SanDisk tomorrow will officially announce availability of 32 GB microSDHC memory cards for smartphones and other mobile devices. The suggested retail price for the tiny Class 2 cards with 5-year warranty is $199.99, but the price for new technology never comes cheap. Two weeks ago, I decided to migrate all of the media on my phone from a 4 GB to a 16 GB card, and I paid around $60 for the storage upgrade. The card I bought has a Class 6 rating, so it’s faster than the new one from SanDisk; had I opted for a 16 GB unit with similar speeds, I could have had one for around $25. But there aren’t any other 32 GB microSDHC options currently, and folks could be willing to pay a premium for more storage. The cards will be available at SanDisk’s online store as well as U.S. and European online retail shops — worldwide retail availability follows in April.
Just how much storage does 32 GB offer your phone or other mobile device? SanDask says you can listen to music on 35 round-trip flights between San Francisco and New York City before repeating a song. Of course, I’d be more concerned with major jet lag and lost luggage on that many flights, but you get the point. For phones that offer a microSDHC memory slot, this card can bring them up to par with Apple’s current iPhone, which offers up to 32 GB of internal storage.
I know that many readers have long waited for higher capacity memory cards and that the MSRP of a product doesn’t mean that’s what you’ll pay. What would you expect these to retail for — or better yet: how much are you willing to pay for 32 GB in your device?
Image courtesy of SanDisk
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