Droid App Memory Limited to 256Mb - Ouch! We'll run out!!!

[RedSox2010]

After practically having my camp set up for Friday's Verizon release of the Droid as I just had to get my hands on one, I'm now concerned with application memory limitations.

For those of you who are technical - you know what I mean.

For those non-technical types, it refers to the amount of memory that you have available to store the "apps" you will download from the Android Market.

Currently the Droid is limited to 256Mb. No more, no less.

NOT 16GB!!! that is just your phone storage for Pics, Video, and MP3's...

The following link discusses the issue in greater depth:

http://androidandme.com/2009/10/news/google-fails-to-address-app-storage-issue-with-droid-and-androi...

So with apps running at about 4-10Mb per app - you can quickly see you will reach this limit at about 25-28 apps.

That is for low end - smaller apps. Graphic intensive apps (the Droid has about the same graphics capability as the iPhone) will reduce that exponentially. So with a few games in the 50-70MB range and your down to about 7 apps.

This has caused me to hit the brakes on camping out for a new Droid. Do I want to run out of space for apps when there is a 16GB card installed in my device? No....

So I think I may wait until Verizon can work with Google to get this right for the Droid.

While there appears to be an argument over weather the Droid has the capability to store the executables for apps on the internal flash, while bulk content (like textures, audio files, maps, etc.) can be stored on SD. Not a single reference from Google (Android 2.0), Motorola, or Verizon support this claim! I want to see proof before I take the leap, otherwise, I'm just buying a new phone in a year anyway - that gets this combo right.

Outside of that - it was potentially the dream device for me! I know Verizon will never get the iPhone, and my BlackBerry has the same limitations listed above... So why change now, I want Verizon, Google, and Motorola to get it right!

Anyone else have thoughts on this...?

/r

[daniel142005]

256Mb is plenty. Most apps for Android are 0.2mb to 3mb, not 4 to 10. Games can be a bit larger, but just because the app INSTALLS on the phone does not mean it can not store graphics, video, sound, etc. on the SD card so that it does not waste your space. 

This is what I have on my G1: (which has ~192mb instead of 256mb)

13 Games

23 Apps

With all of these apps I still have ~15mb of space left, and honestly, if you have 3G then you can remove them and re-download them later...

[farble1670]

a common pattern for app developers is to provide a game stub that is downloaded / purchased from the market. the app then downloads its data files from the net, onto the SD card, when it is run for the first time. so most of the app ends up being on the SD card where it doesn't eat up the internal RAM. not all large apps do this however.

[supitsmike]

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farble1670 wrote:

a common pattern for app developers is to provide a game stub that is downloaded / purchased from the market. the app then downloads its data files from the net, onto the SD card, when it is run for the first time. so most of the app ends up being on the SD card where it doesn't eat up the internal RAM. not all large apps do this however.

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Little to no Apps do that now, what are you talking about o.O?

It is rumoured however, for Google to implement Apps2SD very soon, so we don't have to worry about it.

[nickc50310]

As others have said, files for large apps can be stored on the SD card.  This is not as big of an issue as some are making it out to be.  Also, you can root the device if needed.  Also, this will likely be addressed soon enough by google.  Also, the main culprit for filling it would be games.  So...  download emulators and store your roms on SD. 

No reason to panic. 

[pkooistra]

Nick answered this well. Only executable files need to be stored in the ROM of the phone and all to the real content or Data can be stored on the SD card. Most apps keep a very small foot print in the ROM in Android apps. Developers know this restriction and they create apps with this in mind. This is a limitation put in by Google to try to limit pirating of apps. They would not have it on their phones if it crippled them the way you are thinking. Its not as big of a deal as it seems.

[cdawg]

The answer to the question..... seems "they" were listening.....  relief soon....

http://phandroid.com/2009/11/03/google-iso-developers-for-app2sd/

[ivorycruncher]

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cdawg wrote:

The answer to the question..... seems "they" were listening.....  relief soon....

http://phandroid.com/2009/11/03/google-iso-developers-for-app2sd/

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Eh, you beat me to posting that link.  Yes, Google is working on solving this problem right now, and the final solution may have some extra bells and whistles too, like being able to swap out SD cards with different sets of apps.  This is the beauty of an open platform.  And I think it will take you longer than you think to actually fill up the initial 256MB of flash storage.

[gyoza]

Yes, That is the long term solution. Currently they are working on a bandaid solution aka workaround for now.

Quoted from Mobilecrunch.com comment (http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2009/10/29/here-are-all-the-great-android-games-the-answer-is-simpler-th...)

Kevin Dill - October 30th, 2009 at 5:53 am CDT

We have a partial solution at this time to some of the Android storage woes. Remote file storage is available for the Android which emulates local storage for predominantly multimedia. We offer that service at Android Storage. We are working on technology and an app which will actually allow apps to be stored completely remote and then be “temped” to the phone via a stream and operated under a master app. That will be coming before spring. This changes the playing field and allows devices to fully take advantage of “virtually” unlimited app and storage memory with the improvements in 3G, 4G, and WIFI availability.

-end-
As for the validity of this claim who knows but research on the goog shows that Kevin Dills name does show up on A LOT of droid related websites. Specifically the Android Eclair facebook page, facebook pages showing austin android meetups and a facebook page for Kevin Dill in Ausitin TX. Then finally a website called androidstorage.com which shows

Android Storage Blog

The Android Storage team consists of: Chris Churchwell, Somer Orbay, Lisa Kelly and Kevin Dill. No More Limits! Social Bookmarks ...

blog.androidstorage.com/ - Cached - Similar -
http://blog.androidstorage.com/
Ahh mr Dill again...
I am excited for the amount of response from the google team.

[tubemonkey]

Why didn't Google/Motorola just install 16GB onboard to begin with, instead of the mSD card approach? Then this wouldn't even be an issue. My preference would've been a device with 64GB hardwired onboard plus the mSD card slot. Now I have to seriously rethink if the Droid is for me.

Initially, I wanted an iPod touch for net access, apps, games, videos, and music when I traveled. So I waited a few months for the 3rd gen to see which "missing features" (camera, camcorder, mic, gps, compass, FM radio, WiFi n, mSD, replaceable battery) Apple would add. Lo and behold, none of them were added. How disappointing! So I moved on and started contemplating smartphones as my only other option to get the features I wanted. My major concern here was having to pay $30/mo for a data plan I really didn't need. WiFi is more than adequate for my needs.

The first phone to catch my attention was the Omnia 2. So I waited and waited and waited and waited until the Droid caught my attention. Then I discovered that the 16GB they kept hyping was in the form of a mSD card and that actual onboard RAM was a mere 256MB. How difficult is it to put 16-32-64GB onboard like Apple does?

Maybe it's time to rethink the touch again???

[yewslus]

You are all taking this a bit too seriously.  Listen, if I can:

Access my home ftp and pull files,

Access my DESKTOP remotely from this phone and administer my home server,

Dial into PBX equipment for my job, and interface with a terminal emulator,

All while I listen to Pandora, look at street-view turn-by-turn directions, and find Andromeda,

then I am a happy camper.

Go play Myst on your home PC.

I have 42 applications that I have added since I got the phone on Friday.  I still have 209MB remaining internally.

Most of my apps are caching to the memory card.

This is not an iPhone killer.  Anyone who says that has no clue.  This is a market expansion.  This phone is among the first wave of Android sets to hit the market.  By the time you're ready for a 5GB application, you'll sure as heck be using it on a different piece of hardware.

Enjoy it for what it is; a giant leap for those of us who have been in Bland Land with Verizon Wireless.  The times, they are a changin'.

[yewslus]

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Now, if someone would PLEASE tell me the path that the card uses to store music, I would appreciate it.

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[tubemonkey]

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yewslus wrote:

Go play Myst on your home PC.

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Why? These are no longer just phones. They're now multimedia devices and it's not unrealistic to want large apps for better gaming.

[yewslus]

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tubemonkey wrote:

Why? These are no longer just phones. They're now multimedia devices and it's not unrealistic to want large apps for better gaming.

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Like I said, this is among the first of a new beast for Verizon.  You'll see the hardware advance tremendously over the next year.  It isn't unrealistic to want those kind of games, but it IS unfair to **bleep** the whole device over one (small) fault.

As a longtime VZW customer, I'm glad they opened up and did this.  The visionaries that brokered this shift to open-source are vindicated.

[supitsmike]

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tubemonkey wrote:

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yewslus wrote:

Go play Myst on your home PC.

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Why? These are no longer just phones. They're now multimedia devices and it's not unrealistic to want large apps for better gaming.

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Whereas I can definitely see your concern and eye for the 'multimedia' part of it, you need to understand that yes, as of right now Android phones can't stick a 300MB in their phones because we don't have enough internal memory. But our SD cards do. 

What I'm trying to come across here is that Google has already suggested, even hinted at allowing applications being saved to the SD card sooner than later.

[androidtapp]

Welcome to the issue all Android users face. The constant struggle of managing your apps to save space and the phone still performs. All other Android phones have between 192MB - 256MB.

Of course you can Root your phone but that comes with caution as you'll open the phone up for security risks. Most users are your average user and dont care/want to Root... they just want a Phone! And ironically not on the DROID Doesn't list.

The best thing we can do for now is keep an eye on internal memory usage and ditch apps we really dont need.