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Why the iPhone 6 Has the Same Base Memory As the iPhone 5

Lucas123 writes When the iPhone 5 was launched two years ago, the base $199 (with wireless plan) model came with 16GB of flash memory. Fast forward to this week when the iPhone 6 was launched with the same capacity. Now consider that the cost of 16GB of NAND flash has dropped by more than 13% over the past two years. So why would Apple increase capacity on its $299 model iPhone 6 to 64GB (eliminating the 32GB model), but but keep the 16GB in the $199 model? The answer may lie in the fact that the 16GB iPhone is, and has been, by far the best selling model. IHS analyst Fang Zhang believes Apple is using that to push users to its iCloud storage service. Others believe restricting storage capacity allows Apple to afford the new features, like NFC and biometrics.

4 of 264 comments (clear)

  1. Memory doesn't cost that much. by NotInHere · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Its only to drive people to use cloud services and buy the expensive model for more capacity. Apple would be stupid to satisfy its users.

    1. Re:Memory doesn't cost that much. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Your thought process:

      Apple good
      Apple no provide mem expansion card
      Mem expansion good!
      Apple good!
      [conflict!!!!!!!!!!]
      Apple good override!
      Mem expansion bad because "confusing"
      [conflict satisfied]
      Hail Apple!

  2. Re:It costs power by NotInHere · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yeah, don't store the stuff locally because that needs power and then stream the content over the air instead, because that doesn't need power.

  3. Why worry? by quenda · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apple users are such whiners. If 16GB is not enough, just insert a TF card.