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It's 2015, they just added 4K recording and a higher megapixel camera and the base model is STILL 16GB? Is this a joke? I just can't understand that at all. Tha

It's 2015, they just added 4K recording and a higher megapixel camera and the base model is STILL 16GB? Is this a joke? I just can't understand that at all. That space is going to get used up so fast. Android manufacturers have the same issue so it's not like it's an Apple only problem. The minimum at this point should be 32GB.

ralmeida 11y ago
They've lowered the prices for iCloud storage, so you _could_ argue that keeping the base size at 16GB is a means to get more people to sign up for iCloud.
- jandrese 11y ago
  That would be great if they also announced an end to data caps and high prices for cell service...
stumpf 11y ago
I believe this is a push to get users to use iCloud, for which they also announced pricing updates.
mozumder 11y ago
16GB is fine. Lots of people don't even download apps.
- chadgeidel 11y ago
  A close friend has a 16gb iPhone 5 with no available storage. Where is all the storage used? Message history. I'm not kidding - zero non-default apps, very few photos, message history for presumably the entire time she has had an iOS device which consumes (according to iTunes) over 14gb. The real kicker is Apple has provided no first-party way to extract images from message history. (EDIT: I am aware of the "keep entire message history"/"keep 1 year message history" setting - we are trying to extract photos from backup using 3rd party software so we can flip that switch. This is very non-intuitive and requires the use of an external device)
- BinaryIdiot 11y ago
  That's fine except, at least anecdotally, I've only seen photos and videos take up the majority of the space. I'm not sure what's typical of the average person but everyone I know with kids takes gigabytes and gigabytes of photos and videos every year with their phone.
- hugh4 11y ago
  It's fine for lots of people, but those aren't the people that Apple wants to target. The last thing Apple wants is people who find they can't download more apps and music (putting money into Apple's pockets) because they don't have enough space. I need to keep a separate iPod because there's not enough room on my iPhone for much of my music collection. (I only have a handful of apps). And for what? An extra sixteen gigs of flash memory costs a few bucks nowadays.
- rokhayakebe 11y ago
  Lots of people don't even download apps. Would you care to expand on this? Thanks.
  - tdkl 11y ago
    "The app asked UK mobile carrier Telefonica/O2 about iPhone storage space in the UK. What they found was pretty shocking: 91% of iPhones in the UK have 16GB or less of storage." Source: http://uk.businessinsider.com/iphone-storage-data-market-share-2014-12 http://uk.businessinsider.com/iphone-storage-data-market-sha...
Kiro 11y ago
Speak for yourself. I don't install anything or take any photos with my phone. I just use it to make calls and browse the web so I very much doubt I will ever use up 16GB.
- BinaryIdiot 11y ago
  Okay? I'm not sure what your specific usage really added to the discussion especially considering the camera phone is typically people's only camera nowadays so I feel like you'd be an outlier if anything. Photos and video already take up a huge amount of space on the phone; I don't even take a ton of pictures of my kids (my SO usually does) but even my phone, after 6 months of usage, has 3 gigabytes taken up in photos and videos. It goes really, really quick. With 4K and 12 megapixels? It's going to go by so fast...
  - danslaboudoir 11y ago
    A lot of people use their phone that way. If no-one was buying the 16 gig version Apple would stop making it.
    - Infinitesimus 11y ago
      That logic doesn't isn't really iron clad since people could also be buying the 16GB because it is the cheapest version of the shiny new iPhone they want. If you want to use iOS, you're either paying for the base 16GG or paying a lot of money for the higher storage tier, there isn't a cheaper option.
    - kelseydh 11y ago
      The problem is most consumers don't realize what they're getting themselves into. Apple will make a profit on those who upgrade knowing better, but many won't. When grandma needs to learn how to manage storage, this is going to make everybody's life harder, from people who do tech support to application developers who need to rethink how they use application storage space. Literally, the only player who benefits here is Apple. And even that is disputable due to the problems it will cause to iPhone app developers who now need to be extremely cautious about storage use.
swinglock 11y ago
It's so that they can reel you in with the lower price but end up selling you a much more expensive device for minimum extra manufacturing cost.
- jonknee 11y ago
  Except many many people don't know any better and get the cheapest one (and then have trouble updating because there is no space).
  - swinglock 11y ago
    Absolutely. Then Apple can sell them iCloud storage for this photos. I don't agree with this practice, there really shouldn't be an 16GB iPhone.

ralmeida 11y ago

They've lowered the prices for iCloud storage, so you _could_ argue that keeping the base size at 16GB is a means to get more people to sign up for iCloud.

jandrese 11y ago
That would be great if they also announced an end to data caps and high prices for cell service...

stumpf 11y ago

I believe this is a push to get users to use iCloud, for which they also announced pricing updates.

mozumder 11y ago

16GB is fine. Lots of people don't even download apps.

chadgeidel 11y ago
A close friend has a 16gb iPhone 5 with no available storage. Where is all the storage used? Message history. I'm not kidding - zero non-default apps, very few photos, message history for presumably the entire time she has had an iOS device which consumes (according to iTunes) over 14gb. The real kicker is Apple has provided no first-party way to extract images from message history. (EDIT: I am aware of the "keep entire message history"/"keep 1 year message history" setting - we are trying to extract photos from backup using 3rd party software so we can flip that switch. This is very non-intuitive and requires the use of an external device)
BinaryIdiot 11y ago
That's fine except, at least anecdotally, I've only seen photos and videos take up the majority of the space. I'm not sure what's typical of the average person but everyone I know with kids takes gigabytes and gigabytes of photos and videos every year with their phone.
hugh4 11y ago
It's fine for lots of people, but those aren't the people that Apple wants to target. The last thing Apple wants is people who find they can't download more apps and music (putting money into Apple's pockets) because they don't have enough space. I need to keep a separate iPod because there's not enough room on my iPhone for much of my music collection. (I only have a handful of apps). And for what? An extra sixteen gigs of flash memory costs a few bucks nowadays.
rokhayakebe 11y ago
Lots of people don't even download apps. Would you care to expand on this? Thanks.
- tdkl 11y ago
  "The app asked UK mobile carrier Telefonica/O2 about iPhone storage space in the UK. What they found was pretty shocking: 91% of iPhones in the UK have 16GB or less of storage." Source: http://uk.businessinsider.com/iphone-storage-data-market-share-2014-12 http://uk.businessinsider.com/iphone-storage-data-market-sha...

Kiro 11y ago

Speak for yourself. I don't install anything or take any photos with my phone. I just use it to make calls and browse the web so I very much doubt I will ever use up 16GB.

BinaryIdiot 11y ago
Okay? I'm not sure what your specific usage really added to the discussion especially considering the camera phone is typically people's only camera nowadays so I feel like you'd be an outlier if anything. Photos and video already take up a huge amount of space on the phone; I don't even take a ton of pictures of my kids (my SO usually does) but even my phone, after 6 months of usage, has 3 gigabytes taken up in photos and videos. It goes really, really quick. With 4K and 12 megapixels? It's going to go by so fast...
- danslaboudoir 11y ago
  A lot of people use their phone that way. If no-one was buying the 16 gig version Apple would stop making it.
  - Infinitesimus 11y ago
    That logic doesn't isn't really iron clad since people could also be buying the 16GB because it is the cheapest version of the shiny new iPhone they want. If you want to use iOS, you're either paying for the base 16GG or paying a lot of money for the higher storage tier, there isn't a cheaper option.
  - kelseydh 11y ago
    The problem is most consumers don't realize what they're getting themselves into. Apple will make a profit on those who upgrade knowing better, but many won't. When grandma needs to learn how to manage storage, this is going to make everybody's life harder, from people who do tech support to application developers who need to rethink how they use application storage space. Literally, the only player who benefits here is Apple. And even that is disputable due to the problems it will cause to iPhone app developers who now need to be extremely cautious about storage use.

swinglock 11y ago

It's so that they can reel you in with the lower price but end up selling you a much more expensive device for minimum extra manufacturing cost.

jonknee 11y ago
Except many many people don't know any better and get the cheapest one (and then have trouble updating because there is no space).
- swinglock 11y ago
  Absolutely. Then Apple can sell them iCloud storage for this photos. I don't agree with this practice, there really shouldn't be an 16GB iPhone.