Google Explains Lack of SD Card Support For Nexus Devices

[kronos_cornelius]

The fact is that it does make things easier for the user. Since the tablets are aimed to users for whom the tablet is their first or only computing device, you want to hand hold them as much as possible.

But, this is a poor reason to charge $50 for 16GB of memory. The price from 16GB to a 32GB should be just the cost of the memory chip, not part of a obvious marketing plot to get more money out of the ignorant consumer.

Everything is best in the cloud, and as long as there are tons of services for free on the cloud--to the point where I own like a square foot on Google's server rooms-- it is ok.

Once they all start to increase the prices of cloud services, there will be some necessary adjustments to the hardware specs. The change would also make personal clouds hosted at your home more viable, an idea I had earlier in the millennium which makes no sense in today's market.

 

[rohitbaran]

Wow, didn't know Google could give logical reasons like Apple. Stop treating your customers like idiots.

 

[dimar]

How about implementing an option to keep data/save files on SD Card, so if I wipe my phone, I get my saves back when re-installing the applications. Yeah, and when somebody is confused, you educate them, not take features away!

 

[theabsinthehare]

I actually don't mind lack of an SD card. First off, 16 or 32GB is a lot of space in regards to what you're probably doing with a tablet or phone. The device is typically an *extension* of your main desktop or laptop where you keep most of your stuff, which means you probably have the opportunity at least once a day to connect it to that main system and transfer files. So, why do you need more than 16/32GB on a secondary device, especially one that is limited by a battery, since the battery will run out before you can watch that much video or listen to that much music. Yes, it seems "better" to have the option of SD, but do you *really* need it?

In my particular situation, I have sharing set up on my main computer, and so long as I'm within range of my wireless router, I can simply connect and grab what I want for that day or two or three. It makes more sense to me than using cards.

 

[Pyree]

[citation][nom]techcurious[/nom]How do you Backup the data? Gosh, let me think..Wifi (to a PC or Network drive.. I have seen rechargeable and portable Wifi+USB 2.5" drives too, from Seagate I think it was),Bluetooth (to a PC), USB Data Cable (to a PC or USB Drive), upload to the Cloud..How do you move photos, videos or audio files back and forth? Why, using the same methods above.. and also NFC..Finally, if you are going to be relying on your phone to take more than 10GB worth of photos and videos on a trip without any other device (Wifi+USB 2.5" drive would work well) with you to backup your photos, then I guess this phone will not be for you.[/citation]
The wireless HDD is Seagate Satellite (there are more of these wireless HDD with battery from different company in the future). I totally agree with the decision to remove the SD card slot. I don't have a wireless HDD, but I stream content from ad-hoc network from laptop to phone when I am away. The reason for that is I find the SD card is simply not big enough. If you find getting a laptop to run as wireless storage or getting a wireless HDD is a bit pricey, there is a USB cable and battery mod for running external USB HDD on an rooted Android phones. So, the SD card slot is really not so useful if you know what you are doing.

 

[doive1231]

Get with the Cloud programme people.

 

[PepiX]

It is never a wise idea to do what Google just did.. to start turning away opinion makers.. as SD card slot is most needed by the people who know more and are queried by friends and colleagues.

 

[yannigr]

I don't mind if Nexus doesn't have an expansion slot because I don't expect to buy one before they put a confusing expansion slot on it. I like to be confused with expansion memory cards.

 

[Guest]

Oh that just sounds load of ___

Here is my break down of "for" SD slot:
- easier transport, without having to link up phone, if phone has any cable problem I can still moving files.
- ease on USB, this is rarely known to happen but USB port physically break on frequent use.
- ease on phone battery, since Android is programmed to take USB current when got plugged and I experienced the memory problem with laptop before when I didn't know better, and that was Li Ion not old Ni Cad type.
- ease on phone, since USB carries current I experienced it frying smaller devices. That may not be true for something as big as phone.

That is clearly advantages to a Customer, to a company that made those the flipside is true.

 

[Filiprino]

A simple message explaining what can happen if you use MicroSD should be enough. By taking out the MicroSD you are pissing off a lot of people. Cloud storage is scarce and pricey.

 

[archange]

As dumb as it is, removing the SD slot is a common trend for Apple, Google and Microsoft. It caters to the aggressive way in which they are promoting cloud services.

It pains me to see how basically any dumb idea which is promoted by Apple is almost instantly adopted by other tech companies. Even HTC are doing it in their One series...

In the end, screw the consumer; what matters is market share and profit.

 

[Guest]

[citation][nom]kracker[/nom]Nice try google on calling it confusing.[/citation]

So what do you say to Apple? They don't included it.. And they don't even put in CD/DVD drives in their laptops anymore.

Also you have google drive, box, dropbox, etc to store files in.

Like they said in theory its great. But I barely use it anymore on my EVO. I download stuff to dropbox and delete off my phone until I need it. And favorite the stuff thats super important so I dont need internet to get it.

 

[halcyon]

[citation][nom]yarmock[/nom]So what do you say to Apple? They don't included it.. And they don't even put in CD/DVD drives in their laptops anymore.Also you have google drive, box, dropbox, etc to store files in. Like they said in theory its great. But I barely use it anymore on my EVO. I download stuff to dropbox and delete off my phone until I need it. And favorite the stuff thats super important so I dont need internet to get it.[/citation]
I think the average customer doesn't care or won't want a SD card. Perhaps Google is going after that market more-so than the techy type that does want the removable storage. Makes good fiscal sense. I don't see why the techy type cares when there are plenty of better alternatives to the Nexus devices. ...except getting the very latest OS updates that come quicker on the Nexus'. As long as Samsung and other continue to make quality kit with either enough onboard storage (64GB) or removable storage what Google comes out with on their Nexus' will continue to matter to me not.

 

[jacobdrj]

I figured it was to save simple users from themselves. That's fine.
Techies who want tablets should be waiting for Surface Pro and a full OS anyways...

 

[face-plants]

This is really a non-issue for me with my Nexus 7 tablet. Buy a $3 OGA USB cable from newegg and you can have a 32Gb or 64Gb sd card connected in minutes. Spoiler alert: download StickMount

 

[Filiprino]

Wii U has external hard disk support plus SD card slot plus its internal 8 or 32GB. The first Wii has an SD card slot too along with its internal 512MB.
Reggie said: "we'll let people get as much space as they want".

Google says: "Everybody likes the idea of having an SD card, but in reality it's just confusing for users" and "If you're saving photos, videos or music, where does it go? Is it on your phone? Or on your card? Should there be a setting? Prompt every time? What happens to the experience when you swap out the card? It's just too complicated."

You know what? Google doesn't know how to do a good product and doesn't know how to communicate their advantages to its customers. Pussies. Now please come back from the paleolithic era of computing where you couldn't expand your computer memory and where every f**** manufacturer had their own OS mostly incompatible with other devices or services, like Apple is doing.

Pffff. This statement is full of "PLEASE USE OUR CLOUD SERVICES AND WE'LL TAKE CARE OF YOUR PRECIOUS DATA FOR A GOOD AMOUNT OF MONEY".

 

[quilciri]

"Design something that a foold can use and only a fool will use it."

 

[jacobdrj]

[citation][nom]madjimms[/nom]Hey Google, what happens when the device breaks & all the data is still on it? How is a customer supposed to remove it without having removable media socket? MicroSD cards are going to be around for quite a long time, especially at the current size (not too small & not too big physically)[/citation]
Agreed that this is a problem. Their solution: Use Google Drive, duh...

 

[cookoy]

i'd like to store all my user data on an SD card and leave the built-in internal storage space for the factory-default things (OS and apps). Just like in the PC where you leave the C: drive for the OS and programs and the D: drive for your data. You set the default storage location once and forget about it. It's not confusing. Unless the OS and apps are too dumb to remove any confusion.

 

[devBunny]

The hardest thing about phones is choosing which one to get - features for the money. Thanks for reducing the list of contenders, Google. Is that the reduction in complexity that you intended? ;-)

 

[jacobdrj]

[citation][nom]devBunny[/nom]The hardest thing about phones is choosing which one to get - features for the money. Thanks for reducing the list of contenders, Google. Is that the reduction in complexity that you intended? ;-)[/citation]
I have some hard news for you: External storage on consumer devices is going the way of the DODO...

I love me some microSD. I make sure to always get the biggest one that will work in one of my given devices. But the fact is, they want you to store your stuff on the cloud, and consumers, for the most part, are too confused by the concept of local storage.

It makes it so you consume more data from your plan (good for the phone companies). It makes it so things are more easy (good for the phone vendors and phone companies). It allows companies to make cheaper phones with less local storage (good for phone vendors). The only place this isn't an advantage is for the flash ram manufacturers...

 

[segio526]

I don't miss the SD slot on my Galaxy Nexus. It's nice having only one option to browse through in file managers. I just figured Google was pushing the cloud more by not offering expanded storage. Currently I have all my music and some full length movies on my phone and I still haven't filled the 32GB that it has. In theory, all my music would go up to Google Music, pictures are backed up to Google+, and movies would be streamed from Google Video, so I would only need storage for apps.

In theory.

 

[syrious1]

sorry but 32GB internal is not enough for apps music photos and videos, the lack of the SD card is just stupid.

 

[halcyon]

[citation][nom]syrious1[/nom]sorry but 32GB internal is not enough for apps music photos and videos, the lack of the SD card is just stupid.[/citation]
No...for geeks it may not be. However, geeks don't make up the majority of the market.

 

[Prescott_666]

That statement makes it clear who they are trying to sell their tablet to. Those who are too stupid to manage storage.