Apple’s latest iPhone commercial says 128GB is “lots of storage.” Wait, is this an old ad that an overzealous advertising manager mistakenly published in 2024 or what?
The video, published on Apple’s YouTube channel, amusingly depicts a man about to delete some photos to free up storage space on his iPhone, only to be interrupted at the last moment by photo subjects crying out, “Don’t let go.”
To emphasize the narrative, the 40-second ad is set to “Don’t Let Go” by Terrace Martin, Mr. Talkbox and PJ Morton. The video wraps up with a tagline “lots of storage for lots of photos.” I didn’t find it funny, and I haven’t lost my sense of humor!
“Lots of storage for lots of photos”
The video itself doesn’t explicitly mention a 128GB iPhone, but it’s implied. The video description states that Apple offers “iPhone 15 with storage starting at 128GB.” But 128GB is a joke nowadays! Yet, Apple actually dares to advertise it? This is an entry-level spec, I get that, but baseline specs must change to keep up with the times.
In 2018, iPhone X jumped from a base of 32GB to 64GB. In 2021, the iPhone 13 series killed 64GB in favor of a new base of 128GB. Yet here we are in 2024, and 128GB is the new 64GB—the absolute minimum that should be avoided at all costs.
Yes, you’ll initially pay less. But soon enough, you’ll realize your mistake and regret not spending more for extra storage because you cannot upgrade it after the fact.
The price of storage in the Apple ecosystem
Storage has been Apple’s favorite way to upsell shoppers to higher-priced configurations. Until a few years ago, iPhone storage was an expensive upgrade.
Prices have fallen significantly since those days, but not in the Apple world. Apple still charges excessively for storage, earning quite a bit when you upgrade your base model with more storage. How unbelievable it is that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro start at just 128GB? It’s 2024, and Apple still makes 128GB phones!
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro storage upgrades:
- 256GB (+$100)
- 512GB (+$300)
- 1TB (+$500)
The 1TB upgrade is restricted to the iPhone 15 Pros.
64GB iPads, but no 128GB Macs
Offering a 128GB iPhone in 2024 is a marketing strategy. Clearly, there are people who opt for base models, and you can’t blame them for wanting to save money. But when you fill that up with apps and media, Apple starts nagging you to buy iCloud storage. And you probably should, as the free iCloud tier is still a paltry 5GB.
And how do you even justify 128GB as a baseline for the more expensive Pro-branded models that Apple markets as Hollywood cameras in your pocket?
Another Pro-branded device, iPad Pro, also starts at 128GB. Other Apple tablets—iPad, iPad Air and iPad mini—start at only 64GB. Thankfully, Apple no longer offers 128GB Macs as 256GB is now the default entry-level point.
NAND flash storage prices increasing in 2024
Who knows, we might soon be paying even more for storage because TrendForce predicts an increase in NAND storage prices this year. Major producers have built excess inventory during the pandemic, and TrendForce now anticipates a surge of more than 50% in NAND flash memory prices throughout 2024.
“This price hike is attributed to major manufacturers strategically reducing production levels to rectify excessive inventory and stabilize the market’s sales prices.” If the industry raises NAND flash prices, device makers will either pass on additional costs to consumers through higher prices or skimp on specifications.