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adamhenry

macrumors 68000
Jan 1, 2015
1,621
611
On the Beach
In my house, apps have a minor impact on storage. The girls have ULD and use spotify so pics and vids fill the bulk of their storage. I have limits on my data so music stored locally is my main use of storage. We use apps but they don't take up much space.
 

scaredpoet

macrumors 604
Apr 6, 2007
6,627
342
It demonstrates the lack of respect Apple has for its consumers and at the same time illustrates how much they love money.


You're half-right: This is about money. This is part of a formula that boils down to two things: How much it costs to source 16GB storage chips, and how many people are willing to buy the 16GB model.

With that in mind, Apple will keep selling 16GB iPhones until one of two things happen: it becomes too hard or expensive to get storage chips that low, or not enough people are willing to buy 16GB iPhones anymore.

This isn't the only place Apple has done this. The same calculus took place with the iPod Classic. And it's why, for now, Apple still makes a non-retina MacBook Pro with an optical drive.

Bottom line: Yes, Apple loves money. All businesses do. Apple is not a charity.

So what's the quickest way to get Apple to stop selling 16GB iPhones? Don't buy any.

Everyone thinking of buying an iPhone has to make a decision: if storage AND being in the Apple ecosystem are that important to you, then you need to buy up. If not, then you have to choose: make do with 16GB because using an Apple product is that important to you, or go to a different platform to get the storage you need.

It might not be the answer you want to hear, but it is what it is. We can complain about it all we like, but as long as they keep getting bought, Apple will keep making them that way.
 

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,458
You're half-right: This is about money. This is part of a formula that boils down to two things: How much it costs to source 16GB storage chips, and how many people are willing to buy the 16GB model.

With that in mind, Apple will keep selling 16GB iPhones until one of two things happen: it becomes too hard or expensive to get storage chips that low, or not enough people are willing to buy 16GB iPhones anymore.

This isn't the only place Apple has done this. The same calculus took place with the iPod Classic. And it's why, for now, Apple still makes a non-retina MacBook Pro with an optical drive.

Bottom line: Yes, Apple loves money. All businesses do. Apple is not a charity.

So what's the quickest way to get Apple to stop selling 16GB iPhones? Don't buy any.

Everyone thinking of buying an iPhone has to make a decision: if storage AND being in the Apple ecosystem are that important to you, then you need to buy up. If not, then you have to choose: make do with 16GB because using an Apple product is that important to you, or go to a different platform to get the storage you need.

It might not be the answer you want to hear, but it is what it is. We can complain about it all we like, but as long as they keep getting bought, Apple will keep making them that way.
There's likely more than just those factors to it. Apple likely could have kept on selling devices without bumps in RAM for even longer than they did yet they bump them up nonetheless (even if somewhat later than earlier in at least the recent case).

As for not buying any, the issue there is that the number doesn't matter it's just that the cheapest model will generally be the one that more people can and often enough will go for practically no matter what it is.
 

profets

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2009
5,115
6,146
I myself think that 16GB is a terrible option, for nearly anyone right now.

I know 64 and 128 are available, and I always advise anyone that asks me to choose at least 64. But so many people will choose the least expensive option and end up with 16GB - but let's be honest, you actually get 12GB of useable space on that model. I've seen, so often, that people run out of storage and truly don't understand what to do. And they're not heavy users, they have a handful of apps and have hit the storage limit usually by taking photos and video. They're always genuinely frustrated, especially when I suggest to start using iCloud Photo Library (which includes paying for extra storage).

I get it, I've heard the argument over and over that plenty of people use 16GB devices and it's more than enough storage, or that there are many reasons for devices not to need more than 16GB. The problem is, too many non-technical people are purchasing 16GB that truly need more storage. I guess you could argue that there's a bit of education needed when these purchases occur. But at the end of the day, these are a lot of customers who have a poor experience, and I feel that Apple of all companies would put customer experience ahead of profit margin.
 

Applefan4

macrumors 6502a
May 6, 2013
541
511
There's likely more than just those factors to it. ,Apple likely could have kept on selling devices without bumps in RAM for even longer than they did yet they bump them up nonetheless (even if somewhat later than earlier in at least the recent case).

No they couldn't - the 6+ was almost unusable because of insufficient RAM.
 
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woodekm

macrumors 65816
Feb 24, 2008
1,066
24
Apple should offer a 32g for $20 less than the 64g and see what happens.
 

Qbnkelt

macrumors 65816
Oct 15, 2015
1,058
994
Mid-Atlantic
I would not possibly make do with 32GB nor 16GB. So I'm happy I had the option of starting at 64GB as the most viable option. Which is why I bought my iPhone. If it didn't give me what I wanted I would have gone elsewhere.
That's always an option.
 

Vicrooloo

macrumors regular
Dec 8, 2015
198
87
Yeah, try streaming all your music from the cloud and see how fast you run through your data. Not to mention how crappy that connection is off WiFi.

I already do and its working fine. I used to blow 40 gigs of data on Android but since moving to iPhone I barely break 5 gigs. Yea, I get that is just me. But people are going to best use what they have. Don't have a lot of data to spend? They'll pay for additional storage and work around it. Have the data? They'll use cloud services more.

You don't need to point out to me whats wrong with using more cloud services. Like a lot of things in life, there's more than one way to go about things and I was just merely offering one way that wasn't previously mentioned in the thread.
 

techiebug

macrumors 6502a
Oct 20, 2013
730
259
At some point I believe they will offer a base 32gb. However, just like how they do with the ipad pro, the next option would be 128gb.
 

Skika

macrumors 68030
Mar 11, 2009
2,999
1,246
You're half-right: This is about money. This is part of a formula that boils down to two things: How much it costs to source 16GB storage chips, and how many people are willing to buy the 16GB model.

With that in mind, Apple will keep selling 16GB iPhones until one of two things happen: it becomes too hard or expensive to get storage chips that low, or not enough people are willing to buy 16GB iPhones anymore.

This isn't the only place Apple has done this. The same calculus took place with the iPod Classic. And it's why, for now, Apple still makes a non-retina MacBook Pro with an optical drive.

Bottom line: Yes, Apple loves money. All businesses do. Apple is not a charity.

So what's the quickest way to get Apple to stop selling 16GB iPhones? Don't buy any.

Everyone thinking of buying an iPhone has to make a decision: if storage AND being in the Apple ecosystem are that important to you, then you need to buy up. If not, then you have to choose: make do with 16GB because using an Apple product is that important to you, or go to a different platform to get the storage you need.

It might not be the answer you want to hear, but it is what it is. We can complain about it all we like, but as long as they keep getting bought, Apple will keep making them that way.

I think you are wrong. If more people continue to go for the 64gb instead of 16gb that just means the upselling plan works and there is no reason to change it.
 

sanke1

macrumors 65816
Nov 9, 2010
1,067
436
I bet they will start offering iPhones in 32/128/256 configuration as early as this or by end of next year.

It all has to do with overall increase in bloat. Be that increase in various app sizes, or pics, 60fps 4K video sizes or even the bloated size of iOS itself. Once all that increases in proportion, Apple will bump up to 32 GB base model.

But by then, 32 GB will be the new 16 GB. So we will still be stuck in the same situation like today.
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,240
23,975
Gotta be in it to win it
I bet they will start offering iPhones in 32/128/256 configuration as early as this or by end of next year.

It all has to do with overall increase in bloat. Be that increase in various app sizes, or pics, 60fps 4K video sizes or even the bloated size of iOS itself. Once all that increases in proportion, Apple will bump up to 32 GB base model.

But by then, 32 GB will be the new 16 GB. So we will still be stuck in the same situation like today.
You want 4K and more mega-pixels and you call the support of those features bloat? Interesting how you believe hardware support comes with 0 bytes of coding in the o/s.
[doublepost=1454416736][/doublepost]
I think you are wrong. If more people continue to go for the 64gb instead of 16gb that just means the upselling plan works and there is no reason to change it.
Is this why auto makers offer 4 and 6 cylinder models?
 

tom504

macrumors regular
Oct 17, 2009
154
54
16gb is terrible, I got a Tmobile Ipad Air 2 with 16gb since it had just came out and that's all they had and regret it all the time. Office alone takes up like 1gb. I have to sacrifice the apps I want on it to save space.
 

FSMBP

macrumors 68030
Jan 22, 2009
2,712
2,633
Said it before and will say it again....16gb is plenty for a lot if not the majority of users who wont post on forums like this. They get a new phone on upgrade via their mobile contract every 12/24 months and the 16gb is a good entry point for these folk who just want an iphone. They will use it to message, odd phone call, email, some selfies, some social media and browing the net...they dont need a load of space to have massive apps, 4k videos, loads of music. Plenty of folk have used the 8gb versions of iPhones without many issues in the past as well.

Also as mentioned the 64gb sits at the same price point i believe as the old 32gb so folk are getting double the space for the same price. No need to ditch the 16gb phone as its used by lots of folk all over the place with no issues.

Where's your source for this? I find it hard to believe that when Apple made 16GB standard for iPhone (in 2009), that 7 years later (with 4K video, 1080p video with 60fsp, 12 MP images, Live Photos, Retina Apps) that 16GB is still plenty.

It's like saying 'people don't fully use LTE speeds, 3G is plenty". Yeah, it may be plenty for a few but times have changed with high quality music, HD video etc...The very idea that people defend this bizarre.
 

bransoj

macrumors 68000
Jul 31, 2013
1,541
725
Where's your source for this? I find it hard to believe that when Apple made 16GB standard for iPhone (in 2009), that 7 years later (with 4K video, 1080p video with 60fsp, 12 MP images, Live Photos, Retina Apps) that 16GB is still plenty.

It's like saying 'people don't fully use LTE speeds, 3G is plenty". Yeah, it may be plenty for a few but times have changed with high quality music, HD video etc...The very idea that people defend this bizarre.
Where's the proof to back up the claims that loads of folk are struggling and its a disgrace that folk are made to struggle with 16gb. I've known plenty of folk that have had 8gb or 16gb phones and dont have issues as they are downloading huge game apps or filling it with video and music. For every self proclaimed "Power User" on here there will be loads of folk who dont really care enough outside of messaging, odd photo and some social networking apps!

For example my other half coped with her 8gb 4s and now has plenty of space on her 16gb 5s even taking loads of photos.
 
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FSMBP

macrumors 68030
Jan 22, 2009
2,712
2,633
Where's the proof to back up the claims that loads of folk are struggling and its a disgrace that folk are made to struggle with 16gb. I've known plenty of folk that have had 8gb or 16gb phones and dont have issues as they are downloading huge game apps or filling it with video and music. For every self proclaimed "Power User" on here there will be loads of folk who dont really care enough outside of messaging, odd photo and some social networking apps!

For example my other half coped with her 8gb 4s and now has plenty of space on her 16gb 5s even taking loads of photos.

No proof...my point was Apple deemed 16GB acceptable in 2009. With everything that changed HD video, 240fps, 4K video, Live Photos on my default, retina assets, it's backwards to say 16GB would still be acceptable.

My own proof is that more than 4 of my non-tech friends asked me how to update to iOS 8 in 2014 because they got a "not enough storage space for an update". I said to use iTunes and they got more confused.
[doublepost=1454530501][/doublepost]
Understand that Apple, a business, makes more money with 16GB at $650 and some people here are investors. Doesn't seem bizarre now does it.

True but Apple's core competency is/was user-experience. Apple deemed 16GB acceptable in 2009. With everything that changed HD video, 240fps, 4K video, Live Photos on my default, retina assets, it's backwards to say 16GB would still be acceptable.

This is Tim Cook's Apple so I know it's investor focused and not customer-centric.
 

super michael

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 1, 2011
190
10
There was a time Steve Jobs said that 4 inch phone was the perfect size and anything bigger was ridiculous, look at i phone 6 and 6 plus.

Time changes what may have been good in the past may not be good enough anymore, i am not saying 4 inch is useless.

16GB may have been perfect in the past, but now it be more restricted.
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,240
23,975
Gotta be in it to win it
No proof...my point was Apple deemed 16GB acceptable in 2009. With everything that changed HD video, 240fps, 4K video, Live Photos on my default, retina assets, it's backwards to say 16GB would still be acceptable.

My own proof is that more than 4 of my non-tech friends asked me how to update to iOS 8 in 2014 because they got a "not enough storage space for an update". I said to use iTunes and they got more confused.
[doublepost=1454530501][/doublepost]

True but Apple's core competency is/was user-experience. Apple deemed 16GB acceptable in 2009. With everything that changed HD video, 240fps, 4K video, Live Photos on my default, retina assets, it's backwards to say 16GB would still be acceptable.

This is Tim Cook's Apple so I know it's investor focused and not customer-centric.
When customer focus is lost one knows it. Given the recent quarter it does not appear customer focus was lost.
 

avanpelt

macrumors 68030
Jun 2, 2010
2,956
3,877
I have a theory that the rumored new 4" iPhone "5se" will come in 32 GB and fill the gap in capacity that currently exists between 16 GB and 64 GB.

According to my theory, the iPhone 5se will likely have 32 GB capacity, 1 GB of RAM, and an A8 processor and will cost around $500. If the customer wants a larger screen, they can go with the 6S and get a 4.7" screen, 2 GB of RAM and an A9 processor but it will cost $650 for the 16 GB model as it does today.

My rationale behind this theory is based on how MacBook Pro pricing works:

For $1799, you get a 13" screen, i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD
For $1999, you get a 15" screen, i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 256 GB SSD

Just a theory; but I think perhaps Apple planned to have the "5se" fill the capacity gap between 16 GB and 64 GB all along.
 
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