In recent years, many top smartphone manufacturers like Samsung, Google, and Apple have started removing microSD card slots from their flagship devices. This trend has sparked an ongoing debate among tech enthusiasts about the pros and cons of external storage in phones. In this comprehensive 5000-word guide, we’ll dive deep into the key reasons behind the disappearance of the iconic microSD card slot and what it means for the future of smartphone storage.
Quick Summary
Here are the key reasons why phone makers are ditching the external storage slot:
- To achieve a slimmer, sleeker design
- Push users towards cloud storage subscriptions
- Incentivize users to buy higher storage models
- Remove wear-and-tear concerns with external memory cards
- Have more control over user data security
However, the move has also sparked criticism from many users who still value expandable storage to hold their photos, videos, and media collections. The disappearance of SD card support is a complex, multi-faceted issue.
The Rise and Fall of Expandable Storage
The SD card slot has been a core feature of smartphones for over a decade. When Android and iOS devices first launched in the 2007-2010 timeframe, onboard storage capacity was very limited – just a few gigabytes in many cases. SD card expansion enabled early adopters to inexpensively add storage for their growing digital content libraries. At the time, cloud storage was still a niche concept so local storage was king.
However, over the last 5-7 years, a few key trends emerged that started chipping away at the relevance of external storage in phones:
- Increasing onboard capacity: As flash storage costs have declined, internal storage has ballooned from gigabytes to terabytes. 128GB is now the baseline for most flagships while 512GB or even 1TB options are available for power users.
- Cloud storage: Services like iCloud, Google Photos and Spotify enable easy syncing of photos, videos, music and files across devices. Large local capacity is less crucial.
- Streaming media: On-demand services like Netflix and Spotify decrease the need for users to store large media libraries locally.
These shifts have slowly eroded the competitive advantage offered by expandable SD card storage. However, up until a few years ago, most Android flagships and many mid-range devices still offered a MicroSD slot. So why are OEMs now aggressively moving to eliminate external storage? Let’s analyze some of their likely motivations.
Reason 1 – Sleeker Device Design
The most obvious reason phone brands cite for removing SD card slots is to achieve a slimmer, more streamlined device design. SD cards slots add an extra component on the smartphone motherboard along with a physical external slot and ejection mechanism. Eliminating this can shave off precious millimeters in device thickness and leave more internal space for other components.
Case in point is Samsung, which removed the slot starting with the Galaxy S6 in 2015. The S6 was praised by reviewers for finally introducing a sleek glass-and-metal build after years of Samsung using chunky plastic designs. The SD card slot was one victim of that transition. And once Samsung crossed that bridge, it likely faced internal resistance to ever going back to chunkier designs to accommodate a slot again.
Similarly, Google’s Pixel smartphones have never offered SD card support as part of their minimalist design ethos. And Apple has resisted adding a slot to its iPhone lineup despite years of user requests. With the iPhone 14 Pro models crossing the $1000 price threshold, Apple is clearly incentivized to reserve internal space for components like the new 48MP camera system rather than an SD card slot.
Of course, it is technically possible to offer both slim device designs and expandable storage. Some manufacturers like Sony and LG have implemented hybrid slots that allow accommodation of two SIM cards or one SIM plus a MicroSD card in the same slot compartment. However, as OEMs increasingly mimic Apple’s monolithic, minimalist design, we are seeing less willingness to creatively accommodate expandable storage in streamlined builds.
Reason 2 – Push Towards Cloud Storage Services
Another factor motivating removal of external storage is to push users towards manufacturer-provided cloud storage services. Both Apple and Google now offer generous free tiers of cloud storage to iOS and Pixel users respectively as a value-add. As onboard storage capacities crossed 128GB, they likely saw less need to also offer external expansion and cannibalize their own cloud storage offerings.
For example, Google offers Pixel users unlimited photo & video storage via Google Photos along with up to 15GB of free Drive storage. For many users, this may fully offset the need for expandable local capacity. Both Google and Apple likely want to guide users towards their cloud ecosystems versus third-party storage SD cards.
Samsung also has motivations to drive adoption of its Samsung Cloud service, which offers up to 15GB of free storage. And Chinese brands like Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo have similar services for their regional user bases. As cloud services improve, device makers are clearly incentivized to remove external storage and shepherd users towards their own storage ecosystems.
Reason 3 – Drive Sales of Higher Storage Models
Eliminating SD support also enables smartphone brands to upsell buyers to more expensive high storage models. Power users who need 512GB or 1TB of capacity can no longer rely on a cheap SD card for extra storage. Their only option is to purchase a higher capacity SKU, which can add $100-$400 to the purchase price.
Margins are much higher on these premium storage configurations for OEMs relative to the base models. Buyers may resent having to pay the premium just to get adequate onboard capacity. However, for device makers the financial upside is compelling. Without expandable storage, power users no longer have an alternative to shelling out more for the top-tier configurations.
Reason 4 – Durability and Reliability Concerns
Another consideration for removing external storage is potential technical issues that may arise from poor quality or faulty SD cards. SD cards have no built-in controllers and rely on the host device for management functions. Some argue this makes external storage more prone to file corruption, unexpected removal issues, and general reliability concerns – especially if low-quality cards are used.
By only allowing onboard storage, OEMs can vet and validate the quality of the NAND flash across production. Removing the SD card variable from the equation improves device stability and also reduces the avenues for malware or other issues to creep in via external media.
Granted, SD cards from reputable brands are generally very reliable these days. But some OEMs likely decided the risks were not worth the very limited upside from an SD slot. For them, the extra reliability and control of onboard-only storage makes product sense.
Reason 5 – Better User Data Security
Data security is likely another consideration behind the removal of external storage slots in flagship phones. SD cards enabled users to easily remove sensitive personal data like photos, messages, and documents from their devices.
In enterprise contexts, this raised concerns about leakage of confidential business data via external SD cards. And even in consumer device contexts, brands like Apple and Google likely want to discourage unfettered data offloading to keep user content within their cloud ecosystems for security reasons.
With onboard-only storage, OEMs have much more control over and visibility into the user data lifecycle. They can encrypt the internal storage by default and make it more difficult to physically access the flash modules where user data resides. So data security is likely an unstated benefit that OEMs see in limiting expandable storage.
What Does This Mean for Smartphone Users?
For many power users, the disappearance of the venerable SD card slot is undesirable. After decades of reliance on expandable storage for extra capacity, they now face usage limitations or being forced to pay premiums for high-tier models.
However, for mainstream users who can get by with 128-256GB of capacity, the removal of external storage may barely register as an issue. Many already pay for streaming media services and leverage cloud backups rather than storing lots of data locally.
But there remain reasonable consumer use cases for SD card support that are now being ignored by OEMs. For example, Android users with large local media libraries, those who frequently swap phones, or users who rely on memory cards for data backups and transfers.
There are also many parts of the world where unlimited mobile data plans are still exorbitantly expensive. In these regions, large onboard capacity remains crucial despite the growth of streaming services. Unfortunately, the smartphone industry’s push toward cloud and streaming content is making expandable storage a niche rather than mainstream feature.
Workarounds for Users Who Still Need SD Support
So what options remain for power users who still need external storage? Here are some potential workarounds:
- Use a portable SSD drive with USB-C or wireless connectivity to offload and expand storage.
- Leverage a mobile NAS device like WD My Passport Wireless to stream media from external storage.
- Use a mobile hotspot to connect devices like a tablet with SD support to transfer large files off a phone.
- Purchase an Android phone with a hybrid SIM+SD slot – some models still offer this.
- Use a cloud storage provider like Google One that supports offline backup/sync of mobile device contents.
Granted, all these options require buying additional hardware and software services – an expense that onboard SD support avoided. But for now, they remain the only workaround options for mobile power users who still need expandable local storage in the era of cloud.
Will We Ever See the Return of SD Slots?
Given the industry’s rapid shift away from expandable storage, it seems unlikely that OEMs like Samsung and Apple will ever re-incorporate SD card slots in their flagship phones.
However, there are a few glimmers of hope:
- Many mid-range and budget Android devices still offer SD support, giving price-conscious users an option.
- Sony’s flagship Xperia 1 IV introduced a new SD Card slot this year, so Sony remains firmly committed.
- Niche, enthusiast-oriented devices may bring back expandable storage to differentiate.
- If cloud storage subscriptions decline in popularity, local SD storage may see a resurgence.
Barring these exceptions, the ubiquity of cloud backups, streaming media and high onboard capacity means SD slots will likely remain a relic of the early smartphone era. Users wanting to store large local libraries may need to get used to juggling multiple external drives and cloud services rather than simply popping in a memory card.
But never say never – if trends unexpectedly shift back toward local storage, OEMs may yet surprise us and re-introduce expandable storage. Only time will tell if Galaxy S and iPhones one day open up to SD cards again.
The Bottom Line
While many power users decry the loss of expandable SD card storage, most smartphone OEMs have compelling reasons to remove the once-standard feature from modern device designs. Between sleeker form factors, growing onboard capacities, the rise of streaming media and pervasive cloud backups, SD slots no longer make competitive or financial sense for brands targeting mainstream consumers.
However, for niche segments like content creators, enterprise users, photography/videography enthusiasts and customers in emerging markets, the disappearance of external storage is frustrating. Unfortunately, with top brands like Samsung, Google and Apple firmly committed to onboard-only storage, expandable SD card slots will likely remain a relic of an earlier smartphone era.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Android phones removing SD card support?
Key reasons Android OEMs are removing SD slots include achieving slimmer device designs, pushing cloud storage services, selling more high-capacity models, reliability concerns and improved data security control.
Which brands still offer SD card slots?
Sony and LG currently remain committed to retaining MicroSD slots in their flagship phones. Many mid-range devices from Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola and others also still offer external storage.
What are the pros and cons of SD card support?
Pros: Inexpensive storage expansion, convenience of portable media, ability to retain large local libraries, ease of data migration across devices.
Cons: Potential file corruption/data loss risks, slower performance than onboard storage in some cases, data security concerns, inhibits design slimming.
What alternatives exist for adding more storage?
Options like external SSD drives, wireless media hubs, cloud storage subscriptions, or simply buying phones with higher onboard capacities are alternative ways to add storage without MicroSD support.
Will Apple ever add back SD card slots to iPhones?
Highly unlikely given Apple’s reliance on iCloud services and proprietary connectors like Lightning. Expandable storage goes against Apple’s closed ecosystem approach.