6 models include two FREE years of 115GB Microsoft OneDrive storage.

 

[Cigar-Junkie]

I keep most of my files in the cloud and sync to it. Its been awhile since I physically moved a card. Same with batteries, I use to keep two and swap. Then I just wanted the ability to replace when it weakens due to age/charging cycles. I think (hope) the battery design has improved to where this is no longer necessary. I think I have reached a point that this is not a liability but an asset. Better speed, less lag, thinner phone with better battery life.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[anon8380037]

Anyone who "only" backs up to an sd card is asking for a ************************* load of trouble.

 

[Porkchopexpress1969]

I think the added value of adding memory cheap is a great idea. With kids , I take a ton of pictures and videos. Now you can record video in UHD, that is going to chow your internal memory up. Why not move it to high capacity SD card? I think the battery feature was for power users. SD slot is for a lot of everyday people that take a lot of video and pictures and listen to music. SD was a must for me to but a S6. Dont care if the SD card is slower or not.

 

[Bishop_99]

Non removable battery. Battery goes bad, you either have to take it in to get it replaced, try replacing it yourself or get a refurbished unit if the process is too difficult. Power outages do to storms. You could be with out power for a week or two with a weak tropical system. Those extra batteries will come in handy.

SD card. I store all my pics and videos into the Samsung EVO Class 10 64GB SD card on my Note 4, I leave the internal storage only for the apps. I back my important files into my computer and my most important files, I'll back them up into BD-R/DVD-R discs. The SD card is a great bonus to have. Record close to 30 minutes of 4K videos and you are already gonna use up close to 10GB, which won't leave you with much space on a 32GB model.

As for the read and write speeds, you're not doing anything on the phone that would require those speeds, or better said, makes a noticeable difference. Even that SD card on your chart, has write speeds of 40MBps, which translates to 320Mbps. 4K video recording, which is about the most demanding thing I can think of in the phone, records at 50Mbps. So that class 10 SD card with 40MBps write speed will easily handle the 4K recorded video at 50Mbps.

Having said all that, in the past, an active version of the Galaxy S4 was ok, but it made almost no sense with the Galaxy S5. With the Galaxy S6, this is the first time I feel there is a genuine need for a Galaxy S6 Active. Got the pretty phone out of the way, now they can bring one with a removable battery and an SD card slot. Plus a larger battery, at least closer to 2,800mAh. Just my opinion though, I'm completely happy with the Note 4, I just hope these changes don't make their way to the Note line.

 

[AndroidBlizzard]

Anyone who "only" backs up to an sd card is asking for a ************************* load of trouble.

Why is this? I am genuinely curious

 

[anon8380037]

Why is this? I am genuinely curious

Hello. I'm too sleepy to make a full list, but:
Drop your device in water,
Lose your device
sd card decides it doesn't want to be recognised anymore - that happens a lot!
breaks while moving to a pc reader
Needs to be taken out for device repair/any reason and disappears (these are tiny)

Anyone else got one?

 

[Jdroids]

Having said all that, in the past, an active version of the Galaxy S4 was ok, but it made almost no sense with the Galaxy S5. With the Galaxy S6, this is the first time I feel there is a genuine need for a Galaxy S6 Active. Got the pretty phone out of the way, now they can bring one with a removable battery and an SD card slot. Plus a larger battery, at least closer to 2,800mAh. Just my opinion though, I'm completely happy with the Note 4, I just hope these changes don't make their way to the Note line.

That's very interesting point. I wonder how market would react if they release S6 active with removable battery and micro SD sometime later in summer.

 

[delta7]

I don't think k removable battery and SD csrd are really needed, I had a m7 before I got my note 4 and it has 32gig space and I was fine with that. Honestly we have Dropbox Google Drive and so many online storage options. Also we can save to the phone so it's not crippled like a iphone.

I never experienced a bad battery yet so I don't think I'll need to change the battery. I'm cool with no removable battery nor SD csrd.

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