- Major manufacturers like Google, Apple, and Samsung are ditching the 128GB tier in favour of a minimum of 256GB.
- Operating systems and temporary files now consume between 15 and over 30GB of space from the very first boot-up.
- Beyond rapid saturation from apps and media, 128GB versions sometimes used slower memory technologies like UFS 3.1.
The Gradual End of the 128GB Standard
The mobile phone market is undergoing a major technological transition concerning the storage capacity of its devices. While entry-level smartphones used lower capacities to offer attractive introductory prices, industry giants are changing their strategy. The move to a minimum storage of 256GB is becoming the new norm among major manufacturers. For Samsung, the Galaxy S26 is only available from this capacity in the UK. Google, for its part, has set the entry price for its Pixel 11 range at 256GB for £999, equivalent to the launch price of the 256GB Pixel 10. Apple is adopting a similar approach, starting the iPhone 17 at 256GB, while keeping the 128GB iPhone 16 in its catalogue to occupy the lower segment. Beyond volume, this transition also eliminates technical disparities: 128GB versions of previous generations, such as the Galaxy S25 or Pixel 10, integrated slower UFS 3.1 memory compared to the UFS 4.0 standard reserved for higher capacities.
Operating Systems Becoming Heavier
This evolution responds to a concrete technical constraint: software bloat. Even before installing any user applications, system files drastically reduce available space. On a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, the operating system occupies 15.93GB. The situation is exacerbated with the latest software versions: under Android 17, a Pixel 9 Pro uses 10GB for the system and an additional 10GB for temporary files. Apple’s environment is not immune to this trend, with iOS 26 requiring 13.55GB of system space combined with 19.92GB of temporary files on an iPhone 15. For a 128GB device, the actual usable space immediately drops below 100GB upon initial setup.
The Invisible Impact of Everyday Applications
Saturation is accelerated by pre-installed applications and everyday use. Basic Google services like Photos (2.36GB) or AICore (6.45GB) consume several gigabytes. Traditional social networks and messaging apps, such as Instagram (1.21GB) or Outlook (752MB), quickly add to the digital bill. Furthermore, the near disappearance of microSD card slots, now only preserved by the Sony brand, complicates physical storage expansion. Lack of storage can block major operating system updates. A smartphone cluttered with a few tens of gigabytes of personal photos and daily applications quickly finds itself unable to install a global update like Android 17, forcing the user into constant compromises or the use of paid cloud services.
