Absolutely it's dead as the default. Storage is for app repositories, i.e. software which tunes into the cloud which hosts actual data. Note that's the default

Absolutely it's dead as the default. Storage is for app repositories, i.e. software which tunes into the cloud which hosts actual data. Note that's the default. It's still optional (e.g. pay $100-200 more for more storage, or buy seemingly increasingly more niche phones that offer SD card slots). And of course the age old alternative, which is making a compromise. i.e. not store all and any music, video, photo etc on your insta-use phone. Instead keep old albums on an external drive in your home, just like movies you've already seen or movies you won't get to anytime soon. Or albums you rarely listen to. Compromise.