4 ms·

Isn't the alternative to just buy a bigger phone, which they also sell? And to handle the backups yourself, import your own photos, store them wherever you lik

Isn't the alternative to just buy a bigger phone, which they also sell? And to handle the backups yourself, import your own photos, store them wherever you like. None of this has changed as far as I can see.

pdeuchler 11y ago
This isn't sustainable. Photos/video/music/apps will continue to grow in size and Apple clearly isn't scaling their storage options at the same rate. I already pay out the nose for upgraded iPhone storage and continually run into limits with reasonable usage. Backups are great, but pointless for "hot" data that I, ya know, want to use on my phone (which isn't usually within the vicinity of a backup drive).
- interpol_p 11y ago
  Right, but I don't understand why you ask: "is control over your own data dead?" in relation to the 16 GB iPhone. Because even 128 GB is not enough for most photo libraries. The amount of control over our own data seems the same as we had before — basically dependent on how much work we want to put in managing it vs. trusting and paying for cloud storage providers.
  - pdeuchler 11y ago
    I don't understand your argument. 128GB is more than enough for my photo library (and most people I know), but not more than enough for photos, video, music, and apps. This will increasingly become the case as Apple/others continues to improve the quality and size of media you store on your phone. But again, I realize what the current paradigm is. However I have no options for iPhone backup/cold storage besides iCloud or physical hardware backups. I'm very unlikely to be using my phone within the vicinity of a physical hardware backup, and iCloud means I lose control. Thus, I either have to choose between a neutered user experience or loss of control. tl;dr: Apple is actively and knowingly encouraging the use of more data while refusing to upgrade internal storage space and instead pushing iCloud storage. This leads to misaligned incentives.
    - rsynnott 11y ago
      I wonder how much higher they can offer with current technology. If you peek inside one of those 2.5" SSD boxes, it's not full to the brim but it's not empty either. I would actually expect them to go to 256GB in the next year or so, because that has been the general pattern (as far as I remember, the first iPhone maxed out at 16GB)
    - interpol_p 11y ago
      But they aren't refusing to upgrade internal storage. 128 GB is an option now, and I'm sure it will grow with time. And you can also use iCloud alternatives (we use Flickr and Dropbox on iOS for photos and movies, as iCloud is too pricey and inflexible). Your argument was relating to the 16 GB option of the phone, but asked the question "is control over our own data dead?" in connection with that 16 GB version. I was unsure why you asked that because of two things: 16 GB is an option, not the only size available; and one still has ultimate control over their own data, be it on the cloud or local.
- lbotos 11y ago
  You are absolutely correct they aren't scaling storage. As a business, they want you to use iCloud AND/OR get a bigger GB phone. Simple. They are a business, you can't fault them for that.
  - pdeuchler 11y ago
    Of course I can't fault them for chasing profit, but I can fault them for chasing profit while encouraging users to make choices that are against their best interests.
  - kelseydh 11y ago
    There is a threat though that consumer unhappiness with their device's glaring lack of storage may lead to long term problems for Apple in 3 years from now. It's short term gain for long term pain to the quality of the brand.

pdeuchler 11y ago

This isn't sustainable. Photos/video/music/apps will continue to grow in size and Apple clearly isn't scaling their storage options at the same rate. I already pay out the nose for upgraded iPhone storage and continually run into limits with reasonable usage. Backups are great, but pointless for "hot" data that I, ya know, want to use on my phone (which isn't usually within the vicinity of a backup drive).

interpol_p 11y ago
Right, but I don't understand why you ask: "is control over your own data dead?" in relation to the 16 GB iPhone. Because even 128 GB is not enough for most photo libraries. The amount of control over our own data seems the same as we had before — basically dependent on how much work we want to put in managing it vs. trusting and paying for cloud storage providers.
- pdeuchler 11y ago
  I don't understand your argument. 128GB is more than enough for my photo library (and most people I know), but not more than enough for photos, video, music, and apps. This will increasingly become the case as Apple/others continues to improve the quality and size of media you store on your phone. But again, I realize what the current paradigm is. However I have no options for iPhone backup/cold storage besides iCloud or physical hardware backups. I'm very unlikely to be using my phone within the vicinity of a physical hardware backup, and iCloud means I lose control. Thus, I either have to choose between a neutered user experience or loss of control. tl;dr: Apple is actively and knowingly encouraging the use of more data while refusing to upgrade internal storage space and instead pushing iCloud storage. This leads to misaligned incentives.
  - rsynnott 11y ago
    I wonder how much higher they can offer with current technology. If you peek inside one of those 2.5" SSD boxes, it's not full to the brim but it's not empty either. I would actually expect them to go to 256GB in the next year or so, because that has been the general pattern (as far as I remember, the first iPhone maxed out at 16GB)
  - interpol_p 11y ago
    But they aren't refusing to upgrade internal storage. 128 GB is an option now, and I'm sure it will grow with time. And you can also use iCloud alternatives (we use Flickr and Dropbox on iOS for photos and movies, as iCloud is too pricey and inflexible). Your argument was relating to the 16 GB option of the phone, but asked the question "is control over our own data dead?" in connection with that 16 GB version. I was unsure why you asked that because of two things: 16 GB is an option, not the only size available; and one still has ultimate control over their own data, be it on the cloud or local.
lbotos 11y ago
You are absolutely correct they aren't scaling storage. As a business, they want you to use iCloud AND/OR get a bigger GB phone. Simple. They are a business, you can't fault them for that.
- pdeuchler 11y ago
  Of course I can't fault them for chasing profit, but I can fault them for chasing profit while encouraging users to make choices that are against their best interests.
- kelseydh 11y ago
  There is a threat though that consumer unhappiness with their device's glaring lack of storage may lead to long term problems for Apple in 3 years from now. It's short term gain for long term pain to the quality of the brand.