Samsung responds to criticisms over Galaxy S4 internal storage capacity

Last week we reported that the new Samsung Galaxy S4 (16GB model) only has 8.82GB of usable space. In fact, it is the most popular post on our site.

The company has faced criticism, especially since the huge amount of space is taken by the operating system, recovery partitions and pre-installed applications including Samsung's own suite that includes S Voice, S Translator and S Health.

Samsung defended the phone this week. "For the Galaxy S4 16GB model, approximately 6.85GB occupies [the] system part of internal memory, which is 1GB bigger than that of the Galaxy S3, in order to provide [a] high resolution display and more powerful features to our consumers." The company then added, "to offer the ultimate mobile experience to our users, Samsung provides [a] microSD slot on Galaxy S4 for extension of memory."

This may be true, however, Samsung only allows you to place content on the SD card, not all applications.

Microsoft caused a stir earlier this year when it was revealed that their 64GB Surface tablet had only 29GB of usable space. The 8GB Nintendo Wii U is even worse,leaving just 3.3GB available.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 4 May 2013 15:53

Mrguss

They should advertise the REAL Free Space evaluable for the consumer to use in stead of look like dutch bags. [Indeed: in the big print & on the box, it clearly says 16GB]

Do Samsung ever gonna sale the 32GB &/or 64GB versions in U.S or the "Carriers Cartels" gonna play as one big Mafia & offer the 16GB only?

+5000

4.5.2013 16:18 #1

SeventhSon

For "more powerful features" read "crapware". This will be the first flagship phone to fail to outsell its predecessor.

4.5.2013 18:16 #2

IceCold84

I would rather buy a separate card(or use the 32 gb one I have now) than spend hundreds more for more internal storage.

Originally posted by SeventhSon: For "more powerful features" read "crapware". This will be the first flagship phone to fail to outsell its predecessor. What makes you think this?

4.5.2013 19:49 #3

Interestx

Whatever the internal capacity I want a phone with a micro SD card slot.

4.5.2013 20:01 #4

Jemborg

Originally posted by Mrguss: They should advertise the REAL Free Space evaluable ... in stead of look like dutch bags. I wouldn't want that myself... has it anything to do with tulips? :)

@ SeventhSon : Once the market gets saturated with good phones then there may be dropoff anyway... people may not see the need to upgrade. Aren't you a bit sick of the 'psychological planned obsolescence' being sold to you?

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

5.5.2013 00:33 #5

mukhis

Originally posted by SeventhSon: For "more powerful features" read "crapware". This will be the first flagship phone to fail to outsell its predecessor.
well, given the features, i don't think it is going to be the case. i have seen S4 yesterday, and i am impressed.

5.5.2013 01:01 #6

PraisesToAllah

Quote:The 8GB Nintendo Wii U is even worse,leaving just 3.3GB available. Now, that is a rip off!

5.5.2013 03:54 #7

SeventhSon

Mukhis, given than most potential s4 customers will already own a high-end phone, which 'features' do you think are worth shelling out several hundred pounds for?

Also factor in that 24% of Android owners say they will switch to another platform next time.

5.5.2013 04:20 #8

xtago

Originally posted by SeventhSon: For "more powerful features" read "crapware". This will be the first flagship phone to fail to outsell its predecessor. You might want the 3 year old nurse to check your tear ducts because their pissing out tears at quite a high rate.

5.5.2013 04:49 #9

Jemborg

Originally posted by PraisesToAllah: Quote:The 8GB Nintendo Wii U is even worse,leaving just 3.3GB available. Now, that is a rip off! It depends on what you can save there. If you can save the games or fast load important game code (like PS3) to external drive it may not be such an issue.

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

5.5.2013 05:07 #10

SeventhSon

Originally posted by xtago: Originally posted by SeventhSon: For "more powerful features" read "crapware". This will be the first flagship phone to fail to outsell its predecessor. You might want the 3 year old nurse to check your tear ducts because their pissing out tears at quite a high rate.
I wonder if, unlike you, the S4 is smart enough to know the difference between "there","their" and "they're".

5.5.2013 14:22 #11

Interestx

Originally posted by Jemborg: Aren't you a bit sick of the 'psychological planned obsolescence' being sold to you?

Quality point.

I have a Galaxy S2, know a couple of people who have the S3 & Iphone 5 and know I'm missing out on almost nothing.
I suspect the S4 will be a similar tale.
I'll probably do my usual & update in '16 with a bargain something or other a year or so old then.

5.5.2013 14:28 #12

dEwMe

This sounds like the same old argument they had for PC hard drives. With smaller drives in the past it was a much larger issue than with the cavernous drives out today. It should be understood a share of the drive/memory will be filled with the operating system and OEM crap. If that's an issue one should inquire on the details and go from there.

I do think it's shitty that android apps maintain such a large footprint on the internal memory. I pretty much have an empty 32GB sim card on my phone. What a waste...

Just my $0.02,

dEwMe

6.5.2013 14:37 #13

ChappyTTV

Originally posted by SeventhSon: Originally posted by xtago: Originally posted by SeventhSon: For "more powerful features" read "crapware". This will be the first flagship phone to fail to outsell its predecessor. You might want the 3 year old nurse to check your tear ducts because their pissing out tears at quite a high rate.
I wonder if, unlike you, the S4 is smart enough to know the difference between "there","their" and "they're". And spelling/grammar guy wins this round by knockout!!

10.5.2013 23:22 #14

pmshah

I purchased my 1st Android phone last year to replace my dieing B&W Nokia. It was the very basic lowly Samsung Galaxy Pop, S55070I. It is extremely well built, has charger/data port on the top edge plus externally accessible micro SD card slot. Last month I bought Samsung's recent introduction, Galaxy Grand DUOS. One does not realise limitations of a phone until one starts using it. On my older phone I managed to transfer all the downloaded applications to the SD card without rooting the device. I could simply power it off, transfer the card to my PC and back it up. Not so with the Grand. The charger /data port is on the bottom edge making it difficult to charge and have it display at the same time. Accessing the SD card is a major pain. It requires removal of the back, ( a very difficult task to say the least), and removal of the battery. The internal 4 GB storage is configured as 1 GB storage for the OS and apps,and 3 GB as internal-sd0. So there is no way of transferring your application to this 3 gb area nor to the external card. Almost half of the 1 Gb storage area is filled up with mostly junk applications (IMHO) that I am never going to use.

So in future I am going to keep all these points in mind before shelling out my hard earned money.

11.5.2013 23:37 #15

Jemborg

Can't understand why people have to jump through these hoops continuously.

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

12.5.2013 05:03 #16

Interestx

Originally posted by pmshah: The charger /data port is on the bottom edge making it difficult to charge and have it display at the same time. Accessing the SD card is a major pain. It requires removal of the back Have a look at the newer ones, it got better.
The S2 & S3 (haven't seen an S4 yet) charge on the bottom but can easily be used while doing so & the back is easy to remove to access the micro SD card - it's under the battery but the battery easily comes out & there's an internal battery so you don't lose anything when the main battery is out for a little while.

This debate about available memory has been going on a while and it's not just down to Samsung's stuff.
My 16gb S2 has loads of room taken up by the OS, Samsung's stuff & the phone company's stuff.

I stuck a 32gb card in it & stopped worrying.

The 16gb S2 & S3 had a real 11gb or so.
If the S4 is down to just short of 9gb then I guess it shows how much the latest OS & those fancy cameras are taking up.
You pay for the improved kit one way or another.

Stick a decent sized card in it & manage what is on the phone properly.
Or buy the 32gb version.

12.5.2013 10:27 #17

DiaLogical

Originally posted by Interestx: Originally posted by pmshah: The charger /data port is on the bottom edge making it difficult to charge and have it display at the same time. Accessing the SD card is a major pain. It requires removal of the back Have a look at the newer ones, it got better.
The S2 & S3 (haven't seen an S4 yet) charge on the bottom but can easily be used while doing so & the back is easy to remove to access the micro SD card - it's under the battery but the battery easily comes out & there's an internal battery so you don't lose anything when the main battery is out for a little while.

This debate about available memory has been going on a while and it's not just down to Samsung's stuff.
My 16gb S2 has loads of room taken up by the OS, Samsung's stuff & the phone company's stuff.

I stuck a 32gb card in it & stopped worrying.

The 16gb S2 & S3 had a real 11gb or so.
If the S4 is down to just short of 9gb then I guess it shows how much the latest OS & those fancy cameras are taking up.
You pay for the improved kit one way or another.

Stick a decent sized card in it & manage what is on the phone properly.
Or buy the 32gb version. A lot of you dont seem to understand the real problem here.
THE GALAXY S4 does NOT support apps being installed to SD card!
So you even with a 64gb sd card you are limited to 9gb for apps
A game like Need For Speed: Most Wanted takes up over a gig of memory

15.5.2013 07:58 #18

Interestx

Originally posted by DiaLogical: A lot of you dont seem to understand the real problem here.
THE GALAXY S4 does NOT support apps being installed to SD card!
So you even with a 64gb sd card you are limited to 9gb for apps
A game like Need For Speed: Most Wanted takes up over a gig of memory
I think you'll find it is not quite so clear-cut.

It's an OS thing, not a phone thing.
For now Jelly Bean won't let phones run much from the SD card.
That is sure to change as people complain.
The beauty of Android is that it's an open OS & if Google don't fix this someone else will.

But some apps will & some won't, which is why I said manage your apps properly.

Or root your phone, it's not hard
(and it's not hard to return it back to pre-rooted status if it's a contract phone & you have to send it back either).

...so to try to say you're limited to 'just' 9gbs even with a 64gb card installed is ridiculous.

(and even with the biggest example you could come up with it's still only 1gb out of 9gbs by your reckoning)

You could still always buy the 32gb version or the 64gb version
(you forgot to mention....hmmm, 64gb with a 128gb card, more memory than my 1st PC!).

Do you work for Apple or is it a hobby spreading this sort of misinformation?

15.5.2013 09:46 #19

Jemborg

Slow night is it Interestx? :P

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

15.5.2013 13:15 #20

Interestx

That was afternoon Jemborg ;)

15.5.2013 17:41 #21

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