Odds of increased onboard flash storage for iPhone 5S?

tuna said:

The market rate for high quality flash memory at retail is less than $100/128GB. Apple gets a much better deal than that. So charging, as they do now, an extra $100 for an extra 16GB or an extra $200 for an extra 48GB is pretty usurious.

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For one, I don't think you are comparing Apple to Apples here. The flash memory in the iPhone is top quality, in a very small area. It is much smaller than even an SSD. So that plays a big factor.

This is NOT to say that Apple couldn't afford more flash memory in their phones by any stretch of the word. The question is, do they need to. I don't know specific numbers, but I would say it's a safe bet that the 64GB iPhone is outsold many times by the 32gb and many times more by the 16GB individually. Of course, there are more factors than mere storage size (price to the customer probably being the biggest), but the poijt of the matter is, people are getting on with their 16GB, and especially 32GB just fine.

All that said, I just don't think there is really a market for the larger capacity devices. Not in the numbers Apple would need to sell to make it worthwhile to produce.

I hope so but I wouldn't hold my breath. My iPhones (4 and 5) always were 32GB models but with iTunes Match, I don't actually store my entire music collection on my iPhone. I would be just fine with the 16GB. I don't play games on my iDevices (anymore) and don't have an excessive number (like 200+) of apps installed. The trend is not increasing internal storage but leveraging the cloud. Even heavy/large apps like Adobe CS is going cloud-only.

tuna said:

When they went from the iPhone 3G to the 3GS, there was an increase in available storage from 8GB/16GB choices to 8/16/32GB choices, and when they went from the iPhone 4 to the 4S there was an increase from 8/16/32GB choices to 16/32/64GB choices. Do you think we will see another increase in available storage capacity this time around?

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While I'd love to a 128GB iPhone, it's unlikely this will happen until after the iPad gets the same storage upgrade. It's less expensive for Apple to incorporate larger storage capacities on the iPad first, due to its physical size (it's cheaper to add, say, 2 64GB Flash modules or even 4 32GB modules, than a single 128GB module).

On the other hand, you don't have the luxury of physical space on an iPhone, so they would need to cram denser, more expensive flash modules into the iPhone form factor to make it carry 128GB.

What we MIGHT see is a 128GB iPad 5, and then in 2014, a 128GB iPhone model.

OR, Apple might (unfortunately) decide that 64GB is enough for now, and people should leverage iCloud if they want more storage.

scaredpoet said:

While I'd love to a 128GB iPhone, it's unlikely this will happen until after the iPad gets the same storage upgrade. It's less expensive for Apple to incorporate larger storage capacities on the iPad first, due to its physical size (it's cheaper to add, say, 2 64GB Flash modules or even 4 32GB modules, than a single 128GB module).

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We already have a 128GB version of the iPad.

http://store.apple.com/us/buy/home/shop_ipad/family/ipad

SnowLeopard2008 said:

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Even heavy/large apps like Adobe CS is going cloud-only.

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Actually you still install the apps on your computer. There's cloud for photo storage. What Adobe did was go to a software rental model instead of selling you software.

Bear said:

Actually you still install the apps on your computer. There's cloud for photo storage. What Adobe did was go to a software rental model instead of selling you software.

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My previous statement was "leveraging the cloud". I simply meant the overall thinking is to move things into the cloud especially media like photos and music. So while apps probably won't go to the cloud, our media will. But I understand the confusion so hence my clarification.

tuna said:

Yeah I was about to post that. It was announced in January and released Feb 5 of this year. What's more, it follows the same $100 price difference as the rest of the flash storage upgrade slots.

I just hope that this bodes well for a 64GB iPhone 5S for $299. That's all I ask for.

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Well, they didn't decrease the MSRP of any of the previously existing models. They just added 128GB for an additional $100. If they follow that model, we will just see an iPhone 5 128GB for$499 on contract

lordofthereef said:

We already have a 128GB version of the iPad.

http://store.apple.com/us/buy/home/shop_ipad/family/ipad

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My bad, forgot about that.

Well, maybe the time is ripe for a 128GB iphone then.

tuna said:

Right. Cloud stuff isn't as applicable for mobile where service is spotty, your speeds are always throttled, and they are counting every bit of your usage. As the performance gap between ARM-based mobile devices and x86 based desktop devices gets smaller and smaller, mobile devices become more and more like full fledged computers, they will be more capable of doing taxing things like photo and video editing and displaying high resolution imagery, and they people who use those features will require more local storage.

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While I mostly agree, let's not forget as x86 and ARM gap closes, the land-based broadband and cellular gap closes as well. This view only accounts for changes in devices but as devices change, the network supporting them changes as well.

I do think it's about time for the prices for storage upgrades to come down. Even the iPod touch only costs $70 extra to go from 16 GB to 32 GB. If Apple can sell the storage upgrade for $70 on one product line I don't see why they can't do it for the iPhone too.

I hope so. I would love a 64 GB for the price of the current 32.

With Apple pushing their iCloud service, good luck getting them to increase storage on the 5S.

No chance. I mean they just took the camera out of the new iPod, and I would not expect them to give you a higher capacity phone for less.

tuna said:

When they went from the iPhone 3G to the 3GS, there was an increase in available storage from 8GB/16GB choices to 8/16/32GB choices, and when they went from the iPhone 4 to the 4S there was an increase from 8/16/32GB choices to 16/32/64GB choices. Do you think we will see another increase in available storage capacity this time around?

I really hope so. Between Apps, which get bigger and bigger every year, plus a little bit of songs/videos/photos, 32GB really isn't much space. I am constantly brushing up against that limit as I download app and app updates and take photos, even while only having a tiny fraction of my music collection on my phone.

I hated spending a marginal $100 just to upgrade from 16GB to 32GB but that was a complete necessity, and I would hate to spend another $100 to upgrade further to the 64GB, but that may be a necessity too when I am up for a subsidized upgrade with the iPhone 5S.

The market rate for high quality flash memory at retail is less than $100/128GB. Apple gets a much better deal than that. So charging, as they do now, an extra $100 for an extra 16GB or an extra $200 for an extra 48GB is pretty usurious.

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As to your question, Yes, I do...if not on the 5s, the 6...IMHO, without a doubt. I'm hoping its an option on the 5s myself. At this time and since the release of the 64GB model, it's always been the best option price wise per GB. As you've noticed, apps have gotten significantly bigger...1080p video eats storage much quicker than 480/720p...as do 8MP stills. A couple of movies, a few magazines (I've got rags that are 400mb + in Newsstand)... An iPhone 'user' will quickly gobble up 16 and/or 32GB. I've only purchased 64GB models since they've been on the market, both iPad and iPhones. I look forward to 128GB options on the iPhone and I think it would be a HUGE differentiation feature between iOS and Android offerings. I've also got a Samsung Galaxy Note....the original. I've had it for a year and I'm a real, true tech geek. In 14 months, I STILL can't figure out how to use my micro SD card for anything other than media...and even then I've had big challenges with video....music tends to work out OK, but IMO, the external, optional storage options so prevalent on Android phones is a complete sham. Can't load apps on them, access is significantly slower than the on board NAND storage...and with both my ICS and JB updates for some reason I've had to reformat my micro SD card.

Don't mistake pricing of SD and flash card memory for the inboard storage on actual hand sets, regardless of the manufacturer. If you're into photography (we shoot Canon's 5d2 & 3)...you know how spendy the more reliable and faster memory is in the CF card market. SD and USB flash storage isn't comparable. Especially in reliability

lordofthereef said:

....

All that said, I just don't think there is really a market for the larger capacity devices. Not in the numbers Apple would need to sell to make it worthwhile to produce.

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Lord, while I agree with your pricing assertions on memory, I completely disagree with your take on the consumer's 'need' for storage. The cloud isn't a viable alternative....yet. I think as well...never mind. You get the jist of my thoughts in my response to the OP, Tuna. iPad got it. I think the iPhone will receive the same option...and I believe the iPhone 5@16GB will be the 'new' $99 phone this fall...the 4s @ 8GB for a buck. Plenty of older folks that will never buy an app or download anything to their phones other than utilizing the stock Apple options (my mom and dad come to mind. I'm 42, they're in their early 60s and they don't need games, magazines or other space hogging software). While the 5s will start @ 32GB (again, a nice differentiator in the iOS Android comparison), typically the 'high end' of most Android handsets. 32GB--$199, 64 @ $299 and the 128 GB model @ $399 (subsidized of course)


J

akdj said:

Lord, while I agree with your pricing assertions on memory, I completely disagree with your take on the consumer's 'need' for storage. The cloud isn't a viable alternative....yet. I think as well...never mind. You get the jist of my thoughts in my response to the OP, Tuna. iPad got it. I think the iPhone will receive the same option...and I believe the iPhone 5@16GB will be the 'new' $99 phone this fall...the 4s @ 8GB for a buck. Plenty of older folks that will never buy an app or download anything to their phones other than utilizing the stock Apple options (my mom and dad come to mind. I'm 42, they're in their early 60s and they don't need games, magazines or other space hogging software). While the 5s will start @ 32GB (again, a nice differentiator in the iOS Android comparison), typically the 'high end' of most Android handsets. 32GB--$199, 64 @ $299 and the 128 GB model @ $399 (subsidized of course)


J

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I think you may have misunderstood me, slightly. I am not really advertising the cloud as a viable alternative for most. And Apple, especially as of late, seems to cater 100% to the majority. 64GB is a lot of storage to be carrying around. I am sure there are a handful of people that need more (and would probably even say that about a 128GB option), but the numbers are just not there.

Look at it a different way. Are Apple's sales hurting because they don;t offer a 128GB option? Are people going to another platform that would not have done if they were given a 128GB option. I think no, hence my reasoning why Apple really has no incentive.

All that said, I would love a 128GB option. When i travel, I tend to throw a bunch of movies and shows onto my device and away I go. It's like the plane cross country goes by in the blink of an eye that way.. So I have all the reason in the world to hope for a 128GB option, but I just don't think there are enough people with my (our) needs out there.

maybe apple should produce a premium line, 256gb storage, gold plated $5000 price tag

have a special division dedicated to the premium line doing high end and custom work for people who can afford it

32 is today what 16 was a couple years ago. They should ditch the 16 on the 5S model and leave 16 for the 4S

a big question is do the iPads have x2 64gb chips or is there any news of 128 single chips being produced with the iphone size requirements?

I'd really like a 128GB as i've maxed out 64GB. Games aren't 10mb anymore...(more like over 1GB) that plus a HD camera upgrade with the 5s which eats space and lots of music means that 64GB isn't a lot anymore.