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

[Samsungfan123]

Just root the device. Problem solved. YAY!!!

[RedSox2010]

Sure - you could root it and whiel about 20% of us can do that - ROFL - the 80% that try and fail should be fun to watch!

(Not to mention Verizon voiding them when they come in dazed and confused to the dealer.

(androidcommunity.com yields over 2000+ results when doing a simple search for "android root problems".

Plus - rooting works to a point - but in itself is not flawless.

I like the 1 billion warnings sites with rooting instructions have...

And... while sure you can run the Verizon version of Android 2.0 anytime, Verizon will not support your root (ROFL).

Not to mention you probably will not receive system updates from Verizon, all data will be wiped when flashing a new Android build (you'll need to plan for backups before hand), and if you do not read and follow instructions exactly, you will have trouble.

The majority of users will like it because they always wanted an iPhone on Verizon and will NOT move to AT&T, but have little skill when it comes to hacking their phones.  

For me - why should I pay to have to then root my phone - when it should be done right in the first place.

I'll either wait for the firmware to be upgraded to allow access to SD by apps, or wait for the Droid II.

/r

[fezzik]

I have randomly searched the market I have looked at 20 apps and have yet to find one 2mb.  Really I haven't found anything over 1.4 and that was a 3d game.  World of Warcraft was under 1.  The roughly 250 mb that you will have available to install apps does not include the ones already installed.  In otherwords the really cool stuff like Google maps, facebook, Navigation, Google books, youtube, etc etc etc are already on there the 250mb is for other stuff and it looks like about an average of we'll call it 1.5 since I have to assume that since everyone is making such a fuss about this that there are some huge apps but so far of 20 apps the average is just under 1mb.  We will go conservative and say that unless you build your own graphic intensive games or port apps from Linux for whatever crazy reason you may have you will be able to install roughly 100 apps in that space.  Most of us will have fewer than 20 unless we really get crazy.  Personally I am most excited about metal detector which is 42kb.  Yeah with apps like that I will have caverns to work with. 

[fezzik]

Whoop found them.  Margarita drop 7.9MB.  Gang wars lite 2.9mb.  I dare you 2.9MB XGalaxy2 full version 8.4MB.  PacMan is for real 2.3MB what I don't think the original was that big.  I don't think they thought in MB when Pac Man came out.  LOL. 

[RedSox2010]

You know - as we get Flash 10.1 on Android 2.0, this size thing will scale back as Flash apps developed in that resolution will be compact. Again... cautions....

[RedSox2010]

ROFL - I saw that! Metal Detector App.  Crazy.

Ultimately - I think this will get resoved in a firmware upgrade to Android 2.x, but I'm still cautions as I'm an app hog.

[fezzik]

I agree.  I mean I understand the reasoning to a certain extent but why put all the protections up for opensource programs?  I do think that eventually that will end up being resolved.  It will hurt the serious gamers but for the rest of us I don't think it will be an issue. I also expect that in 2 years when I am upgrading again that the Rom will be much larger as will the majority of apps and I will be dreaming of that new whatever by then. 

[fezzik]

I don't think we will be getting Flash until Spring at best.  Adobe has been promising it for a while and no one has seen it not even the all powerful iPhone.  I think Android is still fledgling enough that it will be playing second fiddle to iPhone for a while yet on app development by mainstream businesses.  though I was very glad to see a bank of america App. 

[farble1670]

open source programs? just like the apple app store, the android market offers many pay applications. additionally, the google apps (maps, gmail, etc) are not free, even though you do not pay for them directly. verizon licenses use of them from google.

[farble1670]

if you don't know what "root" means, google "g1 android root" and start reading.

they won't fix the  limitation in a 2.x. it's a security issue. if you can dump apps on the SD card, then you can steal those apps (more easily). this problem has been around since android 1.0. there's no technical limitation to solving the problem. as someone mentioned, it is already solved through 3rd party software for other, non-motorola (rooted) devices.

there is currently no rooting solution for the droid. if and when there is, it will violate your warrantly. moreover, rooting your device is not for the faint of heart. if you are not a technical person with at least some linux base knowledge you may be overwhelmed. also, from the point you root onwards, you are now responsible for updating your OS as new releases come out. you can't / won't receive OTA updated from verzizon.

how much more could it add to the price of the phone to just double, or quadruple the amount of internal RAM to 512 or 1024MB? $10? $25? i just don't get it.

[farble1670]

there is presently no way to root the droid.

[crazy4trntitans]

ok, I'm confused.....what does root mean???  And will you need a SD card  to get the 16 g.   thanks for any answers.  I'm looking at it but don't know after reading your posts.

[RedSox2010]

Here's the deal - by the simple nature of you looking for input on websites to help you decide, you are already light years away from most.

Just be informed about what you are deciding and stay away from Hype. This phone appears to be great and with the limitation I mentioned above =- it still sizes up as a wicked phone by any standard.

WiFi, 5MP camera, DVD quality video (though I would like to see samples online recorded so I can SEE with my own eyes), and the SLEW of other good features will most likely mean you will be happy. 

I'm a tough cookie to please and will jam that thing so full of apps, I just want to be sure I'm satisfied with the end game.

/r

[fezzik]

Understood.  For me the Google apps are the ones I am most excited about.  I am hoping for a barnes and Noble app and maybe a Kindle app soon mostly for my wife's sake but I kind of want it too.  Beyond that everything else will pretty much be for fun.  I don't play a lot of games and I will mostly have free apps cause that is just the kind of high roller I am .  LOL.  Put it this way I haven't had apps so I don't feel like I will be missing anything if I can only load say 50 to 100 apps.  Like I say mine will more than likely only have about 20 or so beyond the Google and they will be toys like the metal detector and fake call me and fun stuff like that.  Really looking in there at the kind of nerdy stuff I will load I will be able to put more than the phone has icon space for most likely.  though I may have some productivity apps and finance apps too. 

I guess my point in all of this is we both are reasonably informed on the issue but on opposite sides of the fence.  I think most of the people who aren't informed that will buy this phone cause it is the hot thing more than likely won't fill it up.  The apps will be and I think mostly are novelty fun toys and most people will be downloading silly stuff mostly with a few games (I imagine mob wars and Wow will be big downloads really) but your average joe won't know how much space he has until or if he reaches the limit and then I hope he will be smart enough to figure out how to get rid of some of the silly toys for stuff he really needs.  (ok that may be a stretch for some people). 

the thing that will be bad is most people won't know they need app killer.  My understanding is the old Android had problems with when you close an app it doesn't die it goes to background until the memory gets full then it shuts down.  Which is basically fine but if you want to keep it running fast and not bogged down in memory then app killer is a must.  Much like task manager.  That is what concernes  me about the common man getting a Droid phone.  they will think it is slow when really it just is bogged down.

[supitsmike]

There is no reason to worry, my friend.

Apps, at most that I've ever seen come no larger than 8MB, and I assure you that you can put as much as you'd like to your hearts content, and not worry about it. Especially if the Verizon Droid has not only one but two processors (Which by the way is tremendously better than what the rest of us Android users have.)

There is rumored that next update, we'll be able to do Apps2SD. So since you guys have a huge SD card (That's also class 6), you'll have absolutely nothing to worry about.

[tubemonkey]

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supitsmike wrote:

There is no reason to worry, my friend.

Apps, at most that I've ever seen come no larger than 8MB, and I assure you that you can put as much as you'd like to your hearts content, and not worry about it. 

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There's a reason for that - they know the limitations imposed by the small amount of storage available on these phones. Why develop an app over 300MB when they know it can't be loaded?

Good games won't take off until Google hurries the App2SD fix.

Have you seen all the awesome iPhone and iPod Touch games? Hardly any of them would fit on an Android phone. It is not uncommon for popular titles to easily exceed 100 MB. For example, the game Myst takes up a whopping 727MB.

[crazy4trntitans]

I know I would probably have to upgrade to get the web, etc. (I don't have it now) like on a blackberry, but do I have to add the wi-fi?

[Reusable]

I read the link you referred to and it noted your concern, but only in reference to Games.  Of course, I respect your desire to Game on your phone, but the 256Mb for apps doesn't seem to be a problem for those of us who want a phone for business and media.

[DJA984]

Root the phone or not - it doesn't matter.  Developers aren't going to make large app's if the limit is 256megs.  And like you said, I have yet to see anything about texture files for a certain app being stored on the SD card from a credible source.  This very well may be the reason I jettison verizon and go with the proven iphone 3gs.  Not an apple fan, but no one else is producing.  It's kind of like the phillies in the last 3 games of the world series.  Just not producing.

[DJA984]

Why would developers bother to make large apps when they will only be purchased or downloaded by less than 1% of the users?  (Those who rooted the device)