On most Android phones, you can install an SD card to expand the storage, allowing you to store more files on your device. This is useful for those who like to keep photos, videos, music, and apps available in memory.
Despite its small physical dimensions, this accessory is available in a variety of space options, with storage capacity of up to 128 TB.
In today's MenosFios Consulting we will explain what a smartphone SD card is — also known as a microSD —, how it works, what it is used for and the different types of storage technology available today.
What is SD card?
SD cards — short for Secure Digital Card — are removable memory cards that allow you to store and read large amounts of data. They can be used not only in phones, but also in a variety of mobile electronics, such as digital cameras, video games, media players, and more.
Today, the SD card is the most common means of storing data in electronic devices. One of its smaller variations, the Micro SD card, is most commonly seen in phones. This is because smartphones are smaller and thinner, requiring any internal components to be reduced in size.
When did the SD card come into existence?
The first SD card was released in 1999 as a partnership between Panasonic, Toshiba and SanDisk as a successor to the MultiMediaCard (MMC), previously used in telephones and pagers to store information. Today, SD technology is managed by the SD Association, a non-profit organization founded in January 2000.
Over time, SD technology has evolved and gained new names. Some of the names used for cards have been:
- SD: In its early years, the card was known simply as SD and had a maximum capacity of 2 GB. The default system was FAT16. This type of card is no longer manufactured;
- SDHC: From 2006 onwards, the technology was renamed Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC). With a maximum capacity of 32 GB, the cards used the FAT32 file system;
- SDXC: In 2009, the Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC) format debuted. Capable of storing up to 2 TB, the technology began using the exFAT system;
- SDUC: The latest format, Secure Digital Ultra Capacity (SDUC), emerged in 2018 to support up to 128 TB. These cards also use the exFAT system.
SD Card Function in Phone
In cell phones, the most common cards are microSD, due to their small physical size. Normally used as external storage, it can store documents, music, photos, videos and any type of file that is not essential for the functioning of the smartphone system.
Since it is an external storage device, you can remove the card from your phone and connect it to a computer or other mobile device to access the same files. Some smartphones allow you to use the microSD card as internal storage, but this is not as common nowadays, as the accessory can become corrupted and stop working.
It's worth mentioning that the iPhone doesn't natively allow you to install microSD cards to expand storage. This is only possible on Android devices, but not all devices support this feature.
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