128 GB - Pixel Pro (System Files space)

[Billy_Koch]

So curious - when you receive your phone Pixel Pro 8 - how much space does the OS take up? Debating on whether to return my Pixel Pro back to AT&T tomorrow or hang on to it if it has sufficient space for me. Currently have a Samsung S23 Ultra 256 - but only using 82 GB - I pretty much upload my pictures/videos to Google Photos - have the 2 TB plan. Stream music - dont save them on my phone. Have maybe 2-3 games on my phone. So trying to figure if I have more than 50 gb available after System Files then I might be okay with 128. Otherwise I'll have to ship it back and have to re-order for the 256.

Long story short- Ordered my upgrade yesterday via ATT they asked if I wanted 256 or 128. I said 256 - then they said what color Bay or Black - I asked you have Bay in 256 - rep said yes. So went with Bay - (cuz it is a cool color) then I checked my email for my order - and I see it is a Bay 128! So if I want the 256 - I have to drop the 128 phone off to the ATT store - wait another 48 hours before ordering the other phone.

So debating on what I route I should go - what I am also trying to keep in mind - is the space required for the future OS upgrades from Google - and not sure how much space those take up.

 

[Ben_70]

System files on my 8 Pro are 14GB. Hope that helps.

 

[YankInDaSouth]

I always find 128GB to be more than enough for me ...

 

[SeeBeeEss]

System files on my 8 Pro are 15GB, however a number of apps, some of which can't be uninstalled, are also part of a new installation and the total is around 30GB.

 

[Billy_Koch]

System files on my 8 Pro are 15GB, however a number of apps, some of which can't be uninstalled, are also part of a new installation and the total is around 30GB.

So basically new phone clean id have roughly 90 gb. So guess with Samsung you have a bit more bloatware.

 

[B. Diddy]

Samsung will always have more bloatware, because they throw in a lot of the apps from their own ecosystem.

 

[SeeBeeEss]

So basically new phone clean id have roughly 90 gb. So guess with Samsung you have a bit more bloatware.

Samsung will always have more bloatware, because they throw in a lot of the apps from their own ecosystem.

Pixel's don't really have bloatware in the way many of us have come to think of bloatware. The apps taking up space in the Pixel include such things as Google Play Store, Google Photos, Chrome, Gmail, Phone, Messages, Pixel Launcher, etc. - all Google apps and no 3rd party apps.

 

[notforhire]

Samsung will always have more bloatware, because they throw in a lot of the apps from their own ecosystem.

if it's a preferable ecosystem, it's not "bloatware" yes?

 

[B. Diddy]

if it's a preferable ecosystem, it's not "bloatware" yes?

You're right, of course. There are plenty of people who would also call Google's apps bloatware (although I would argue that Android is a Google product, and therefore these apps could be reasonably considered central to Google's Android).

But a manufacturer including their own ecosystem in addition to the core Google apps will necessarily take up extra internal storage, which is why Samsung devices have historically always taken up more space for the system and core apps than Pixels and some other phones.

 

[Billy_Koch]

You're right, of course. There are plenty of people who would also call Google's apps bloatware (although I would argue that Android is a Google product, and therefore these apps could be reasonably considered central to Google's Android).

But a manufacturer including their own ecosystem in addition to the core Google apps will necessarily take up extra internal storage, which is why Samsung devices have historically always taken up more space for the system and core apps than Pixels and some other phones.

Agree with this assessment - like I have the Samsung messenging which I don't use and can't uninstall because I use Google Messaging. But because it's a Samsung product they slap it on there. And like you said Android is owned by Google so

 

[SeeBeeEss]

if it's a preferable ecosystem, it's not "bloatware" yes?

You're right, of course. There are plenty of people who would also call Google's apps bloatware (although I would argue that Android is a Google product, and therefore these apps could be reasonably considered central to Google's Android).

But a manufacturer including their own ecosystem in addition to the core Google apps will necessarily take up extra internal storage, which is why Samsung devices have historically always taken up more space for the system and core apps than Pixels and some other phones.

If it were just Samsung apps on top of Google apps that would be one thing, but Microsoft, Audible, Pandora, Facebook, LinkedIn, CNN, etc., etc., etc. is the icing on the bloatware cake.

 

[Laura Knotek]

If it were just Samsung apps on top of Google apps that would be one thing, but Microsoft, Audible, Pandora, Facebook, LinkedIn, CNN, etc., etc., etc. is the icing on the bloatware cake.

I don't have Audible, Pandora, Facebook, LinkedIn, or CNN on my S24 Ultra. They're not disabled but rather not ever installed.

 

[SeeBeeEss]

I don't have Audible, Pandora, Facebook, LinkedIn, or CNN on my S24 Ultra. They're not disabled but rather not ever installed.

Glad to hear it. I, for one, am looking forward to the day when companies no longer find it necessary/expedient to additionally monetize every single piece of tech (phones, laptops, desktops, TV's, TV sticks, e-readers, etc.) we buy with unnecessary add-ons that many/most consumers don't really need or want. I won't hold my breath, though.

It does appear that Samsung may be getting better regarding the amount/kind of bloatware they place on their phones and, who knows, maybe there is a difference in what they put on premium phones and budget phones, but there is still far too much online noise about, what some consider to be, their bloatware. From what I have read, it would also appear that there may be less bloatware on unlocked Samsung phones and that U.S. carriers may be responsible for some/many of the bloatware complaints.

And B. Diddy is right, there are people who consider some of the Google apps found on Google Pixel devices to be bloatware (I know I have tended to uninstall many of the apps that come with my new phones, including my Pixel's), so it certainly couldn't be said that Samsung is the only one that adds "stuff" to our devices that many/some consumers don't want or need.

 

[notforhire]

Glad to hear it. I, for one, am looking forward to the day when companies no longer find it necessary/expedient to additionally monetize every single piece of tech (phones, laptops, desktops, TV's, TV sticks, e-readers, etc.) we buy with unnecessary add-ons that many/most consumers don't really need or want. I won't hold my breath, though.

It does appear that Samsung may be getting better regarding the amount/kind of bloatware they place on their phones and, who knows, maybe there is a difference in what they put on premium phones and budget phones, but there is still far too much online noise about, what some consider to be, their bloatware. From what I have read, it would also appear that there may be less bloatware on unlocked Samsung phones and that U.S. carriers may be responsible for some/many of the bloatware complaints.

And B. Diddy is right, there are people who consider some of the Google apps found on Google Pixel devices to be bloatware (I know I have tended to uninstall many of the apps that come with my new phones, including my Pixel's), so it certainly couldn't be said that Samsung is the only one that adds "stuff" to our devices that many/some consumers don't want or need.

it seems an easy formulation to me.....if you use/want it, it's not bloat. if not, it is. there are a great many native apps on Samsung phones that you can uninstall. same goes for Google. I'm not familiar with other Androids and am certainly not fluent in iPhone. I'll say that MSFT is annoying the hell out of me with their frequent ads on my HP Envy, though I've been able to uninstall a huge number of bloat apps that came with my laptop.

 

[SeeBeeEss]

it seems an easy formulation to me.....if you use/want it, it's not bloat. if not, it is. there are a great many native apps on Samsung phones that you can uninstall. same goes for Google. I'm not familiar with other Androids and am certainly not fluent in iPhone. I'll say that MSFT is annoying the hell out of me with their frequent ads on my HP Envy, though I've been able to uninstall a huge number of bloat apps that came with my laptop.

Microsoft? Don't get me started! Wouldn't it be nice if tech companies respected the consumers of their products enough to let them decide for themselves what nonessential apps were needed on their devices (particularly those that come with a premium price tag)? Put on what is needed to make my device work and find a better and easier way for me to add all of the nonessential stuff I want and charge me accordingly. Who knows, there might even be a niche market for such a thing.

 

[Billy_Koch]

So decided to keep the Pixel - 128gb so got done moving everything over. And after all is said and done still got 95 gig available so perfect! So coming from Samsung S23 Ultra gotta say the UI is more pleasing with Pixel than Samsung. And as a guy who wears a Cochlear implant the sound quality is also better. The last Pixel I had was a 5 and loved it. And this one just tops out the 5 and Samsung Ultra 23.

 

[edubfromktown]

it seems an easy formulation to me.....if you use/want it, it's not bloat. if not, it is. there are a great many native apps on Samsung phones that you can uninstall. same goes for Google. I'm not familiar with other Androids and am certainly not fluent in iPhone. I'll say that MSFT is annoying the hell out of me with their frequent ads on my HP Envy, though I've been able to uninstall a huge number of bloat apps that came with my laptop.

OnePlus and Samsung phones have "dupeware" (that mimics Google apps, etc.) and bloatware. All of these bits can be disabled at the minimum and quite often removed as well.

I don't mind the extra effort required as both OSes have some unique customizstions/extras and potential advantages over "pure Android" Pixel imo

Nothing wrong with Pixel... just a little too barebones for me.