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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When I read this I almost skip a heart beat, got scared cuz mostly my whole online life depends on SD card 💀

    • s
    • sub
    • ak{
    • 05 Dec 2022

    i will not buy any phone wich does not have memory extension..its not only about extension,also we need take out our all data from the device freely..if a device does not have a slot, how can we save all user data and media if device has an issue,failure etc?

      Honestly I don't understand the need to remove SD cards from phones when it's the easiest solution to a lot of consumer's needs.
      Imagine if someone cannot afford the 512gb edition of a phone, they can expand via sd card.
      Only Sony and Motorola (and a select few gaming phone companies) seem to still offer SD card slots in their main phones now and it sucks

        • J
        • Jay
        • sR1
        • 05 Dec 2022

        Nevertheless, mSD is still a loved accessories and the freedom to pop it off from 1 device and use it on another. I still love mSD, like I love phone with dual sim slots. The best phone is still a two Sim slots + 1 dedicated mSD slots, never mind whether it has flagship CPU or not.

          • S
          • Sin
          • 3aP
          • 05 Dec 2022

          Storage in general has always been the one of the biggest problems with Smartphones
          Very possibility a even bigger problem then performance

          The need for higher storage amounts on smartphones it's a problem for everyone
          people with huge Storage needs struggle and suffer with this really bad problem the most trying too get everything too fit in a smartphone

          The SD card slot has always helped with this problem had been a back up storage extra storage makes transfer of files easyer used for photo files videos pictures etc or as extra app storage or even as way too speed up a smartphone or used too run games off

          There are many use cases for the SD card slot

          additional expandedable storage will always have a use case and I should be Keeped forever

          Micro SSD & other card slots really are other expandedable storage opinions that should also be used in addition too the sd card slot

          The internal base storage of smartphones flagships
          Really should be a improved also

          Smartphones really should in future have high endurance reliable and high speed real SSD boot drives
          The benefits of booting of a SSD drive and running the OS of SSD storage are massive for improvements for faster boot times more smoothness responsiveness in the system UI OS system layout and system interface and in loading times in general apps & browser

          I really think 512gb SSD & 1tb SSD super fast boot drives should become standard for flagship
          As well as having 512gb or 1tb ufs storage for Apps and extra space as built in storage

          Having storage config like this is good for given the OS space too run well and grow as well as having high performance fast storage for Apps that need fast storage and apps that don't need as fast of storage can go be used in other storage

          Storage is such a underrated spec on smartphones
          And such overlooked spec

          It's a very important spec
          The loss of the SD card slot will be a huge downgrade and going backwards should it go missing and be removed from smartphones As expandable Storage is useful

          Even if the short comings of low storage on smartphones are overcome say 512gb SSD x4 pure mega fast SSDs in raid config for overall storage of 2tb crazy fast storage
          SD card slot will always be useful and expendable storage will be a use case for it

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • khY
            • 05 Dec 2022

            Currently upgraded to 1TB. If they all strip off the micro sd, I really have to change how I use my phone coz it does not sound secure to store everything with internal storage. Inconvenient when the phone dies.

              • Z
              • Zzlol
              • 3Z5
              • 05 Dec 2022

              I don't use much phone memory but I think microSD cards are important. Definitely would be better than dual sim slots cause I don't know single person who uses it.
              With MicroSD cards I felt secure about my data, just take it out and insert it in the new phone.
              Now I don't keep anything on my phone cause If my phone breaks I'm not paying repair to recover my data.
              I take only few pictures a year and upload them directly to cloud so I don't care but for people who have games work files, content creators, this is really pain in the a$$

                zaryan, 05 Dec 2022not gonna lie even using a 64gb phone you will only get 19~... moreEven $150 phones nowadays have 128GB internal storage. These memory chips are cheap. Only really low end phones still have less than 128GB.

                  Mediatek sux, 05 Dec 2022I want to play 100% legal copies of my switch games on my p... moreSounds like a true pirate. Only pirates will want to play Switch games on a phone. Actual genuine users will simply play it on their Switch.

                    YUKI93, 05 Dec 2022It is ironic to see Samsung still producing their own micro... moremicroSD card are used in many other devices, not just phones.

                      I just find the irony that we praise Sony for maintaining to keep microSD slot and headphone jack but they ruined their PS Vita's chance with expensive proprietary memory cards. The PSP also had the memory stick pro duo and UMD that never took off.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • YUU
                        • 05 Dec 2022

                        SD card are still useful even today or the future. It won't be obsolete as fast as you think. I still using my 16GB SD card on my Realme 7 Pro (128GB) from my previous Android phone and from previous phone and from my previous phone all the way to my Nokia X3-02 Touch and Type. Wait what?! How many generations my SD card is? 😳 But, I remember that I'm using it with my Nokia X3-02. So, as you all can guess. I still have all those pictures until now 😅

                          • R
                          • Rosso
                          • g8$
                          • 05 Dec 2022

                          [deleted post]You are just a greedy companies favourite buyer, a bootlicker, who is fine with features dying because "mUh PrOgReSs"

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • tDQ
                            • 05 Dec 2022

                            Smartphone maker drop the micro sd slot for their flagship phone, so they can sell the higher capacity storage with much2 higher price

                              Vasra, 04 Dec 2022Still rocking 1TB microsdcard on my phone that already has ... moreIFKR! I still find it hilarious when you have to pay $100 to get an extra 128GB of internal storage when you can easily get a genuine 256GB or even 512GB microSD card with a lifetime warranty for half the price, and yet there are still so-called "entitled" people out here saying that microSD is dead, outdated, and irrelevant. 🤦

                                Anonymous, 04 Dec 2022Still see some idiots point out that SD cards are dead, yet... moreI did some research about it thinking that you are making things up. It seems like I really learned something new today*.

                                *https://spectrum.ieee.org/why-the-future-of-data-storage-is-still-magnetic-tape
                                *https://www.labiotech.eu/trends-news/biomemory-raises-funds-advance-dna-data-storage-solution/
                                *https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/tip/Whats-driving-the-resurgence-in-tape-storage-use

                                  Klon, 04 Dec 2022No discussion of UFS based cards? Are there any UFS based S... moreIt's very unlikely you can see a microUFS card any time soon. Just look at Huawei's NM card - the 256GB version cost about the same as a standard 512GB microSD card. It's all about cost at the end of the day.

                                    DMX, 04 Dec 2022Those who ask for SD and Jack 3.5 are the ones who cannot b... moreI bought flagship LG phones because it still has microSD card support and a headphone jack with built-in Quad DAC audio. Since I started playing around with it, I stopped embracing wireless audio altogether. Now, all my songs are in high-quality FLAC files and if you understand audio technology, FLAC takes about three to five times more space than MP3. That could be the reason why LG never throw away the microSD card support. Even the Wing 5G still has it despite not having a headphone jack.

                                      And many people don't realize that having the slot doesn't force you to use it? If you don't like it, don't use it? Use your beloved streaming/cloud apps and go on. The same can be said about the 3.5mm jack. Having one doesn't stop you to use Bluetooth headphones, but the jack/slot is there if you need it. And it's not only about storage, but the convenience to move big amounts data from one phone/PC to another. I have a big collection of FLACs I listen to almost everyday, and moving them to cloud would require stable and fast internet connection which I not always have access to. Plus usually there's only about 15 Gb free of cloud storage which is just not enough for me.

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • RxE
                                        • 05 Dec 2022

                                        Swaraj, 05 Dec 2022micro sd cards are important when we live in an Era when p... moreInteresting finding, but fake news.

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