Apple will double 'iPhone 7' minimum storage to 32GB - report

AppleInsider

After years of public outcry that 16 gigabytes of storage simply isn't enough, Apple's next-generation iPhone will reportedly ship with a minimum of 32 gigabytes of capacity for the entry-level model.

Source: Martin Hajek

Citing a source familiar with Apple's plans, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that the base model for Apple's anticipated "iPhone 7" will include 32 gigabytes of storage. That's twice the 16-gigabyte minimum that has remained in Apple's iPhone lineup for years.

The report didn't indicate what the rest of the product lineup might look like, though there have been rumors that Apple will offer a new high-end model with a whopping 256 gigabytes of storage. Currently, the flagship iPhone 6s maxes out at 128 gigabytes.

Apple's entry-level 16-gigabyte offering on the iPhone has been largely viewed as an upsell tactic, especially since Apple ditched the 32-gigabyte capacity starting with the iPhone 6 in 2014. That carried over to the iPhone 6s, allowing customers to quadruple their storage to 64 gigabytes for an additional $100.

A number of non-Apple smartphones now have 32 gigabytes by default, since memory has become cheaper and the size of apps, media, and operating systems has made 16 gigabytes increasingly impractical. This year's iPhone upgrade is also expected to have much improved cameras, while the continued availability of 4K video on the iPhone can also consume onboard storage quickly.

Apple is expected to unveil and ship its 2016 iPhone in September. It's expected to have a next-generation "A10" processor, and to ditch the legacy 3.5-millimeter headphone jack for the thinnest iPhone design ever.

customtb

Assuming that puts the 128 at a $100 upgrade? 256 for $200?

lord amhran

Only took them about four years to catch up. Nicely done.

radarthekat

It's all written down on a road map in the safe behind Tim Cook's desk, all according to design.  

This company knows what they are doing.  Wait until the pain is acute, then relieve it, just enough.  

And that philosophy, in every aspect of each Apple product, plays to Apple's environmental bent; provide as much computing capability as needed to deliver the features and user experience over a projected lifespan of each model, with a battery just big enough to give that 10-hours of use we've become accustomed to.  This minimizes material use while also minimizing energy required to daily recharge all those 100s of millions of iPhones and iPads.  In aggregate, that adds up, perhaps to a few less power plants needed in this world.

And it doesn't hurt to keep down the bill of materials costs, and give consumers incentive to upgrade, knowing their old phones won't soon, or ever, end up in a landfill, as they will first go on to a second and even third owner, and ultimately to land in the grip of LIAM, to be disassembled and recycled.

wood1208

Having efficient IOS, for most people's iphone usage, 16GB is fine but 32GB better.

slprescott

Interesting to see if some of us "up/down-grade":
  - Upgrade MODEL: 6s --> 7
  - Downgrade STORAGE:  64 --> 32

... to get the latest technology at a lower-than-normal incremental cost.

thewhitefalcon

wood1208 said:

Having efficient IOS, for most people's iphone usage, 16GB is fine but 32GB better.

It's really not. You lose 4GB off the top to formatting and the OS's needs. Factor in 4k video and high resolution photos, increasing app sizes...it gets tight quickly.

thewhitefalcon

slprescott said:

Interesting to see if some of us "up/down-grade":
  - Upgrade MODEL: 6s --> 7
  - Downgrade STORAGE:  64 --> 32

... to get the latest technology at a lower-than-normal incremental cost.

That's probably what I'd do. But, I only went with 64GB because I got $200 for a trade-in last time, so going to 64GB only cost me $99 up front.

16GB is a bit tight (I work with it on my iPad but I wish I had more), 32GB is manageable.

TurboPGT

thewhitefalcon said:

wood1208 said:

Having efficient IOS, for most people's iphone usage, 16GB is fine but 32GB better.

It's really not. You lose 4GB off the top to formatting and the OS's needs. Factor in 4k video and high resolution photos, increasing app sizes...it gets tight quickly.

Ok, but the fact is iOS has features today that actively optimize the local storage in favor of iCloud storage, so that a 16 GB phone can live the life of a phone with much more storage. One could accurately argue that 16 GB is MORE usable today than it was years ago.

Recently, the margins on 32 GB NAND flash came down enough so that Apple won't be giving up too much revenue by moving over to it...so now is the time.

indiekiduk

$100 cheaper will be the only reason to upgrade, they had to do it

rogifan_new

radarthekat said:

It's all written down on a road map in the safe behind Tim Cook's desk, all according to design.  

This company knows what they are doing.  Wait until the pain is acute, then relieve it, just enough.  

And that philosophy, in every aspect of each Apple product, plays to Apple's environmental bent; provide as much computing capability as needed to deliver the features and user experience over a projected lifespan of each model, with a battery just big enough to give that 10-hours of use we've become accustomed to.  This minimizes material use while also minimizing energy required to daily recharge all those 100s of millions of iPhones and iPads.  In aggregate, that adds up, perhaps to a few less power plants needed in this world.

And it doesn't hurt to keep down the bill of materials costs, and give consumers incentive to upgrade, knowing their old phones won't soon, or ever, end up in a landfill, as they will first go on to a second and even third owner, and ultimately to land in the grip of LIAM, to be disassembled and recycled.

You should work in Apple's PR department.  

radarthekat

rogifan_new said:

radarthekat said:

It's all written down on a road map in the safe behind Tim Cook's desk, all according to design.  

This company knows what they are doing.  Wait until the pain is acute, then relieve it, just enough.  

And that philosophy, in every aspect of each Apple product, plays to Apple's environmental bent; provide as much computing capability as needed to deliver the features and user experience over a projected lifespan of each model, with a battery just big enough to give that 10-hours of use we've become accustomed to.  This minimizes material use while also minimizing energy required to daily recharge all those 100s of millions of iPhones and iPads.  In aggregate, that adds up, perhaps to a few less power plants needed in this world.

And it doesn't hurt to keep down the bill of materials costs, and give consumers incentive to upgrade, knowing their old phones won't soon, or ever, end up in a landfill, as they will first go on to a second and even third owner, and ultimately to land in the grip of LIAM, to be disassembled and recycled.

You should work in Apple's PR department.  

Know your investments.  Know the way they do business, and management's motivations and philosophy.  Just that simple.

rogifan_new

TurboPGT said:

thewhitefalcon said:

It's really not. You lose 4GB off the top to formatting and the OS's needs. Factor in 4k video and high resolution photos, increasing app sizes...it gets tight quickly.

Ok, but the fact is iOS has features today that actively optimize the local storage in favor of iCloud storage, so that a 16 GB phone can live the life of a phone with much more storage. One could accurately argue that 16 GB is MORE usable today than it was years ago.

Recently, the margins on 32 GB NAND flash came down enough so that Apple won't be giving up too much revenue by moving over to it...so now is the time.

Forget about the best UX when there are margins to worry about! Glad to see Cook & Co. are focused on the important things. I was just with someone last night who couldn't take photos at the fireworks display because their phone was full (they have a 16GB model). Phones fill up fast (especially if people have Live Photos on and don't realize it - it's not that obvious). But hey if these rumors are true that's great for 64GB owners who will get another 64GB without having to spend more.  

Baldwyn

I'm surprised they didn't just tell people that if you need more than 16 Gb, you're using it wrong.

emoeller

wood1208 said:

Having efficient IOS, for most people's iphone usage, 16GB is fine but 32GB better.

Agree, I have many friends that don't need all of the extra space.  Most stick with the built in apps and with last year's reduced iOS size and iCloud syncing they are fine with 16Gb.  I have 128Gb as I travel internationally (limited  or nonexistent cell access) and so I keep large work files (including large AutoCad data sets which I view with Turboviewer and display for clients using Airplay) and movies - so yeah for me I like/need more storage.   

But the amount of ink spilled and whining about how 16Gb being insufficient because other phone makers have all moved to more storage is crazy.  The 16Gb iPhone option provides a nice entry level option for many folks that is totally useable.

anantksundaram

Good.

Now, give every device some reasonable amount of iCloud space (5GB? 10GB?) if you really want that service to take off in a meaningful way.

sflocal

Baldwyn said:

I'm surprised they didn't just tell people that if you need more than 16 Gb, you're using it wrong.

I'm surprised your parents gave you Internet access in your basement.  

TurboPGT

rogifan_new said:

TurboPGT said:

Ok, but the fact is iOS has features today that actively optimize the local storage in favor of iCloud storage, so that a 16 GB phone can live the life of a phone with much more storage. One could accurately argue that 16 GB is MORE usable today than it was years ago.

Recently, the margins on 32 GB NAND flash came down enough so that Apple won't be giving up too much revenue by moving over to it...so now is the time.

Forget about the best UX when there are margins to worry about! Glad to see Cook & Co. are focused on the important things. I was just with someone last night who couldn't take photos at the fireworks display because their phone was full (they have a 16GB model). Phones fill up fast (especially if people have Live Photos on and don't realize it - it's not that obvious). But hey if these rumors are true that's great for 64GB owners who will get another 64GB without having to spend more.  

Obviously the same thing can happen to anyone with any storage tier if they are not using iCloud Photo Library + Optimize iPhone Storage, which they should.

jkichline

anantksundaram said:

Good.

Now, give every device some reasonable amount of iCloud space (5GB? 10GB?) if you really want that service to take off in a meaningful way.

Every device gets 5 GB free and that doesn't include photos or music/video purchased from iTunes.

thewhitefalcon

emoeller said:

wood1208 said:

Having efficient IOS, for most people's iphone usage, 16GB is fine but 32GB better.

Agree, I have many friends that don't need all of the extra space.  Most stick with the built in apps and with last year's reduced iOS size and iCloud syncing they are fine with 16Gb.  I have 128Gb as I travel internationally (limited  or nonexistent cell access) and so I keep large work files (including large AutoCad data sets which I view with Turboviewer and display for clients using Airplay) and movies - so yeah for me I like/need more storage.   

But the amount of ink spilled and whining about how 16Gb being insufficient because other phone makers have all moved to more storage is crazy.  The 16Gb iPhone option provides a nice entry level option for many folks that is totally useable.

iOS 9 ended up being maybe 100MB smaller than iOS 8, which is not as big as was originally promised. It was the same with the promised battery life increase.

anantksundaram said:

Good.

Now, give every device some reasonable amount of iCloud space (5GB? 10GB?) if you really want that service to take off in a meaningful way.

I agree.

gregg thurman

slprescott said:

Interesting to see if some of us "up/down-grade":
  - Upgrade MODEL: 6s --> 7
  - Downgrade STORAGE:  64 --> 32

... to get the latest technology at a lower-than-normal incremental cost.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Apple introduced memory  at 32GB standard at $649, 64GB + $100, 256GB + $100.  The 256 GB model will have functionality not available on the lesser models (as they do now).  The iPhone SE will continue at 16GB standard.  My iPhone 4/5 had 32GB, but I never used the extra memory.  The extra memory is on my iPad.