Smart is big

Today, there are more mobile phones in the world than there are people. As per a recent report, there were more than 8.5 billion mobile subscriptions in use worldwide in 2023, compared to a global population of 8.11 billion halfway through the year. Moreover, as per the report, there were over 6.9 billion smartphone subscriptions in the world in 2023 and the number is expected to surpass a staggering 8.1 million by 2029. The growth in smartphone adoption is coupled with further advancement in device designs, specifications, software, and services – augmenting existing and introducing new use-cases that will make our lives more smartphone-centric.

These ubiquitous devices, designed to communicate, are now also going beyond connecting people and are impacting our lives in more ways that could not be imagined just a decade ago. Today, these devices have become the de facto standard medium for almost every digital interaction – from communication, content creation and consumption, entertainment, health, education, banking, commerce, and a lot more.

Smartphones are a revolutionary force, and their evolution shows no signs of stopping. From slimmer and lighter form factors to cameras that can record in 8K, massive battery life to large and stunning displays, the advancement in smartphones continues. Interestingly, the enhanced capabilities encourage consumers to do more with this device, such as content creators shooting entire films on smartphones. These advancements increase the need for high-speed and high-capacity storage- both in smartphones, and in the form of conveniently attached solutions.

Evolution of Smartphone Storage

Today’s smartphones demand more responsive and faster storage solutions. Additionally, in a world where over 57,000 photos are captured per second per year and over 93 million selfies are taken a day, Android devices alone, high-capacity storage has become a necessity. No wonder, a 64GB capacity which used to be desirable a few years back, often doesn’t cut it today.

As a result, storage has also undergone impressive advancements. Today up to 1.5TB  capacity microSD™ cards, such as the SanDisk Ultra UHS-I microSD™ card, are available. It not only offers massive capacity, but it is also the world’s fastest 1.5TB high-capacity UHS-I microSD card.

When it comes to conveniently attached storage there are many options available for users, such as the SanDisk Ultra® Dual Drive Go USB Type-C™ – multi-connector flash drives with both USB-C™ and USB-A support. Available in up to 1TB capacities, these flash drives offer super-fast read speeds of up to 400MB/s.

Another alluring option is ultra-high-speed solid-state drives (SSDS), such as the SanDisk Extreme PRO Portable SSD V2 or the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2. These on-the-go SSDs offer ultra-fast read speeds of up to 2000MB/s and up to 1050 MB/s, respectively and offer up to 4TB of capacity. These drives are super rugged and offer up to three-meter drop protection and IP65 water and dust resistance, making these an ideal partner for outdoor adventures.

In addition, there are various other storage options available today, matching the diverse needs of consumers. Smartphones are empowering people to achieve their dreams and, as a result, new use cases are emerging for these devices. Therefore, the storage industry must continue to innovate and introduce products and solutions to enable the future of smartphones.

By: Khalid Wani