Is extra storage worth it on a new smartphone?

[pg13geek]

I am looking into purchasing a new phone and I wonder since most data is stored in the cloud- is getting extra on board storage worth it?

 

[srkmagnus]

I am looking into purchasing a new phone and I wonder since most data is stored in the cloud- is getting extra on board storage worth it?

It really depends on your preferences and what type of data plan you have with the network provider. For example, some people may be limited on data and rely on internal storage to keep music (to not stream), photos (to now download), and downloads instead of having to access the web. Are there certain phones you are looking at? Also, what phone do you currently have?

 

[pg13geek]

It really depends on your preferences and what type of data plan you have with the network provider. For example, some people may be limited on data and rely on internal storage to keep music (to not stream), photos (to now download), and downloads instead of having to access the web. Are there certain phones you are looking at? Also, what phone do you currently have?

I have a Moto X now that seems to be having battery issues. Its a 32GB. I'm looking to replace it with either a Nexus 6 or the 2014 Moto X. I have about 4GB free on my current phone and I have a 10GB data share plan. I've been moving a lot of my data to the cloud. I'm trying to 'future proof' the device a little so I can keep it for a while. I'm just wondering if the storage demands of apps are susceptible to bloat over time.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[srkmagnus]

I have a Moto X now that seems to be having battery issues. Its a 32GB. I'm looking to replace it with either a Nexus 6 or the 2014 Moto X. I have about 4GB free on my current phone and I have a 10GB data share plan. I've been moving a lot of my data to the cloud. I'm trying to 'future proof' the device a little so I can keep it for a while. I'm just wondering if the storage demands of apps are susceptible to bloat over time.

Posted via the Android Central App

Got it. I'd say you'll be good with a 32GB model or above. Anything less may suffice; however, it would not provide the future proof you may be looking for.

 

[Rukbat]

I'm just wondering if the storage demands of apps are susceptible to bloat over time.

The more space there is, the less incentive developers will have to cut code down to the bare minimum. ("Developing" an app by dragging controls to a form is a terrible waste of storage space.) Some people don't believe that in the 70s, there was an accounting program that ran, along with the operating system, in 62KB of RAM. (The top 2KB were the memory-mapped screen.) In BASIC, we used to use single characters for variable names, because they were stored as written, so "T" would take less space than "Total". Even line numbers started at 0 and incremented by 1, because they were stored in as many characters as it took.

We're going to see 64 bit phones soon, and that means 4GB or more of RAM, which means larger apps, which means more space to store them. If you really want to future-proof the phone, buy something that will last you until Project Ara finally comes out with phones. Then, when the storage in your phone gets to be too small, you can sell the 128GB module and buy a 512GB module. Need more RAM? Sell the 6GB module and buy a 16GB module. A phone like that should be good until phones become implantable devices.

 

[cardboard60]

I would make a bet, in the future. The cloud storage starts to charge you for the storage.