• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Can Apps be stored in MicroSD instead of Internal memory?

TimMatrix

Member
Mar 17, 2010
61
4
UK
The HTC Desire has limited memory of around 570Mb RAM and 512Mb ROM. The MicroSD card can hold up to 32Gb.

So, why can't HTC allow apps be stored in MicroSD card? If HTC/Google's concerned about piracy issues, i.e. copies of apps. from microSD card to another microSD card, etc. There is one way round to this problem: They could have installed some kind of unique crypto-key within the Desire's ROM, and any apps saved to the microSD card are automatically encrypted on-the-fly with this crypto-key. When apps are accessed, it is decrypted on-the-fly, too.

In other words, apps will ONLY work with THAT phone it shares the SAME crypto-key. Putting a microSD card containing apps into another Android phone WILL NOT WORK, thus solving the piracy issue.

Therefore, a message to HTC: PLEASE allow apps to microSD card (as much as 32Gb card) and BEAT iPhone/Nokia N900 at their game!

Thanks.
 
I don't think you'll get very far with that "complaint".

We are led to believe that this issue is something Google plans to address in a future update(although a long time coming). However, protecting the market from piracy will be paramount for them if the market is to keep on growing. More downloads = more/better developers = more/better apps.

There are some clever people that use the OS that will be more than willing to find a way past encrypted files.

Why HTC seem to be making phones with little internal storage I don't know
 
Upvote 0
We'll post here when rooting your desire becomes an option, its something I will be doing straight away simply to gets apps2sd like you want!

I agree, but I certainly don't want to root my Desire, as yet. I would do that, after the warranty has expired. I only got this Desire, less than a week ago, and to root it right away, would mean an instant "goodbye" to the warranty.

I'd rather wait for the official position with Google/HTC for the anticipated Firmware Update. This way, we retain the warranty, et al.

@DaveDesire says "I don't think you'll get very far with that 'complaint'" -- I disagree. The more people complaining directly to Google about lack of memory space for apps, the better it is for Google to be convinced and start resolving this memory limitation. After all, Google wouldn't want to lose its customer base to rival companies, would they? Customers are always KING as long as they know what to part their money on. When customers start telling (gossip, forums, etc) that Desire offers less memory space for apps than iPhone, people'll think, "Oh? That's not good, I'll look elsewhere".

Pundits believes that 2010 is the Year of the Android. Google better not lose that reputation, and act FAST, to prove that Android is a FAR FAR BETTER option to go for, than Apple's or Nokia's.

iPhone = 16Gb capacity.
N900 = up to 32Gb capacity.
All can store apps in them.

Desire = 512Mb capacity
Cannot use MicroSD card (potentially up to 32Gb) for apps.
That's sound awful.

Any thoughts?


Hope this helps?will start considering this.
 
Upvote 0
of all the mooted fixes and upgrades ( hi def rec, divx etc ) that may or may not roll out over the next year, i dearly hope storing apps to sd isn't last on the htc list...i've had my desire for just over a week and i'm already deleting "old" apps to try out new ones...that can't be good for app developers or users
 
Upvote 0
rooting is a good option, very safe procedure and you can also easily get back to the official rom.

Where would you get the official ROM from? Where do you download this? I'm sure the official ROM may not have branding, i.e. T-Mobile's, and this may invariably invalidate the warranty.

I don't know if it is easy to perform a rooted Android. Is there a clear, I mean, ABSOLUTELY clear step-by-step instructions SPECIFICALLY for the HTC Desire (not Nexus one, not anything else)?
 
Upvote 0
Hi there, ok, for most anyone who purchased a new Android device this year (2010),
It's official! according to google, the new Android 2.2 version (and later the 2.3 version) coming out the 4th quarter of this year (although rumored to come out this month ((June))), will fix this issue and allow apps and all of there files to be stored on our storage cards.
Yay!
You may not get an automatic upgrade over the air, but an article I read made it sound like any phone that came out this year with 2.1 should be eligible for upgrade.
Here is the article:
HTC Will Upgrade Most Phones to Android 2.2, Android 2.3 on Track for Q4 - Mobile and Wireless from eWeek
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones