iPhone 6 sytem storage

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BorkFactor

Original Poster:

7,258 posts

157 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
Morning all, my phone contract is due to be upgraded tomorrow as I have now reached the end of my term with it. I have been offered an iPhone 6 16GB for £29 a month, or a 5S 16GB for £25 a month. Both seem pretty reasonable, and I am leaning towards the 6 at the moment.

However I have been informed by a friend that the file size of the software is 6GB which leaves you with only 10GB of usable storage on the phone which seems pretty hopeless especially seeing as they don't have a memory card slot.

Would someone with either a 6 or 5S be able to confirm if this is the case or not? And while we are at it, are you happy with your choice of phone?

Cheers smile

HewManHeMan

2,348 posts

121 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
I wouldn't touch the 16gig. I happily got on with the 32gig iPhone 5 but once the apps started to take advantage of the bigger screen of the 6, textures and graphics increase in size and take up a load more memory. I've got the 64gig 6 now and it's as much use as the 32gig 5, I've found.

I have a 16gig iPad and it's near useless. I'll use it for web browsing only nowadays.

ZesPak

24,421 posts

195 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
16GB is only of use if you really don't use a lot of apps and don't use a lot of media. Basically when you don't use it as a smartphone.
Why they didn't drop the 16GB and made the 32GB the lowest like Samsung did is beyond me.

I would avoid it. Won't be interesting if you want to sell it later as well.

BorkFactor

Original Poster:

7,258 posts

157 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
Hmm, that's disappointing. What about the system storage? Does that really take up 6GB?

To be honest I mainly use it for internet use and music, not many apps besides that. My current HTC One is 15GB full and that's all I seem to need.

Annoyingly the only android phone I like the look of is that Sony Z3 Compact thing and it appears to have some build quality issues. The Samsung's are huge and I won't buy another HTC.

gr1340

975 posts

202 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
I have a 16gb IP6.

Storage used - 7.9 GB
Storage available - 4 GB

Total is therefore 11.9 GB before you add anything, maybe about 11gb with the pre installed apps.
Most of that is photos and videos although I have about 20-30 apps including offline sat nav.

Whether 16gb is enough is entirely up to you. For me, it is perfectly adequate. Most of the space is used up with pics/vids I have taken so I back these up every 2-3 months and then remove them from my phone.
If I had 64gb then I wouldn't have to do this as often but I would just fill it up with other crap.

So therefore, you can use it as smartphone. Its when you start using it for films/music that you need the space.

I don't think I have ever had more than a 16gb phone in my life. I have had phones with MicroSD slots which I have always put a 16gb card in but never actually used it!

Edited by gr1340 on Wednesday 27th May 12:33

chibbard

1,554 posts

259 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
BorkFactor said:
Hmm, that's disappointing. What about the system storage? Does that really take up 6GB?

To be honest I mainly use it for internet use and music, not many apps besides that. My current HTC One is 15GB full and that's all I seem to need.

Annoyingly the only android phone I like the look of is that Sony Z3 Compact thing and it appears to have some build quality issues. The Samsung's are huge and I won't buy another HTC.
You've answered it yourself. Sounds as though it will suit you fine. I've got an Iphone 6 16gb and found it to be adequate. I don't tend to fill mine up with pointless stuff i don't use. However, if you insist on putting 10Gb of itunes account on there, obviously it's not for you !!

ZesPak

24,421 posts

195 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
As for the Samsungs being huge? www.phonearena.com/phones/size

Other than that, having worked with both the S6 and ip6, you'd really have to want the iPhone to even consider it.
Don't take my word for it, go have a play with them back to back.

BorkFactor

Original Poster:

7,258 posts

157 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
The S6 is still pretty expensive, and the S5 is a bit too big for what I want. Didn't realise the iP6 was that big though, hmm.

What's wrong with them in your experience?

ZesPak

24,421 posts

195 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
BorkFactor said:
What's wrong with them in your experience?
Nothing, perfectly good phones.

As long as you don't hold an S6 next to them. The screen, cameras and many other things just feel years ahead.
Just hold them side by side and they really don't feel just 6 months a part.

If size is a limitation, the 5S and Sony Z3 Compact are really your only high-end options. But tbh, holding an iPhone 5S now does feel a bit 2012. For £5/month more, I'd go for the ip6.

Edited by ZesPak on Wednesday 27th May 14:19

BorkFactor

Original Poster:

7,258 posts

157 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
Yeah the deals on the S6 are more than I would like to spend. Thanks for the advice though.

Will have a proper look at them tomorrow side by side. I like the idea of the Z3 compact but the build quality tales are putting me off.

parabolica

6,703 posts

183 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
I just swapped from a 16gb to a 64gb (because no 32gb) iPhone 6 because of your issue OP; I thought 16gb would be perfect for me but the OS takes up a fair chunk. Got to the point where it wouldn't let me download music or even take a picture due to lack of space.

BorkFactor

Original Poster:

7,258 posts

157 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
Having spent some time researching today, it seems you are not the only one with that issue. I assume it affects the 5S just as much as the 6?

Might end up staying with android after all, the 64GB ones are very expensive!

ecsrobin

17,023 posts

164 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
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Although the size of android is more than iOS so it's not an apple thing.

poing

8,743 posts

199 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
BorkFactor said:
Having spent some time researching today, it seems you are not the only one with that issue. I assume it affects the 5S just as much as the 6?

Might end up staying with android after all, the 64GB ones are very expensive!
I swapped from a couple of iPhones to the Sony Z3, I went for full size rather than compact and I'm glad I did but there are days when I feel it's too big. Not sure what build issues you are seeing, not got any problems with mine or the other people I know with them but maybe it's just the compact that has issues?

Anyway, the 16gb size thing was my main reason for moving away from Apple, the cost of a 64gb phone was just too much but I felt it was what I would need. If Apple did the sensible thing and allowed the use of memory cards then I would still have Apple, Android won because now all the stuff that's heavy on storage is not an issue with all my music (I have premium Spotify which stores offline so takes a few gb) and photo's on a cheap 64gb memory card. The most recent update now even allows me to move some of the apps to the memory card.

BorkFactor

Original Poster:

7,258 posts

157 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
Thanks for the info, glad to hear the Z3 is working out. From what I have read (taken with a pinch of salt of course) the glass on the back / front can crack and the plastic covers over the charging port can break. A few reports of dead pixels too.

I am pretty much off the idea of a 6, looks too big. Will basically come down to wheither I can get a better deal on the Z3C or a 5S 32GB!

Last thing I want is to be stuck with a phone for 2 years and be plagued with memory issues.

ZesPak

24,421 posts

195 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
Again, two completely different beasts! Be sure to have a play with both before settling.

BorkFactor

Original Poster:

7,258 posts

157 months

Wednesday 27th May 2015
quotequote all
I will be sure to, thanks again for your help! smile