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trims

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 11, 2011
232
79
Nottingham, UK
You're sizing up your new Apple device (iPhone, iPad, Mac) and decide you need more storage space. Upgrading appears to cost roughly 75p / GB (UK price) whatever the device. Yet purchasing an SSD device, like an internal SSD hard disc, or even an external SSD disk with it's own housing etc. costs less than 20p / GB (UK price). Why is Apple storage so expensive?
 

sparksd

macrumors G3
Jun 7, 2015
9,964
33,967
Seattle WA
You're sizing up your new Apple device (iPhone, iPad, Mac) and decide you need more storage space. Upgrading appears to cost roughly 75p / GB (UK price) whatever the device. Yet purchasing an SSD device, like an internal SSD hard disc, or even an external SSD disk with it's own housing etc. costs less than 20p / GB (UK price). Why is Apple storage so expensive?

Because marketing told them they could still sell at those prices (not being snarky, either).
 
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MEJHarrison

macrumors 68000
Feb 2, 2009
1,522
2,723
Why is Apple storage so expensive?

Probably because people pay for it. If Apple didn't sell any phones above the entry level memory configuration, they would probably notice and change their pricing. Since they're not changing their pricing, I can only assume they found what they believe to be the sweet spot between profits and the public's willingness to pay.

For the record, I suspect Apple isn't the only company making a profit on memory upgrades, though I don't track other cell phones.
 

Thai

Suspended
Feb 2, 2016
1,459
883
Colorado
I backup to my iMac PRO (via iTunes and PHOTOS)...and then to WD storage device (8GB). I only use iCloud storage for my device backups. All photos/docs etc go to my iMac.
 

boogas8

macrumors member
Mar 12, 2014
56
43
Because they can. They have many many analysts who do all the calculations and develop expectations. It’s all calculated.
 

sparksd

macrumors G3
Jun 7, 2015
9,964
33,967
Seattle WA
This is a big reason I'd like to see support for attached storage. I travel a lot to areas with poor to no Internet connectivity so I don't depend on cloud storage. A 1TB iPad sounds great except for the pricing - pricing you pay on every upgrade whereas an SSD can travel from one device to the next.
 

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
You're sizing up your new Apple device (iPhone, iPad, Mac) and decide you need more storage space. Upgrading appears to cost roughly 75p / GB (UK price) whatever the device. Yet purchasing an SSD device, like an internal SSD hard disc, or even an external SSD disk with it's own housing etc. costs less than 20p / GB (UK price). Why is Apple storage so expensive?
How does the pricing compare when it comes to other manufacturers? Does going up in storage on another phone from another manufacturer or on a computer from a mother manufacturer simply costs the price of what the storage can be purchased for, or is it also more?
 

s15119

macrumors 68000
Nov 20, 2010
1,856
1,714
It's kind of like asking why the sky is blue. Apple charges more because they do and they can. I just bought a 2018 mini, I bought it with minimum storage and all the media will go on external files.
 
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tps3443

macrumors 65816
Jan 24, 2019
1,406
908
NC,USA
1TB iPad is awesome, the price per GB goes down drastically on the 1TB model, although it has other benefits too. Buy once, cry once! These devices have a long life cycle, at nearly 2 years..It is a long term investment for me.

Now I’m spoiled forever, I’m sure they will offer a 2TB ipad in the future.

I was always the guy who bought at the lowest price of admission, to get what I wanted at the lowest entry fee. But now, I think otherwise and the mid to high end storage is probably the best way to go. Especially with apple, non upgradable, and no external storage.
 
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sparksd

macrumors G3
Jun 7, 2015
9,964
33,967
Seattle WA
1TB iPad is awesome, the price per GB goes down drastically on the 1TB model, although it has other benefits too. Buy once, cry once! These devices have a long life cycle, at nearly 2 years..It is a long term investment for me.

Now I’m spoiled forever, I’m sure they will offer a 2TB ipad in the future.

Goes Down? For the 12.9 it's linear - each 256GB adds $200 (256GB - $1139, 512GB - $1349, 1TB - $1749). I can buy a 4TB HDD for $110 and won't have to "rebuy" it in 2 years. I'll take the offline storage (I did - I use the 4TB HDD with a wireless FileHub). Plus, I don't want a 12.9" device - I prefer the small iPads.
 

Davefevs

macrumors regular
Dec 14, 2015
169
104
Bristol, UK
1TB iPad is awesome, the price per GB goes down drastically on the 1TB model, although it has other benefits too. Buy once, cry once! These devices have a long life cycle, at nearly 2 years..It is a long term investment for me.

Now I’m spoiled forever, I’m sure they will offer a 2TB ipad in the future.

I was always the guy who bought at the lowest price of admission, to get what I wanted at the lowest entry fee. But now, I think otherwise and the mid to high end storage is probably the best way to go. Especially with apple, non upgradable, and no external storage.

I too was this guy, mainly because on a budget. Hence the 32gb 1st gen IPP.

But over the last couple of years, I got a iPhone 7 with 128gb, then 8 plus with 256gb. The new IPA with 256gb sounds like just what I was after.
 

tps3443

macrumors 65816
Jan 24, 2019
1,406
908
NC,USA
Goes Down? For the 12.9 it's linear - each 256GB adds $200 (256GB - $1139, 512GB - $1349, 1TB - $1749). I can buy a 4TB HDD for $110 and won't have to "rebuy" it in 2 years. I'll take the offline storage (I did - I use the 4TB HDD with a wireless FileHub). Plus, I don't want a 12.9" device - I prefer the small iPads.

Yea that is MSRP direct from Apple.

My 11” 1TB was only $1329 shipped brand new sealed and, it is a unlocked cellular model.

But, I said price per GB goes down with the 1TB model.

For the 256GB model your paying about $4.50 per GB. With the 1TB your paying about $1 per GB. Obviously the 64GB model is around $15 per GB.

I know you could keep your 4TB external hdd, but with a iPad after 2 years you can squeeze a lot of your money back out of it with resale.

When I sell my iPad, I expect it’ll cover a little over half the cost of my next iPad. And if I buy the base model next gen iPad Pro then possibly 3/4 of the total cost.

Not to mention, that’s if you must buy the next new device. You could just keep it another 2 years, and skip a generation easily. Do you think the 2nd gen iPad Pro users are no happy right now? The 2017 iPad Pro was 19 months old when the current iPad Pro was released. That means the 2nd gen iPad Pro is almost 25 months old right now, and they are functioning great. I’m sure they can go much longer too
 
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sparksd

macrumors G3
Jun 7, 2015
9,964
33,967
Seattle WA
Yea that is MSRP direct from Apple.

My 11” 1TB was only $1329 shipped brand new sealed and, it is a unlocked cellular model.

But, I said price per GB goes down with the 1TB model.

For the 256GB model your paying about $4.50 per GB. With the 1TB your paying about $1 per GB. Obviously the 64GB model is around $15 per GB.

I know you could keep your 4TB external hdd, but with a iPad after 2 years you can squeeze a lot of your money back out of it with resale.

When I sell my iPad, I expect it’ll cover a little over half the cost of my next iPad. And if I buy the base model next gen iPad Pro then possibly 3/4 of the total cost.

Not to mention, that’s if you must buy the next new device. You could just keep it another 2 years, and skip a generation easily. Do you think the 2nd gen iPad Pro users are no happy right now? The 2017 iPad Pro was 19 months old when the current iPad Pro was released. That means the 2nd gen iPad Pro is almost 25 months old right now, and they are functioning great. I’m sure they can go much longer too

Way too much $ for what they're providing. $1/GB? Robbery.
 

JPack

macrumors G5
Mar 27, 2017
13,484
26,096
Yea that is MSRP direct from Apple.

My 11” 1TB was only $1329 shipped brand new sealed and, it is a unlocked cellular model.

But, I said price per GB goes down with the 1TB model.

For the 256GB model your paying about $4.50 per GB. With the 1TB your paying about $1 per GB. Obviously the 64GB model is around $15 per GB.

I know you could keep your 4TB external hdd, but with a iPad after 2 years you can squeeze a lot of your money back out of it with resale.

When I sell my iPad, I expect it’ll cover a little over half the cost of my next iPad. And if I buy the base model next gen iPad Pro then possibly 3/4 of the total cost.

Not to mention, that’s if you must buy the next new device. You could just keep it another 2 years, and skip a generation easily. Do you think the 2nd gen iPad Pro users are no happy right now? The 2017 iPad Pro was 19 months old when the current iPad Pro was released. That means the 2nd gen iPad Pro is almost 25 months old right now, and they are functioning great. I’m sure they can go much longer too

Apple charges $0.78/GB for iPad Pro. There's no situation where the $/GB decreases.
 

tps3443

macrumors 65816
Jan 24, 2019
1,406
908
NC,USA
The price of the 1TB model does scale up a little higher then the 512Gb model. But you get 6GB of useable ram. That is 50% more memory.

People let’s not reply saying that the 6GB isn’t useable, because I’ve got about 30 screen shots and videos that say otherwise. I’ve been testing a 512Gb vs a 1TB model for a week now, and not a dime of its memory goes to managing any storage space.

We all know the 256GB is the best value anyday. But, when it comes to storage space apple is gonna ream you hard on cost for it.
 

sparksd

macrumors G3
Jun 7, 2015
9,964
33,967
Seattle WA
The price of the 1TB model does scale up a little higher then the 512Gb model. But you get 6GB of useable ram. That is 50% more memory.

People let’s not reply saying that the 6GB isn’t useable, because I’ve got about 30 screen shots and videos that say otherwise. I’ve been testing a 512Gb vs a 1TB model for a week now, and not a dime of its memory goes to managing any storage space.

RAM isn't the issue here, it's storage memory. It's not a factor in this consideration. And this memory cost extends across models - not everyone wants the 12.9" iPad.
 

tps3443

macrumors 65816
Jan 24, 2019
1,406
908
NC,USA
RAM isn't the issue here, it's storage memory. It's not a factor in this consideration. And this memory cost extends across models - not everyone wants the 12.9" iPad.

What does the 12.9 have to do with anything? You keep mentioning it.

When I was shopping for the 1TB model, the extra ram it had helped make my decision a lot easier over the 512GB model.

6GB/1024GB vs. 4GB/512GB
[doublepost=1552954160][/doublepost]
RAM isn't the issue here, it's storage memory. It's not a factor in this consideration. And this memory cost extends across models - not everyone wants the 12.9" iPad.

What is storage memory?
 

sparksd

macrumors G3
Jun 7, 2015
9,964
33,967
Seattle WA
What does the 12.9 have to do with anything? You keep mentioning it.

When I was shopping for the 1TB model, the extra ram it had helped make my decision a lot easier over the 512GB model.

6GB/1024GB vs. 4GB/512GB

I want the extra storage at a reasonable cost on a smaller iPad. I don't want a large iPad.
 

tps3443

macrumors 65816
Jan 24, 2019
1,406
908
NC,USA
I want the extra storage at a reasonable cost on a smaller iPad. I don't want a large iPad.

The cost of a 1TB iPad is rediculous. You need to shop areound and find a good deal on a 11” model then. That’s what I did. There are plenty of new ones out there that can be had at a reasonable price, if you want the 11” and 1TB storage space.
 

sparksd

macrumors G3
Jun 7, 2015
9,964
33,967
Seattle WA
What does the 12.9 have to do with anything? You keep mentioning it.

When I was shopping for the 1TB model, the extra ram it had helped make my decision a lot easier over the 512GB model.

6GB/1024GB vs. 4GB/512GB
[doublepost=1552954160][/doublepost]

What is storage memory?

RAM vs ROM.
 
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