Can SanDisk’s new iXpand Base Solve Your iPhone Storage Issues?

Maybe it’s unfair, or maybe it’s a clever marketing ploy, but Apple doesn’t have microSD support on its iPhones.  Which can make people angry, but if you want an iPhone, you have to deal with these kinds of things. Apple makes a lot of money off of forcing customers to get extra storage, so this arrangement only seems to be beneficial to Apple.

Until now.  SanDisk has a really neat new gadget that will automatically back up your iPhone or your iPad every night when you go to sleep.  It’s called the iXpand Base.  Instead of plugging your phone directly into the wall, the iXpand Base plugs into the wall, and then connects to your iPhone using a standard Lightning cable.  Once the iPhone is plugged in, any new photos and videos are automatically backed up for you.

When it comes to price, however, this might not be the device for you. If you think Apple is the only one trying to get you to pay for storage, you might be wrong.  The 32GB model starts at $49.99.  If you want a 64GB version you’re going to have to shell out $99.99.  The 128GB retails for $129.99 and a 256GB version is available for $199.99.  These prices aren’t outrageous, but it doesn’t seem right to crucify Apple for something that everyone else does.

Don’t get me wrong.  I definitely see the benefits to this.  It serves a dual purpose.  First – you have to charge your phone, and second – you’re lacking storage.  So I definitely see this as a win-win.  But I just don’t think we can solely blame Apple for this.  Maybe we should look at it as an opportunity.  A gap to be filled, if you will.  That being said, there are other services that you could use.  Like Google Photos or iCloud.  The risk you run with those, however, is that you’re trusting your private files to a third party.  And sometimes that doesn’t always work.

You can also do an old fashioned back up.  Where you physically back your phone up to your laptop or desktop.  And then back that up to an external hard drive or something.  Which is also an option, but not exactly an “easy” one.  That’s why maybe this solution from SanDisk might work the best.

Another reason that this might be a better option than some of the others mentioned is because people are lazy.  I think I’ve said that here before.  And if I haven’t, I should have.  Any option you choose, you have to do some kind of work in order to back those files up.  Even if it’s just opening an app and running some kind of back up.  That’s work.  And to some people, it’s too much work.   Which is a deterrent.

Is this something that you think you would try?  I like the idea of it, but I’m not sure that I like the price associated with the storage device. For me, I think I would rather spend money on a service, than on a device.  My reasoning is that usually you pay an ongoing service fee.  If the service changes, you will get notified, but you don’t necessarily have to do anything.  What happens when your SanDisk iXpand Base gets full?  Or what happens if the lightning cable wears out?

I think this is a start.  But I think SanDisk should consider the size of the devices.  I feel a bit greedy thinking this, but maybe a 1TB option might be beneficial.  Especially with the amount of videos that people take these days.  Maybe I’m off base with this one, but if you can get an entire cloud “system” for $159, why would you go with this?  Just from a storage perspective though. I should also add, that yes, it’s annoying to have to buy new Lightning Cables… they’re really not that expensive.  So I don’t really think this is worth it, as it currently stands.