For years, I watched friends and family play smartphone Tetris, rushing to delete apps or videos just to download a software update, or constantly asking me for help to free up storage space.I always smiled on the inside, never understanding the struggle, all thanks to my storage habits and plenty of space.But lately, all that digital hoarding is finally catching up with me, and I'm running out of phone space for the first time ever.
I even went searching and found a secret Samsung Galaxy setting that freed up 19GB, but that wasn't enough, nor is deleting a bunch of bloatware or unused apps.If it's happening to me, someone who's always been extremely vigilant only to download the apps I need, freeing up space all the time, practices good digital hygiene, and always deletes photos and videos as I take them that don't meet my standards, then surely I'm not alone.We've officially reached a tipping point, and the answer isn't paying for more cloud storage.
The MicroSD slot luxury we took for granted Expandable storage really needs to make a comeback I'm a long-time Samsung Galaxy phone user, and that's probably why I've never dealt with the common problem of running out of phone storage.See, for years, flagship Samsung phones came with a MicroSD slot for expandable storage.I always had at least a 256 or 512GB card in my phone.
I've been using an SD card on my Samsung phones for years.Switching from Galaxy S series to new Note models and back, even as the ridiculous 64GB base option disappeared and 128GB became the norm.Still, I always had additional storage for if I ever needed it.
Samsung ditched MicroSD slots starting with the Galaxy S21 series; no Google Pixel phone has ever had expandable storage, and obviously, the iPhone doesn't either.I bought the Galaxy S21 Ultra when it came out, chose the 512GB model, and that was more than enough for years on end.I actually kept that phone longer than any model before it.
Storage was never an issue.Related Why I finally made the "unnecessary" phone upgrade everyone told me to avoid You can never have too much storage.Posts By Ismar Hrnjicevic Unfortunately, we're at a time when phones are more expensive than ever, and storage prices are through the roof.
Who wants to spend over $1,300 on a phone to get more space? I currently have a 256GB Galaxy S25+, and it's out of space.I don't want to spend a ton on 512 or 1TB, but it looks like I'm going to have to.Big apps, triple cameras, endless content, and no SD slot The perfect storm When you think about how much phone storage you need, you probably picture all the files, photos, and videos you'll fill it with.
And while that's a concern, these days, the biggest culprit is apps.Before you snap a single photo or video, your phone is already using a ton of storage thanks to apps, and once you download several more over the next several months, you could easily pass 80–100 GB of space being used on apps alone.It's a huge problem.
Related The silent eater of Android storage isn’t your photos Mobile apps are bigger than you think.Posts 8 By Bertel King Combine the removal of expandable storage right as smartphone apps started to get huge and bloated with all the high-res photos and video, and it's a recipe for disaster.A carefully planned one to get everyone to buy cloud storage and give these companies more money every month.
Apps waste an insane amount of storage on our phones, but we an app for everything these days.I've tried deleting most of the apps I don't use very frequently, but I still have a ton taking up nearly 95GB of space on my phone.Yikes.
Are you in a similar boat? 256GB in flagship phones might not be enough It's time to bump up the base storage option again In 2024, we wrote an article arguing that it was time to abandon 128GB as a base option on smartphones, and I think we're almost there with 256GB smartphones.If you're buying the latest and greatest flagship phone, it should have at least 512GB.The apps demand it, those triple cameras with 100X zoom and 4K/8K video capture demand it, all these new AI goodies will use it, and you'll need it if you plan on keeping that phone for more than a year.
Don't get me wrong, I understand why smaller storage options exist, and millions of people are probably just fine with 256GB on a phone.That said, I do think those days are numbered, because apps, photos, videos, streaming services, offline downloads, AI, and everything we do daily aren't getting any smaller, easier, or taking up less space.Everything is getting bigger, and each time you get a new phone and use the data transfer feature to copy everything over, it compounds the issue.
Combine all that with no expandable storage, and we're all slowly inching towards running out of space, buying more cloud storage, or deleting memories and apps in the hopes of freeing up space.My next phone will be a 1TB model At the end of the day, it feels like a lose-lose situation.I manage and delete apps like a crazy person, delete bad photos as I take them to avoid filling my phone with blurry images or duplicates, and more to ensure my phone is clean, organized, and optimized.
But we're getting to a point where that's simply not enough.Sure, I could delete everything and keep photos and videos in the cloud, but then I'll just have to pay a higher monthly subscription.Instead, my next phone will be a 1TB model, and I'll kick this problem down the road for a few more years.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Brand Samsung SoC Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Get the new Galaxy S26 Ultra with AI smarts and an all-new privacy display.It's big, powerful, packed with AI, and you'll love the S-Pen stylus. $1300 at Samsung $1050 at Amazon Expand Collapse
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