Are the microSD cards and removable batteries the days numbered?

Today, that a mobile device has microSD card and removable battery it is understood as a positive characteristic. So much so that many users give priority to these aspects over others that in principle should be more important. The reason why this happens is because they are two elements that give the user flexibility for the future when buying a smartphone or tablet. But it could soon be over. In a statement made this week, Hugo Barra, vice president of Xiaomi, questions the future of these two characteristics, that could have the days numbered, at least in the high range.

The former vice president of Google who has held the same position at Xiaomi since 2013, becoming a key element in the expansion of the Chinese firm, appeared before the media a few days ago on the occasion of the Xiaomi Mi 4i launch in Hong Kong. However, what should have been one more act, has transcended the weight of the responses he offered to the attendees, touching on an issue that has been in question lately, such as the inclusion or not of microSD cards and removable batteries. by mobile device manufacturers.

MicroSD cards and operation

Hugo Barra was clearly against including a microSD card slot in the terminals after being asked about the reduction in storage space that this decision implies. As he explained, the cards microSD noticeably harm several very important aspects in current devices such as the performance and design and as a consequence, also ergonomics.

Using a microSD card, in itself, affects the operation of the device very negatively, giving a series of problems that are usually attributed to the manufacturer of the same when many times, it has nothing to do with it. This is due to the use of low quality storage cards. Many users do not buy products from Kingston or SanDisk, brands that minimize the impact, because they tend to be more expensive and therefore end up opting for "imitation" products without any type of guarantee.

In his opinion and by extension, that of Xiaomi, this will drag the brands to make the decision to eliminate the slot for microSD cards, being categorical in his prediction: "MicroSD cards will disappear."

Removable batteries and design

Another issue they responded to was the use of removable batteries. While this was considered the standard just a few years ago, fewer and fewer manufacturers offer this option simply because "Most people don't bother to remove their batteries once they are installed" as they have verified in their studies. If the majority of consumers are not concerned about this issue, why go to the effort and damage the aesthetics of the devices?

Because that is the second argument of his speech. Use removable covers that allow access to the battery compromises the aesthetics of the terminals. And we already know that design is an aspect that is increasingly important in the market as we analyzed a few days ago. A final note, these two aspects are not so noticeable in the lower-middle range and that is why, according to Barra, they continue to implement them in smartphones such as the redmi 2, but they will surely cease to be common in devices considered top of the range.

The Samsung case

Again we refer to the South Koreans as an example of this changing situation in the market. And it is that Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge have been a point and apart in the line of Samsung, a company that until now championed the use of microSD cards and removable batteries. Your new flagships they have gotten rid of both features in favor of a spectacular design (Water resistance has also fallen by the wayside). A decision that, although it has not finished to sit well with some fans of the firm, has convinced the rest.

An example that serves to illustrate what the vice president of Xiaomi has to say. Do we prefer a flagship like the Galaxy S6 or one like the Galaxy S5? So much the sales like opinion generated by users and experts make it clear that microSD cards and removable batteries succumb to a unique and much more elaborate aesthetic. If, in addition, we add the fact that the performance will be superior and that the internal storage options they offer are increasing (the model that has the least is 32 GB), the answer seems obvious.

In any case, we invite you to leave yours in the comments. Do you think it's okay to eliminate microSD cards and removable batteries if they get better designs and performance?

Vía: AndroidHeadlines