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Is 128GB Enough iPhone Storage?
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I guess I’m a little surprised anyone would defend 5GB so vociferously but I get your point.
I still find it to be my experience that 5GB is not practically enough for even light users. I clearly don’t understand key value storage in iCloud as well as you and you clearly use the provided features so that’s great.
Really my only point is that after more than a decade I really think it would be reasonable for them to bump up the storage floor slightly, if for no other reason than the storage of absolutely everything else has grown except that. Just seems incongruous at this point.
Problem with iCloud is it must have a wifi/cellular connection so if you are not in range of that or the signal is poor your screwed, you can't run apps from it which are growing in size daily, and constantly downloading and uploading especially over cellular is going to absolutely destroy the battery life as well as make the phone run warmer if it's uploading/downloading for a while.
128GB is just about ok for now for very basic use but Apple really needs to go 256GB as the base shortly. A 128GB phone once formatted is 119GB, then you take off another 11.63GB (my current 17.4.1 install size) and your already down to 107GB so that 128GB of storage is not going to last you long whatsoever, and I bet iOS 18 will be larger again.
If you want to record only 4K 60fps video at 440MB a minute then that's about 2hrs of video without any extra apps or photos taken and you also need a decent amount of storage left for OS updates. 128GB in 2024 is sod all and you cannot rely on iCloud, great for backups but it's not a storage solution.
Nobody’s talking about this….(I think)
I’ve been DuckDucking, Googling and Binging this for a little while now and can’t find the answer. How much usable/available storage is there on each storage tier (after the storage angels takes their cut and IOS? Sure, 256GB, BUT thats like 238GB in real life? IOS is 12-14GB?
SO that also means IOS takes relatively more space on a 128 device than a 256….
I’ve been DuckDucking, Googling and Binging this for a little while now and can’t find the answer. How much usable/available storage is there on each storage tier (after the storage angels takes their cut and IOS? Sure, 256GB, BUT thats like 238GB in real life? IOS is 12-14GB?
SO that also means IOS takes relatively more space on a 128 device than a 256….
There’s no real answer because iOS does a LOT of dynamic caching. It can and will use up tens of gigs of space with no way to figure out what it’s actually using that space for and no (simple) way to clear it out. “System Data” is what Apple calls it and the unpredictability of it is (in my opinion) a serious bug that Apple has never addressed. The system abuses its ability to use up storage space and (often) not give it back.
Clearly you didn't read anything of what I wrote. So I'm going to sum it up in one point: If it's bumped up to 64GB, you'd be paying much more for your iPhone and it'll still not be enough to enjoy photos+backup so there's no point, while 5GB circles enough features where users can enjoy without feeling the "tease" for those specific services and it wouldn't increase the prices of the iPhone by much.
Going to move on.
You’d have to look at each OS for specifics. But yes call it about 20% less than on the tin for OS storage and free space for updates alone on a 128.
Generally one wants to keep at least 10% free disk space for performance reasons but it’s clearly true that OS updates are proportionally more costly on smaller disks. And at the rate things are going, I agree 128 is not going to be a reasonable storage floor for any “performance smartphone” for much longer, if it even is now.
Yeah I think this thread has run its course because we clearly just disagree on the amount which is entirely debatable.
Well what do you expect, it's base storage. It'd be enough for casual users, but too small for any videos and photos enthusiasts.
If it's enough for many users, then there'd be no compelling reason to upgrade. By the time 256GB becomes the base model, the top end will already reach 2TB. A slow burn that will sting because people will always need more storage over time.
If it's enough for many users, then there'd be no compelling reason to upgrade. By the time 256GB becomes the base model, the top end will already reach 2TB. A slow burn that will sting because people will always need more storage over time.
No, it isn't enough. Many many many people run out of storage. On a device where you can't expand the storage, 128GB is a slap in the face to buyers. It is an insult in 2024, when expanding to 256 would probably cost Apple about $2.
It's base storage... on a very very premium device. It's a bit strange to excuse Apple by mentioning how it's "base storage", when the phone costs multiples of what cheaper phones with that much storage cost.
Apple is extremely stingy for a lot of things, for example for only £159 you can get a Moto g54 Smartphone with 8GB RAM, 6.5” 120HZ, 5G and 256GB onboard storage.
Want an iPhone with a 120HZ screen, 8GB RAM and 256GB storage then that will start at £1099 with the 15 Pro. Absolutely bloody insane for what are pretty basic specs in 2024.
Of course in performance and build quality they aren't in the same league, just going by basic specs here, but Apple needs to stop penny pinching and put decent specs into a premium smartphone. If other companies can do it drastically cheaper then Apple has no excuse other than pure greed.
Want an iPhone with a 120HZ screen, 8GB RAM and 256GB storage then that will start at £1099 with the 15 Pro. Absolutely bloody insane for what are pretty basic specs in 2024.
Of course in performance and build quality they aren't in the same league, just going by basic specs here, but Apple needs to stop penny pinching and put decent specs into a premium smartphone. If other companies can do it drastically cheaper then Apple has no excuse other than pure greed.
One suspects the usual Apple defenders will pop out of the woodwork to tell you that providing crappy base specs is how they keep prices so low 🤦♂️
Storage is not the only factor that goes into the price of a phone. Apple regular retail pricing for the 128GB iPhone 15 ($829) is fairly in-line with comparable quality devices like the 128GB Google Pixel 8 ($699) and 128GB Samsung Galaxy S24 ($799).
Depends on how much you use your phone and how long you keep it. I would say 256 is the safe bet. I’ve used 122 of my 256.
It’s just a running internet joke on how people passive aggressively answers emails to colleagues they think are wasting their time by say… not reading things properly so you then over explain to put them straight. 😎
Apple is in it for the money. Fair game. Our problem has been they were so far ahead of the game (ie Google) they could do shady shidd like that. Now the competition is more even, some I even say Google are ahead in same aspects. This will make it difficult for Apple to do stuff like this without being hurt on the bottom line.
Which is great for everyone! As prices of RAM and storage have crashed, Apple's entire pricing strategy has looked worse and worse. 1,000/2,000% markups on upgrades are perverse, and the base specs are pitiful for the device prices. As you say, Apple's hand will now only finally be forced because sales and their bottom line will be impacted otherwise.
I do understand why they want people to fill their devices up as that's one of the biggest drivers for people with older phones to buy a new phone. It's just a shabby way to treat customers, and is strongly anti-environment, despite Apple's repeated claims to the contrary.
When 16GB was the entry level for so many years, that was a problem because you could barely have any apps or photos.
Once 64GB became base, that was sufficient for "casual users." People without a bunch of apps, who don't really take photos or video. And those people probably had storage 1/2 empty.
If you're using a 128GB phone that's full, you're using your iPhone as your primary device. Personally, I don't. There's tons of online and offline backup I use when I take a bunch of photos. I also pay for iCloud so my 40k photos live up there. My videos go in offline storage (for raw footage) or Youtube (for complete).
Unless you're using your iPhone professionally as a video camera and need local storage while shooting, I don't see why you'd need more storage.
But maybe I'm just too Mac focused so I need shared online storage to cross between devices, and I'm paranoid of losing stuff on my phone if it's the only storage location.
Once 64GB became base, that was sufficient for "casual users." People without a bunch of apps, who don't really take photos or video. And those people probably had storage 1/2 empty.
If you're using a 128GB phone that's full, you're using your iPhone as your primary device. Personally, I don't. There's tons of online and offline backup I use when I take a bunch of photos. I also pay for iCloud so my 40k photos live up there. My videos go in offline storage (for raw footage) or Youtube (for complete).
Unless you're using your iPhone professionally as a video camera and need local storage while shooting, I don't see why you'd need more storage.
But maybe I'm just too Mac focused so I need shared online storage to cross between devices, and I'm paranoid of losing stuff on my phone if it's the only storage location.
You just answered your own question. Over time people’s usage expands to encompass whatever storage is available. At one point 16 gig seemed like “enough.” But of course it wasn’t. Same with 128 gig. Was it “enough” at some point? Sure. Is it still “enough” today? Arguably, no. 256 gig is closer to the reality of “enough” storage given the size of apps and files these days. But before you know it 256 gig will feel equally absurdly small as that original 16 gig eventually felt.
You're suggesting the average Joe should invest in cloud storage to save Apple the $2 necessary to double the storage from 128-256GB?
People get away with things for as long as other people let them get away with things.
Apple still makes the best device, but the distance to the next one is now measured in centimetres, not meters. But they are falling behind on SW and Android devices are now more capable. Which is why “distractions” such as gatekeeping, hindering usb-c, anti-competitive behaviour, exuberant storage prices are just wasting energy. Which good for us, because they can no longer be iterative. Their stock price won’t allow it.