Phone storage, the number of gigabytes of internal storage keeps rising. With every new phone release, the entry point for memory storage increases dramatically. Why is this the case? What does this mean for you, and what benefits can you take advantage of? We’ve looked at the most frequently asked questions when it comes to phone storage to help make your decision easier. We’ll give clarity on what contributes to using up the most storage, so you have one less query when choosing your next smartphone.
How much storage do I need on my phone in 2021?
Every smartphone comes with a specific amount of internal storage. Storage is used to save photos, apps and backups of your device. As the years go on, the entry-point for internal storage rises. This year, devices will have one of the following internal storage options:
32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
The gigabytes are always on the rise because the operating system the device uses are always developing. If we take an iPhone for example with 64GB storage, the operating system (iOS) will use up to 10GB, leaving you with 54GB storage at your disposal. Take it a few years back, the iOS will have only used up to 4GB. The iPhone 8 starts at 64GB, so how much storage can you hold with this phone?
How much storage is 64GB?
Let’s put this into a volume that will matter to most users – the amount of media. Everyone takes photos on their device, so this feels like the most relatable comparison.
Every 1GB of storage space will hold approximately 200 images
This is a great way to measure usage on devices, as anyone can look into their photo album and check the numbers. Lets say the average user likes to photograph the important moments with their camera (the odd wedding, concert and so on). 10GB will store 1500-2000 images, giving the iPhone 8 64GB plenty more space for perhaps videos and other apps. It is worth mentioning that with the introduction of music streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music, songs don’t need to be saved to the phone memory. Nevertheless, if you want to store songs allowing you to listen any time or anywhere this will only use 1GB per 200 songs.
Is 256GB storage overkill for a phone?
It all depends on the user. If for example you’re a photographer and rely on taking numerous photos a day, it would be worth considering a 256GB iPhone. There’s certainly a correlation between memory size and high-spec devices. For example, the iPhone 12 Pro starts at 128GB and showcases a 12-megapixel camera with three lenses. To make full use of this device, the memory has to support the features.
To conclude
It is all relative to how you want to use the device and the extent that the device is used. There’s certainly a reason why iPhone has used 64GB as an entry point since 2017, which indicates that the average user feels comfortable with 64GB as the preferred memory. We’ve split the storage options into the type of user you may be, to make this decision easier.
Casual user – 16GB, 32GB
Average user – 64GB, 128GB
Fanatic user – 256GB , 512GB
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