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Proof that iOS lies to you about your capacity

G

gladoscc

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 13, 2011
297
47
16GB = 15.62GiB

iPhone software: 13.6 GiB

I'm getting 20% less than what I paid for.. why?

I KNOW THAT 1GB = 1000MB, 1GiB = 1024MB. iPhone software lists GiB, advertisements say GB. However, when GB is converted to GiB it doesn't add up
 
Last edited:
Sigh....


Hard drive manufacturers market drives in terms of decimal (base 10) capacity. In decimal notation, one megabyte (MB) is equal to 1,000,000 bytes, one gigabyte (GB) is equal to 1,000,000,000 bytes, and one terabyte (TB) is equal to 1,000,000,000,000 bytes.

Programs such as FDISK, system BIOS, Windows, and MacOS use the binary (base 2) numbering system. In the binary numbering system, one megabyte is equal to 1,048,576 bytes, one gigabyte is equal to 1,073,741,824 bytes, and one terabyte is equal to 1,099,511,627,776 bytes.

Simply put, decimal and binary translates to the same amount of storage capacity. Let's say you wanted to measure the distance from point A to point B. The distance from A to B is 1 kilometer or .621 miles. It is the same distance, but it is reported differently due to the measurement.
 
hexonxonx said:
Sigh....


Hard drive manufacturers market drives in terms of decimal (base 10) capacity. In decimal notation, one megabyte (MB) is equal to 1,000,000 bytes, one gigabyte (GB) is equal to 1,000,000,000 bytes, and one terabyte (TB) is equal to 1,000,000,000,000 bytes.

Programs such as FDISK, system BIOS, Windows, and MacOS use the binary (base 2) numbering system. In the binary numbering system, one megabyte is equal to 1,048,576 bytes, one gigabyte is equal to 1,073,741,824 bytes, and one terabyte is equal to 1,099,511,627,776 bytes.

Simply put, decimal and binary translates to the same amount of storage capacity. Let's say you wanted to measure the distance from point A to point B. The distance from A to B is 1 kilometer or .621 miles. It is the same distance, but it is reported differently due to the measurement.
Click to expand...

Admirable patience for explaining that.....AGAIN!
 
I think people need to learn to read...

The fact that the OP made up equations using both 1000 and 1024 shows they clearly understand the formatting thing (obvious from the use of both GB and GiB). The interpretation I have got is that they are wanting to know why the iPhone's software is reporting less space than what it SHOULD have, formatting or not.

hexonxonx said:
Sigh....
Click to expand...

verwon said:
Admirable patience for explaining that.....AGAIN!
Click to expand...
 
I think what the OP is talking about is the difference between marketing/sales numbering systems vs computer numbering systems.

Marketing will always say 1K = 1000 bytes
Computers will always say 1K = 1024 bytes

This merely allows them to market a product saying its larger than what it is, in terms of computer usage.

Yes, its sad that they feel the need to misinform. Yet, they all do it.
 
Does it really matter? Either way you will lose space for the software. Everyone should assume you dont actually get xxGB of actual usable space.
 
I understand where the OP is coming from. In a brain-lapse moment I didn't think about the fact that iOS would take up much more of my 16GB space than whatever is running on my iPod nano 16GB so when I transferred all of my songs over I was a bit surprised to see that I had much less "leftover" than on my iPod.

Simple mistake. Oh well, I'm getting a 32 gig whenever the next one comes out. I'm making due with a 16gig now though I wish I could include more songs on there as I only have a couple of albums from certain artists and find myself going on a "kick" and wanting to hear all albums from a specific artist!
 
You do know the operating system (iOS 5) needs to go somewhere. There is always reserve space plus the operating system included on the 16 GB drive. It usually takes up about 2.5 GB for both. If they had added a microSD card, beside the built in, then you would of got 16 GB (actually 15.6 GB) of real use.
 
iceterminal said:
I think what the OP is talking about is the difference between marketing/sales numbering systems vs computer numbering systems.

Marketing will always say 1K = 1000 bytes
Computers will always say 1K = 1024 bytes

This merely allows them to market a product saying its larger than what it is, in terms of computer usage.

Yes, its sad that they feel the need to misinform. Yet, they all do it.
Click to expand...

ummm....

1024 > 1000. So they're actually saying the product is smaller, not larger, than actual from what you're saying.

OP is saying there should be 15.62GB but is showing there is only 13.6. So it seems he's not accounting for formatting/OS.
 
hexonxonx said:
Sigh....


Hard drive manufacturers market drives in terms of decimal (base 10) capacity. In decimal notation, one megabyte (MB) is equal to 1,000,000 bytes, one gigabyte (GB) is equal to 1,000,000,000 bytes, and one terabyte (TB) is equal to 1,000,000,000,000 bytes.

Programs such as FDISK, system BIOS, Windows, and MacOS use the binary (base 2) numbering system. In the binary numbering system, one megabyte is equal to 1,048,576 bytes, one gigabyte is equal to 1,073,741,824 bytes, and one terabyte is equal to 1,099,511,627,776 bytes.

Simply put, decimal and binary translates to the same amount of storage capacity. Let's say you wanted to measure the distance from point A to point B. The distance from A to B is 1 kilometer or .621 miles. It is the same distance, but it is reported differently due to the measurement.
Click to expand...

While this is very true, the OP already did this math.

OP.... you must factor in the overhead costs from the OS on the phone. The OS itself takes up space.
 
aztooh said:
ummm....

1024 > 1000. So they're actually saying the product is smaller, not larger, than actual from what you're saying.

OP is saying there should be 15.62GB but is showing there is only 13.6. So it seems he's not accounting for formatting/OS.
Click to expand...

Marketing will still make it seem larger than it is. 16GB in base 10 will be less than 16GB when dividing by base 2. (i.e. 16GB base 10 = 16,000 MB base 10 and 15.625MB base 2).

You are dividing by the larger number, thus resulting in a smaller amount.

I am sure the OP isn't talking about the conversion though, but rather the fact that his formatted drive is reporting less than what was advertised. That is due to the formatting and O.S. being installed.
 
Do me a favor and check your PC's HD. Why don't you sue them as well? Actually, do me a favor and never post on here again. Thanks! :)
 
@ xdbuix yess This is why I wonder were the OP has been in the last 10-20 years? :confused:



@ gladoscc You purchased an iPhone at the right time, because the OS was a lot bigger at the original release. I'm the one that should be complaining because I bought a 1st gen iPod Touch and paid $10 for each upgrade. :(
 
Anytime you format a disk drive there will be space lost. It's not just apple products. This applies to SD, SSD, HDD... everything that is a medium will need to be formatted. Prior to installing the OS, you are already losing space from formatting.
 
I came in expecting a Siri rant. What a ripoff, I've never remotely accomplished what they do in the ads.
 
gladoscc said:
16GB = 15.62GiB

iPhone software: 13.6 GiB

I'm getting 20% less than what I paid for.. why?

I KNOW THAT 1GB = 1000MB, 1GiB = 1024MB. iPhone software lists GiB, advertisements say GB. However, when GB is converted to GiB it doesn't add up
Click to expand...

Not really because it has been explained, but if your logic was true it's actually .024%, not .20%.
 
SGMD1 said:
Don't forget the space taken up by the operating system
Click to expand...

Why not put that on a separate memory chip like Apple did in early MAc's (e.g., QuickDraw was ROM-based), leaving the user the full capacity that was specified in advertisements?
 
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