Topic: Question about Android storage partitions...

[tendoboy1984]

T-Mobile let me trade in my Nokia Lumia for a Samsung Galaxy S2 because the charging port was defective. I love this phone, but I am wondering why Google only allows 2GB of ROM for app storage. Why isn't the entire 16GB available like on iOS and Windows Phone?

Do newer Android phones partition storage like this? I want to get the Moto G, but if it also only gives you 2GB for apps then I might as well go back to Windows Phone.

[BranDonk Kong]

You're confusing Samsung with Google. Also, didn't you make the "Everything Android" thread?


Solution - make an account at XDA, root your phone, install custom recovery, and flash a Jelly Bean ROM onto it, or better yet, a KitKat ROM.


http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s2-tmobile/development

[tendoboy1984]

I don't want to root my phone because I'm not that tech savvy and I don't want to risk breaking it. It already has Jellybean 4.1.2 installed.

So Samsung is the one to blame for the crazy storage partition? I thought all Android phones have storage partitions like that.

[BranDonk Kong]

I have a Motorola Droid HD with the stock 4.1.2 ROM...5.55GB of apps. It's all a single partition (aside from the ROM I suppose).

[pokepal148]

Most Samsung nexus htc? LG modern android devices worth giving two shits about went the single partition route for everything outside of the OS

The important thing to note is that the S2 comes from the pre-ics era of android phones where basically everything was a mess, manufacturer skins were extremely demanding of what little hardware those phones had, storage was practically a mess, and there was even a version of android done only for tablets because idk why.

The storage partition is just a remnant of that era. The bigger question is why you went for a nearly three year old phone when there are better options for the same price.

[tendoboy1984]

T-Mobile offered it as a free replacement for my defective Nokia Lumia. You can't turn down free!

I'm thinking about getting the Moto G next month when I have the money. $200 for a 16GB mid-range phone is a great deal; and since Motorola is owned by Google, the Moto G will (hopefully) be treated like a Nexus device and receive timely OS updates.

[BranDonk Kong]

Bear in mind that if you live in an area where T-Mobile hasn't transitioned all of their frequencies to 4G (HDSPA) then the Moto G will ony get 2G (Edge) service, but it's still a way better phone than the S2.

[tendoboy1984]

The thing I hate about Android is how is partitions internal storage. Why does it only give you 2GB for app downloads? That's very misleading, especially since my device has 16GB of internal storage.

Why can't Android be more like iOS and Windows Phone, where they give you the entire storage for app downloads, and only a small part is for the OS functions? It seems like Android has things backwards in this regard.

[pokepal148]

The thing I hate about Android is how is partitions internal storage. Why does it only give you 2GB for app downloads? That's very misleading, especially since my device has 16GB of internal storage.

I don't think anyone does that anymore

[BranDonk Kong]

You aren't even reading what we're saying. Android does not do that. Samsung did that on their phone.

[pokepal148]

Samsung doesnt even do it anymore based on my experience with the note 8.0

[tendoboy1984]

I read that Android was designed with those partitions in the pre-ICS days, but once Jellybean came out, Google combined everything into a single partition.

My Galaxy S2 came with Jellybean 4.1.2, so why does it still have that that wonky 2GB partition? Shouldn't the storage be unified?

[Plugabugz]

I read that Android was designed with those partitions in the pre-ICS days, but once Jellybean came out, Google combined everything into a single partition.

My Galaxy S2 came with Jellybean 4.1.2, so why does it still have that that wonky 2GB partition? Shouldn't the storage be unified?

You realise that Google makes Android, and then that version is handed onto manufacturers who then alter it to suit? Thus the Android on a Nexus 5 is not the same, strictly speaking, as a Galaxy S4. Even if it's still Android 4.2.2.

Can a mod please merge this into the existing android thread? except insanolord, that's just going to court destruction and carnage