Google has raised the minimum requirement for how much storage Android devices must have to get certified. Here's what the new minimum is!
            • db2@lemmy.worldEnglish
              2·
              6 days ago

              The thing is you don’t know if until it’s in hand. It’s advertised as 12 or 13, and the version string has been modified to say it in settings so a less sophisticated user isn’t going to know that Android 13 should be API level 33 and not 25. It’s dirty af and probably compromised on top of that but they’re all over Amazon.

  • moonlight@fedia.io
    2·
    6 days ago

    Any general purpose consumer device should probably have 64GB or more.

    But I don’t see the point in disallowing <32GB, as that can still be enough for using tablets for lots of uses like e-readers, smart home displays, kiosks, etc.

    In practice, this just means that low end devices will stay on older versions of Android even more than they do already.

    • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
      2·
      6 days ago

      Could they just have a microsd card slot instead?

      I don’t really see the need for 64GB of storage. 32 is about the sweet spot for me.

      • Estebiu@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        1·
        6 days ago

        32gb? What exactly do you use your devices for? For android 15, there already needs to be 12-13gb reserved, then you have only 20ish gb, that in 2025 frankly aren’t a lot even for spotify/whatsapp/telegram/organicmaps’s cache, and thats if you dont use social mndias. If it’s a device you plan on using for more than 2 months, you’re bound to run into problems.

        • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
          2·
          6 days ago

          On my device Android 12 uses 9GB and there are about 4GB for temp files.

          I don’t use any proprietary apps for the most part so that might be why. For Organic maps the downloaded map size is just shy of a gigabyte and I have three US states downloaded. The biggest app on my phone is Termux but that’s because I installed a bunch of stuff. It sits at around 1.5GB.

          Maybe I’m the exception. Is it just that Lineage OS is more space efficient or something? What’s your storage space look like?

        • Ilandar@lemm.eeEnglish
          0·
          6 days ago

          32 GB is enough for phone calls, messaging, internet (social media, email, browsing), banking, 2FA, news, shopping, calendar, weather, podcasts, music and video streaming, navigation, basic camera usage, etc. I used an XZ1 Compact with Android 14 for a large chunk of last year and only used 23 GB of the 32 GB with all of this and more.

          • baatliwala@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
            0·
            6 days ago

            Right but 32 gb isn’t 32 gb out of the box, it’s probably around 29 gb and nowadays android takes 10 gb itself so you’re only left with around 20 usable which is nothing.

    • Pyr@lemmy.caEnglish
      1·
      6 days ago

      We have little work laptops for staff and even with just like 3-4 programs and a 5gb limit on cloud files stored locally, 64gb is hardly even anoigh to update Windows. Need to get them with at least 128gb.

  • network_switch@lemmy.mlEnglish
    31·
    6 days ago

    I think 128GB should be the minimum. A lot reserved for the operating system and the rest for storage hungry applications. At least save local map data and some music

    • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
      01·
      6 days ago

      I have 32GB of storage and I’m sitting at around 22GB used with all of my apps.

      128GB seems like way over kill especially if you factor in the cost. It doesn’t make sense for a cheap device.

        • Possibly linux@lemmy.zipEnglish
          1·
          6 days ago

          Except maybe it isn’t needed?

          I would have no use for that much. Why waste the hardware? If you need that much just buy a device with a higher capacity. Don’t force it on everyone.

          16GB is to low because it falls short in many uses. 32GB is just about right for a lot of people and 64GB is excellent. I’m not sure why you would want 256GB. Phone storage shouldn’t be relied on for important things like photos since your phone can get destroyed in many different ways.

          • Mac@mander.xyzEnglish
            1·
            6 days ago

            Your point is valid but I’ve never actually had a phone get destroyed. Is it common for that to happen?

  • es_eskaliert@feddit.orgEnglish
    1·
    6 days ago

    Can fully understand for phones&tablets, but what about smart TVs or maybe watches? I don’t see them needing that much storage with just a few apps installed. Sounds like a waste of resources to me…

    • Estebiu@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      1·
      6 days ago

      Not much difference between a 16gb chip and a 32/64gb anymore. In fact, i think it could cost more to do the 16gb variant as request is considerably lower.

  • sabreW4K3@lazysoci.alEnglish
    1·
    6 days ago

    Starting with Android 15, devices must ship with at least 32GB of storage, 75% of which must be allocated to the data partition.

    Still not enough