App Storage and Memory Issues - iPhone vs Android

[nonie3234]

I have just had a lightning bolt of a realization hit me. I was talking to some iPhone owning pals about "isn't a pain that we have such cool phones, and lots of apps, but you have to be careful not to download too many or you'll run out of space" and they are like "Huh?"

So I'm like "I wish I could sort apps in the Marketplace by app SIZE instead of price or rating, because I don't have room for any really large apps" and they're like "What the heck are you talking about?"

So I tell them "I really wanted to download the Inception App but it was 32mb, and who has that kind of room?" and then they started laughing...

They tell me that they can use the "space" on their phones for whatever they want. If you have an 8gb iPhone, you can (potentially) put 8gb of apps on it. Or 16gb, or 32gb - whatever. JUST LIKE AN IPOD! [forehead smack] See - I own an iPod, and - yeah - duh - I can fill it with whatever. Music, photos, movies OR APPS. The iPod doesn't care!

Now I am heartbroken. See - for me? It's all about the apps. That is the Most.Important.Thing. I am disappointed because before I bought an Android phone, I (thought) I did extensive research. Epic Fail. Now I want an iPhone.

Just to be clear - I DO prefer the interface of the Android (I have the HTC Eris), I like how you can customize it, there is lots and lots to like about it. BUT. The app space. Why would Android make this SO different from the way the iPhone stores apps? Am I the only one bummed out about the size of the phone memory? Is there anything I can do before I give up and go to the Other Side?

Thanks!

 

[Intervenient]

Nonsense, you can do whatever you like with Android. It's not a "walled garden" like the iPhone. The choice you're experiencing to do whatever you like with your storage does not exist.


/sarcasm

 

[Tre Lawrence]

I am somewhat confused.

 

[ari-free]

Android 2.2 has apps to SD support

 

[IOWA]

Android 2.2 has apps to SD support

Yes you can now store apps the SD card.

 

[grainysand]

Nonsense, you can do whatever you like with Android. It's not a "walled garden" like the iPhone. The choice you're experiencing to do whatever you like with your storage does not exist.


/sarcasm

Oh look, the broken record troll.

Most apps with big data will store that data on the sdcard (art assets and sounds for games, for example). But failing that, Froyo lets you store everything on the sdcard. What I don't get, though, is why you got an Eris. It's quite an outdated phone and has been for a while now.

 

[ari-free]

Oh look, the broken record troll.

he's asking for trouble and shouldn't be surprised when he gets it.

 

[IOWA]

he's asking for trouble and shouldn't be surprised when he gets it.

Agreed.

 

[copestag]

you dont even need Froyo for A2SD........ the Eris has all kinds of 2.1 ROMS with the ability to put apps on the SD...... just a matter of root and flash...... and wow now you have more storage space than your buddies iCrap

 

[nonie3234]

I got an Eris because - back in Nov 09 when I got it, it was that or the Motorola one, and I didn't want the keyboard. Plus, I really like the HTC Sense UI.

Do any of you with the newer phones have more phone storage?

Are any of you as app obsessed as I am, with a zillion apps and always running out of room?

Are there any ex (or current) iPhone users that would be willing to share their experience?

 

[nonie3234]

@Copestag - I wish I knew enough to understand how to do that! I am terrified that I will brick my phone.

I'd appreciate any advice - I really don't want to get an iPhone, I'd rather stay with Android in general and HTC in particular. I'm not due for an upgrade until next fall!

 

[IOWA]

I got an Eris because - back in Nov 09 when I got it, it was that or the Motorola one, and I didn't want the keyboard. Plus, I really like the HTC Sense UI.

Do any of you with the newer phones have more phone storage?

Are any of you as app obsessed as I am, with a zillion apps and always running out of room?

Are there any ex (or current) iPhone users that would be willing to share their experience?

Do you really use all the apps or do they just sit there taking up space?

 

[ari-free]

if I'm not mistaken, eris can get froyo too

 

[nonie3234]

@Iowa - not the point. If I want to have 150 apps for no other reason than I like the icons and think they are pretty, and there is a phone that will do that for me - then why not have 150 apps? Just sayin'.

But - to answer your question seriously - I have some apps that I don't use, but I keep them because maybe I might need them one day, and I don't want to hunt for them in the marketplace when I do. I have some apps that I'll use once in a while. There are some HUGE apps that I like but just don't have space for - the Inception app, Mouth Off, Drop 7, (some other games I can't remember the names of, I got rid of because they are huge), Documents to Go - etc., etc., etc.

All I'm saying is - app space being the Most.Important.Thing to me - what can I do? What is your advice?

I am not trying to convince anyone that app space should be the most important thing to everyone else. I realize and understand that I am probably in a slim minority of phone users. I'm okay with that.

 

[IOWA]

@Iowa - not the point. If I want to have 150 apps for no other reason than I like the icons and think they are pretty, and there is a phone that will do that for me - then why not have 150 apps? Just sayin'.

But - to answer your question seriously - I have some apps that I don't use, but I keep them because maybe I might need them one day, and I don't want to hunt for them in the marketplace when I do. I have some apps that I'll use once in a while. There are some HUGE apps that I like but just don't have space for - the Inception app, Mouth Off, Drop 7, (some other games I can't remember the names of, I got rid of because they are huge), Documents to Go - etc., etc., etc.

All I'm saying is - app space being the Most.Important.Thing to me - what can I do? What is your advice?

I am not trying to convince anyone that app space should be the most important thing to everyone else. I realize and understand that I am probably in a slim minority of phone users. I'm okay with that.

Install Apps2Sd.

 

[nonie3234]

These are the apps I have installed right now at this moment:

3D Compass (AR Compass), FlightView Free Flight Tracker, Layar Reality Browser, Hip Hop Music Trivia, Facebook for Android, Foursquare, SpillMap, Lettered, United States Constitution, Tricorder, Amazon MP3, CitySourced, AppBrain App Market, Earthquake!, NewsRob (Google Reader / RSS), Google Translate, Photoshop.com Mobile, Aldiko Book Reader Premium, Picasa Tool Pro, WeatherBug Elite, File Manager, Yelp, Scanner Radio, AppUsage Monitor/Manager, Timeriffic, MLB.com At Bat 2010, Newspapers Ad free, Google Maps, Steamy Window, Quick Settings, Barcode Scanner, Ghostify Lite, TerraTime Pro, Radar Now!, Movies, MagicMarker, Lookout Mobile Security FREE, IMDb Movies & TV, OI Shopping list, OI File Manager, Bookmark 2, Google Sky Map, SnapTell, Hugo, Apps Organizer, Urbanspoon, NewsRob Pro, Pandora Radio, Movies, NYTimes, Jewels, Advanced Task Manager, aLogcat - Logcat Application, gvSIG Mini Maps, BetterBookmarks, BallDroppings Lite, SMS Backup, Starbucks Card, Valpak

 

[ari-free]

I don't think HTC and others realized at the time that android would be very popular with so many apps. They didn't design their custom UI's so that they could be ready for google's updates. I think HTC is now much more flexible which is why Evo is the first retail phone to get android 2.2 even though it has Sense.

 

[grainysand]

Free advice: a lot of those apps are unnecessary.

Lookout? Ditch it, you don't need the thing. Advanced task manager, ditto. The Places function of google maps does just as well as Yelp. Why do you have two file managers? Etc.

 

[ari-free]

I think it would be better to just figure out how to solve the OP's problem. There will always be another reason for more storage space

 

[nonie3234]

@ari-free - thank you for understanding. My app choices are not the point - nobody else on earth has to agree with them. That's what makes this phone so wonderful - we can all have our own customized experience.

 

[Anthony1]

@Copestag - I wish I knew enough to understand how to do that! I am terrified that I will brick my phone.

I'd appreciate any advice - I really don't want to get an iPhone, I'd rather stay with Android in general and HTC in particular. I'm not due for an upgrade until next fall!

Unfortunately, unless you're willing to root then you are stuck with the very limited storage.

I don't think the Eris is getting 2.2, and even if it did it's not the universal panacea that some people make it out to be. It does not allow all apps to go to SD card, only the ones that the developers have allowed/updated to be installed, and by all accounts they are still few and far between. Not to mention the fact that I know at least a couple of app developers have been advised against it by Google, so don't expect everyone to allow it by default.

The good news is that the phone manufacturers have finally 'wised up' Most of the new Android phones that have been released very recently, such as the Galaxy S, or are scheduled, or rumoured, for release later this year have much improved internal storage. So by the time you get your upgrade later this year it shouldn't be so much of a problem.

Until then I'd really advise rooting with App2SD. It's a relatively easy and pretty much risk free process. I don't think there's that many people who have genuinely bricked their phones.

I rooted mine after experiencing exactly the same frustrations you are, and I'm extremely glad I did.

 

[nonie3234]

Anthony - you make an excellent point about the new phones - especially by time next fall rolls around! I was looking at that Samsung, it sure is nice! I didn't realize it has more phone storage - I'll have to check that out.

I have heard that same criticism of Froyo, too. I think people had the idea that *snap!* all of a sudden you could use your whole SD card any way you like, and it turns out that's not the case.

Okay - yeah - rooting...I'd be willing to give it a go, I guess. It's just that I keep seeing "use at your own risk" and "make sure you know what you are doing" and "you could brick your phone" - all of those scary, scary phrases.

Can you point me toward some resources geared for a novice? Will all of my apps work the same? Can I have a similar UI to the HTC Sense? And most important - can I still get my work emails on the Exchange Server?

While we're on the subject - do you know WHY the Android OS won't allow use of the SD card? Or - why there isn't more phone storage for apps like the dreaded iPhone has? And - why does rooting your phone void the warranty?

 

[grainysand]

Why wouldn't rooting your phone void the warranty? You're making the phone do things it wasn't meant to. Same with opening up a pre-built brand-name PC and modifying it: you void your warranty.

Of course, there are ways to root without unlocking the bootloader and thus not voiding your warranty.

 

[nonie3234]

Speaking of the Samsung (coming to Verizon as the Fascinate) - check this out:
Can AT&T’s Newest Android Phone Captivate Like an iPhone? Yes!

"In fairness, Captivate comes with a relatively large amount of internal storage

 

[nonie3234]

Wait - is it possible that the Samsung on AT&T has different flash memory than the Verizon's version?
Motorola Droid X vs. Samsung Fascinate (Galaxy S)

"The Droid X and Fascinate both take a two-pronged approach to storage, with internal and expandable memory on board, but the Droid X offers more. It comes with 8GB of internal memory and a 16GB microSD card preinstalled, while the Fascinate offers only 2GB of internal memory and a 16GB microSD card preinstalled."

"In fairness, Captivate comes with a relatively large amount of internal storage