Storage upgrades cost too much and we need to recover microSD cards

The impact of AI was far greater than originally imagined, and in the opposite direction. AI data centers are gobbling up memory chips, causing shortages across the industry, including consumer devices. We’ve seen products out of stock (in the case of the Mac Mini) and even significant price increases on top of already expensive OEM storage options. Having ample storage on board is becoming a luxury feature that not everyone can afford.

This is a problem that we had solved a long time ago, but we pretend to ignore the solution in front of our eyes. A small piece of technology from the forgotten era of the mid-2010s can easily solve all our problems; yes, I’m talking about microSD cards.

We recently saw perhaps the most radical price increase from Apple in recent years: basically every device that runs on an Apple chip saw a substantial increase. Tim Cook directly attributed this price increase to memory shortages. So, it is not just an Apple problem but gradually becoming an industry-wide problem. And we have begun to see signs of it; Google is now rumored to increase prices for its Pixel 11 range due next month, and I have little reason to doubt that speculation.

And it’s not like we weren’t paying exorbitant prices for storage upgrades. Big Tech had normalized paying $100 (or more!) just for a modest storage increase to 128GB or 256GB, while storage expansion typically cost a fraction of that. We’re not complaining much because built-in native storage has significant speed and reliability benefits over microSD cards, including some indirect benefits like better IP ratings and simpler motherboard designs. Back then, getting rid of the card slot had real, tangible benefits, but the equation is now changing due to these steep price increases.

Take the iPhone 17 Pro Max for example. If you opt for its 512GB variant, you’ll find yourself shelling out a whopping $1,400, which is $200 more than the base 256GB model. Even the Galaxy S26 Ultra sees a similar price increase for its 512GB storage option, which launched at an incredible $1,500. These upgrade levels are designed to generate more cash for businesses rather than giving users easy upgrade options. They’re nothing more than a complete rip-off because, for that $200 difference, you could easily get not one, but two good quality 512GB microSD cards, and that’s after the microSD cards themselves have seen a solid price increase.

It’s not just internal NAND prices that have increased: external storage has been equally affected, if not worse. Portable SSD prices have skyrocketed, doubling and in many cases even tripling. The Samsung T9 portable SSD in its 1TB configuration used to sell for $100 until last year, but now it’s list for $250 on Amazon. And microSD cards have suffered a similar fate.

The 512 GB microSD card I referred to above is a Lexar Blue that is now costs around $100. Until late last year, you could get the same card with the same capacity for just $38. In absolute terms, the jump seems small, but it is still close to a 3x price increase. Despite that, expandable storage is still much more viable and affordable compared to what phone makers offer by locking it into their own storage upgrade tiers.

And it’s important to talk about this now because we are increasingly increasing our storage requirements. There was a time, not too long ago, when 128GB of built-in storage seemed pretty generous. Then it was 256 GB and now I think 512 GB would be enough for the amount of photos and videos I store on my phone. It’s not just about local media or offline downloads, either. Both Android and iOS have started storing AI models locally (yes, it’s always AI to blame, one way or another) to do things without needing an internet connection. For example, an offline voice dictation tool I’m currently testing on my Mac required a 6GB download; All of this adds up and consumes the available space.

Our storage needs are booming, and so are storage prices. Therefore, we will have to find a compromise that does not limit you to a limited space or burn a hole in your pocket. And microSD cards seem to fit that description perfectly.

You might think that card slots have completely disappeared from the surface of smartphones, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. A lot Budget and mid-range Android phones from Samsung, Motorola and OnePlus continue to support storage expansion, allowing you to store up to 2TB of data in the palm of your hand. MicroSD cards are even more common in tablets, even those from Samsung. Galaxy Tab S11 flagship series you have the option. But unfortunately, that’s something that can’t be said for flagship smartphones.

High-end phones feature a microSD card slot only if they are specialized devices, like rugged and gaming phones, or the more creator-focused ones from Sony. All other mainstream flagships force you to pay a premium to the OEM.

The idea is not to be forced to follow a single storage upgrade path, but to have multiple options. There’s no point in being locked into the same storage space you chose when you bought the phone, with no way to upgrade it as your needs grow. I shouldn’t have to buy a new phone just because I ran out of space.

If having onboard storage is a non-negotiable for me, no matter the price, I can pay the premium. But when I know I’m going to store a lot of static data like a media file, the smarter choice would be a slightly slower but much cheaper microSD card.

In the past, dropping the card slot created a more robust case with several manageable tradeoffs. But now our needs have evolved. 4K videos, local AI models, and app downloads all need space, and ordering more storage shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg. This is exactly why expandable storage is needed more than ever in conventional phones.

I doubt Google and Apple will ever give in, but I have hope for Samsung and Motorola, mainly because, in the past, they offered the option we so desperately need today. For having that option, I wouldn’t blame them even if they marketed expandable storage as their biggest innovation of 2026. Just give me back my damn microSD card slot!