Apple's iPhone 5c boasts most available advertised memory, Samsung Galaxy S4 declared 'biggest memor
While many smartphones advertise 16 gigabytes of capacity, none of them actually offer that much storage to the end user. But both Apple's iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s offer among the most advertised space out of the box, while Samsung's Galaxy S4 comes in last place.
Among 16-gigabyte smartphones, Apple's iPhone 5c ranks first among available storage, with 12.6 gigabytes, or 79 percent of its advertised space, according to Which. Not far behind, in third place, is the flagship iPhone 5s, which ships with 12.2 gigabytes of capacity available, representing 76 percent of the advertised capacity.
Sandwiched in between those two is the second-place Google Nexus 5, sporting 12.28 gigabytes of space, reflecting 77 percent of its 16 gigabytes of storage.
Coming in dead last in the analysis conducted by Which is the Samsung Galaxy S4, which has just 54 percent, or 8.56 gigabytes, of its advertised space. It's speculated that this capacity is limited by the amount of customized software Samsung includes on the handset, including its Android skin "TouchWiz," and features such as eye tracking.
One benefit the Galaxy S4 has over Apple's iPhone lineup and even Google's Nexus handset is the inclusion of an available microSD card slot. Galaxy users can buy their own card and insert it into the handset, boosting available storage by up to 64 gigabytes, while iPhone and Nexus 5 owners must stick with their original built-in storage.
However, Google has taken steps with the Android operating system to restrict usage of external storage, likely in an effort to ensure handset performance is not slowed. As a result, Android applications cannot be installed to external storage, and any inserted memory card can only be used to host media files and documents.
That means Galaxy S4 owners are only left with 8.56 gigabytes to install applications -- more than 4 gigabytes less than are available out of the box on Apple's mid-range iPhone 5c.
The analysis isn't the first time Samsung has been called out for offering limited space, though it is one of the first tests to include Apple's latest iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c models. Last year, when Samsung was taken to task over Galaxy S4 storage, the company responded by advising users to buy a microSD card.
"For the Galaxy S4 16GB model," Samsung said in a statement, "approximately 6.85GB occupies [the] system part of internal memory, which is 1GB bigger than that of the Galaxy S3, in order to provide [a] high resolution display and more powerful features to our consumers."
Among 16-gigabyte smartphones, Apple's iPhone 5c ranks first among available storage, with 12.6 gigabytes, or 79 percent of its advertised space, according to Which. Not far behind, in third place, is the flagship iPhone 5s, which ships with 12.2 gigabytes of capacity available, representing 76 percent of the advertised capacity.
Sandwiched in between those two is the second-place Google Nexus 5, sporting 12.28 gigabytes of space, reflecting 77 percent of its 16 gigabytes of storage.
Coming in dead last in the analysis conducted by Which is the Samsung Galaxy S4, which has just 54 percent, or 8.56 gigabytes, of its advertised space. It's speculated that this capacity is limited by the amount of customized software Samsung includes on the handset, including its Android skin "TouchWiz," and features such as eye tracking.
One benefit the Galaxy S4 has over Apple's iPhone lineup and even Google's Nexus handset is the inclusion of an available microSD card slot. Galaxy users can buy their own card and insert it into the handset, boosting available storage by up to 64 gigabytes, while iPhone and Nexus 5 owners must stick with their original built-in storage.
However, Google has taken steps with the Android operating system to restrict usage of external storage, likely in an effort to ensure handset performance is not slowed. As a result, Android applications cannot be installed to external storage, and any inserted memory card can only be used to host media files and documents.
That means Galaxy S4 owners are only left with 8.56 gigabytes to install applications -- more than 4 gigabytes less than are available out of the box on Apple's mid-range iPhone 5c.
The analysis isn't the first time Samsung has been called out for offering limited space, though it is one of the first tests to include Apple's latest iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c models. Last year, when Samsung was taken to task over Galaxy S4 storage, the company responded by advising users to buy a microSD card.
"For the Galaxy S4 16GB model," Samsung said in a statement, "approximately 6.85GB occupies [the] system part of internal memory, which is 1GB bigger than that of the Galaxy S3, in order to provide [a] high resolution display and more powerful features to our consumers."
Comments
The only area in which Samsung performs better than the other android OEMs is marketing.
6.85 GB for a mobile OS? It's more than a full XP installation will all its crapwares.
"However, Google has taken steps with the Android operating system to restrict usage of external storage, likely in an effort to ensure handset performance is not slowed. As a result, Android applications cannot be installed to external storage, and any inserted memory card can only be used to host media files and documents."
This statement is a little bit silly because the reverse could be said about phones without external storage. Yes, they can load more applications but they are limited in their ability to hold media files and documents.
"However, Google has taken steps with the Android operating system to restrict usage of external storage, likely in an effort to ensure handset performance is not slowed. As a result, Android applications cannot be installed to external storage, and any inserted memory card can only be used to host media files and documents."
This statement is a little bit silly because the reverse could be said about phones without external storage. Yes, they can load more applications but they are limited in their ability to hold media files and documents.
And then there is cloud services and wifi connected storage solutions. Maybe not as neat as poping an SD card, but they too are aftermarket expansions available (and most cloud services have free basic plans) that only apply to media files and documents.
And then there is cloud services and wifi connected storage solutions. Maybe not as neat as poping an SD card, but they too are aftermarket expansions available (and most cloud services have free basic plans) that only apply to media files and documents.
With carrier's exorbitant rates for mobile IP communications here in Québec, I tend to limite my uses of cloud services for media consumption with my mobile devices on the road.
Absolutely 100% incorrect. Android recommends that Applications that perform services or background functions not be installed on SD because if the SD is unmounted or removed those objects will no longer be available, common sense. Other apps like large games etc can be installed on external storage as long as the developer has made the correct entry in the manifest file and the app has the correct permissions.
You should check out the wifi options. I saw an sd card streamer at Walmart the other day. You can stream content up to 8 hours, in the Himalayas if u want. $40 plus the sd card.
Memory = RAM
Storage = Drive space
The article wrongly uses these terms interchangeably, something I might expect my wife's Uncle Charlie to do, but not a tech site.
You should check out the wifi options. I saw an sd card streamer at Walmart the other day. You can stream content up to 8 hours, in the Himalayas if u want. $40 plus the sd card.
I use a lot the Wi-Fi at home, I stream my videos and music at home. But on the road, I need to keep my music and photos on the internal storage if I don't want have a few hundred dollars bills from my carrier.
With carrier's exorbitant rates for mobile IP communications here in Québec, I tend to limite my uses of cloud services for media consumption with my mobile devices on the road.
Then take advantage of Juil's other mentioned solution. Buy one of the many aftermarket Wifi enabled hardrive setups. That is 500GB to 1TB of media and document storage for access on the road without having to use mobile data.
The point is that there are many options for accessing media and documents for all mobile phones.
This statement is a little bit silly because the reverse could be said about phones without external storage. Yes, they can load more applications but they are limited in their ability to hold media files and documents.
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I am using a Seagate's Wireless Plus to store and offload video content while out and about - works well with our iPhones and iPads. There are a number of wifi drives out there (in many physical sizes), so tying up internal memory space isn't required.
It's time the manufacturers began placing the OS (and add-ons like bundled skins, mandatory software, etc.) on a separate chip, and leave the entire 16GB (or whatever is advertised) available for the user. And whichever maker does this first can brag that they're offering TRUE specs in their advertising.
Alas, they never did this in 25 years of microcomputer sales, so I doubt it will happen with smartphones.
... but it might.
http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/29/motorola-project-ara-modular-smartphone/
Memory = RAM
Storage = Drive space
The article wrongly uses these terms interchangeably, something I might expect my wife's Uncle Charlie to do, but not a tech site.
I'm not aware of any phones with a drive. Memory and Storage is the same in a phone, no?
Then take advantage of Juil's other mentioned solution. Buy one of the many aftermarket Wifi enabled hardrive setups. That is 500GB to 1TB of media and document storage for access on the road without having to use mobile data.
The point is that there are many options for accessing media and documents for all mobile phones.
I failed to understand how this could help me? I won't travel in public transit with a Wifi enable hard drive... I want to listen to my music and having enough space on my mobile device for taking photos and videos occasionally while I'm outside of my household.