Flashback: the rise (and fall?) of the microSD card

04 December 2022
The microSD card grew to bigger and bigger capacities over the years and got faster along the way. So why is it waning in popularity?

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Manufacturers delivery got rid of the headphone jack first, because they could sell their wireless headphones.
Now, the SD card will be gone. Why? Stupid decisions!

    I remember obsessing over what memory card my phones used after I had a 4GB MicroSD die in my Nokia N81 in 2008, from that day on I made sure I only buy top quality. I still have my 128GB SXC-I SanDisk memory card that I used in my Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note8.

      SoNic, 06 Dec 2022My wife dropped her S20 on the concrete and shattered the s... moreWonder if you would say the same if she dropped the phone in the river or lost it/got stolen. I use google cloud that cost me pennies, is shareable with whole family and if I loose the phone I will not loose the photos. SD card is overrated. I have a SD card slot in my phone(Sam Note 10+) but no SD card in it. No need. My phone is 256GB and that's enough

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        • Adul Al Salami Kebab
        • gx$
        • 06 Dec 2022

        any phone that does not offer the feature is trash! glory to sd card, sd card forever!!! o3o

          • Glen
          • KZK
          • 06 Dec 2022

          Depends on the end user. I have so many MicroSD cards ranging from 16GB to 128GB. Mostly the "High Endurance" card. I use them on dashcam in my cars and my old Canon DSLR(with SD adapter of course).

          My 22 months old Redmi 9T has 128GB internal with empty mSD slot. It has 92GB space left. My 3yr old SM-N976F has 512GB internal, but also empty mSD slot. It has 420GB left. My 7yr old K920 has 32GB internal, but no mSD slot and it has 20GB left available.

          I don't use my phone like a life support device, I don't stare and ponder deep into the depths of my phone and forget the world exist lol. And I don't even play mobile games anymore.

            • D
            • AnonD-1058210
            • 3aL
            • 06 Dec 2022

            Anonymous, 06 Dec 2022Removable batteries is not even a tech. It is a feature. A... moreIt was just example you wouldn't have any water resistant level with removable battery ..

              Tbh the only thing I ever got from using sd cards were corrupted files and lost of data. I don't really mind having the slot or not, it is just not necessary for me.

                I have a 32GB Samsung Evo plus in my Galaxy Trend which still works, rooted. I also bought a 64GB evo for my A01 which I gave to my mom, once deleted their photos there by mistake eish. I also have two 128GB cards, San Disk A1 card in my galaxy A21s, that card is slow for copying between phone and it , although I know my Samsung is the culprit, apps run fine, the second one is the Samsung evo plus in my Huawei Y7p, that card is fast , can easily hit >70MB/s write speed most the time, the card fills up a couple of times.

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • 1Dp
                  • 06 Dec 2022

                  potato4k, 06 Dec 2022What's the size? And how do you back them up? microSD ... moreTo an external Hard Drive of course. They are extremely inexpensive nowadays. All you need is an enclosure.

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • vjX
                    • 06 Dec 2022

                    AnonD-1058210, 06 Dec 2022Woow good luck with ip68 if you would want removable batter... moreRemovable batteries is not even a tech. It is a feature.
                    And why do you need IP68? IP67 is enough and is doable in phones with removable batteries e.g. Galaxy S5.

                      • M
                      • Max of TR
                      • nXD
                      • 06 Dec 2022

                      They almost always made errors and files deleted, 10s of cards for me with android

                        • S
                        • SoNic
                        • XH4
                        • 06 Dec 2022

                        My wife dropped her S20 on the concrete and shattered the screen. No touch, no display. No means to access the data.
                        Luckly the photos were saved on the microSD card, so they were easy to recover.
                        S21 and newer don't have that option anymore... That's progress...

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • uS%
                          • 06 Dec 2022

                          potato4k, 06 Dec 2022What's the size? And how do you back them up? microSD ... moreI still have working 16GB Toshiba Class 6 microSD card which I bought I think in 2011 or 12 still working to this day. Though I don't use it on my phone as I now replaced it with a faster Kioxia(Toshiba) 128GB. Its now used on our IP Camera & hasn't corrupted for atleast 10 years now?.

                          Only storage drive that got corrupted for less than 3 or 4 years of constant personal use were Sandisk & Kingston thats why avoid them nowadays. Haven't tried other brands like Samsung, Netac, Strontium since i havent experience any broken Toshiba or now Kioxia SD Cards yet.

                          Looks like some brands just broke fast & some dont.

                            • M
                            • Max of TR
                            • JLi
                            • 06 Dec 2022

                            They almost always made errors and files deleted, 10s of cards for me with android

                              potato4k, 06 Dec 2022Whatever pirate, keep making up excuses.Whatever ignorant, keep being ignorant.

                                Mediatek sux, 06 Dec 2022Keep being ignorantWhatever pirate, keep making up excuses.

                                  AnonD-1058210, 06 Dec 2022The latest ones since year or two even 3 old all of them ha... moreYou seem to really love drives dangling out of your phone.

                                    potato4k, 06 Dec 2022Tell me without telling me you're a pirate.Keep being ignorant

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                                      • AnonD-1058210
                                      • 3aL
                                      • 06 Dec 2022

                                      Sin, 06 Dec 2022Smartphone really have been growing bigger over the years ... moreWoow good luck with ip68 if you would want removable battery which is impossible I remember this website was crying about back in days and now they wouldn't like removable battery .. Even if smartphone manuf would go back with removable batteries ppl would hate it and would see it as old ancient tech ..
                                      You want milions ports and main thing is apple want their phone port free even buttons free 🤷‍♂️

                                        • S
                                        • Sin
                                        • 3aP
                                        • 06 Dec 2022

                                        Smartphone really have been growing bigger over the years

                                        I do want pc grade active cooling system and high speed ssd comes too smartphones and user removable bigger battery's 6000mah too 9000mah

                                        Use the little extra thickerness for

                                        I really do smartphones too improve the number of ports they have

                                        ports like usb 3.0 x2 & HDMI
                                        I want quad sim card slot & triple SD card slot & dual changing port & deal headphone jack

                                        Just me there enough room and even a user removable battery and repairable smartphone can have a water proof seal and water proof case are out there

                                        I also think flagship Smartphones should improve the overall smartphone amount and make 1tb standard for a flagship smartphone

                                        If the jelly phone 2 can fit SD card slot & headphone jack in it
                                        full size or 7-inch tablet sized Smartphones like we have today should have no problem at all with them and extras