Many users are accustomed to buying an iPhone or iPad with a minimum amount of memory. After several months of use, they are faced with a lack of space on the device.
Photos, videos and applications clog your memory. You have to regularly clean your smartphone or even think about an upgrade.
There is an easier and faster way to expand the memory of your iPhone or iPad. And yes, these are flash drives. Thanks to iOS 13, they received a second life and a lot of new features when paired with Apple devices.
How working with flash drives has changed in iOS 13
Developers from Cupertino have made a big step towards openness of the mobile file system. The Files application has begun to resemble a serious file manager and allows you to perform useful manipulations with data directly on your smartphone.
Of the really necessary features, the following features should be noted:
▸ storing any type of file ▸ working with archives ▸ quick access to files in iCloud ▸ support for tags and smart search
We should also mention support for external drives. It is this innovation that makes flash drives for iPhone popular again.
Now any data on the drive can be seen in the Files application, and the most common types of files can even be viewed or edited.
Huge selection
Many people are interested in how to choose a flash drive for an iPhone. Today, owners of Apple products are offered a large range of external memory for their phone.
Most often, preference is given to the following cards:
- iKlips.
- iFlashDrive.
- Leef iBridge.
- SanDisk iXpand.
There is actually no significant difference across all of these devices. To choose a specific model, you only need to pay attention to the cost and amount of external memory for an Apple phone. Otherwise, the operating principle and efficiency of connecting all of the listed memory cards is the same. In practice, the universal iFlashDrive card is most often used.
What flash drives for iPhone and iPad can do
We have already talked in detail about storage devices for iPhone and iPad.
You can store photos and videos from your iPhone on such flash drives. This is the most effective way to easily and quickly clear space on your smartphone. Storage apps offer to make a backup with just one click of a button, and then quickly clear the gallery.
In the future, you can return photos and videos to your smartphone, view them from a connected storage device, or download them to your computer.
On flash drives you can store a backup copy of your iPhone phone book or confidential photos that are best not left in the standard gallery. To do this, just set a password to launch the client application.
The drives are convenient for storing large films, TV series or audiobooks that you can watch and listen to while traveling or flying. We load the flash drive with content and watch it all the way on our iPhone, shared iPad or hotel TV.
There will be no problems with selecting formats; flash drives work with most omnivorous players from the App Store.
Such drives cannot cope with only two tasks: they cannot install applications on them and download music downloaded from streaming services.
Here are the flash drives we recommend you take a closer look at:
The impossible is possible
In fact, the topic being studied is really important. The thing is that owners of Apple phones have long noticed an interesting fact - initially the iPhone does not provide the ability to connect Flash memory to a smartphone. This means that you won’t be able to increase space on your gadget in the usual way.
Nevertheless, today there is such a device as a flash drive for iPhone. This device helps to increase the memory capacity of the gadget. Its only feature is an external connection. There are no internal SD cards for iPhone. But you can still expand the memory of an Apple phone. Next we will talk about how to increase the amount of free space on your iPhone.
Best USB flash drive for iPhone: Leef iBridge3
One of the most popular models with a Lightning connector. The flash drive can be connected to any current iPhone model and expand the gadget’s memory.
On the other side of the accessory there is a USB-A connector, so data can be easily transferred from a smartphone to a computer and back.
To work with iPhone, you can use both the Files application and the proprietary application.
▸ Leef iBridge3 32 GB – 6990 rub. ▸ Leef iBridge3 64 GB – 8990 rub. ▸ Leef iBridge3 128 GB – 13,990 rub.
Lightning cable Budi
The third accessory from Budi fell into our hands. Its packaging is a bright cardboard rectangular box, inside of which in a plastic case there is the cable itself and instructions.
By default, the gadget comes without a microSD card, and for the test we used a 32 GB SanDisk Ultra card.
The Budi cable is a couple of centimeters longer than the PhotoFast. It is flat and enclosed in a plastic braid, but, unfortunately, it does not have a mounting bracket. There are also two metal modules: one with a Lightning connector and the second with USB 2.0, which, in fact, is where microSD cards are inserted. The flash drive sits there quite tightly, despite the fact that the fastening is mechanical - no slides with a spring.
The assembly of the structure is not bad, although not perfect, the materials are of high quality. Budi can also be used as an adapter for charging a gadget (even with a card inside), but the accessory itself gets hot in the area of the USB plug.
The device reads all new cards without problems, but there were difficulties with some old ones. They were not always read the first time.
The software for working with the gadget, like others, is free and available in the AppStore under the name iUSB Pro (https://appsto.re/ru/UPqW_.i). Functionally and visually, it does not differ from the Elari and iDiskk applications.
Essentially, this is a file manager with option tabs at the bottom and a single settings block where you can familiarize yourself with the version of the application, make a backup of contacts, set a password and read the user manual. To work with the phone's memory, permissions are traditionally required, and multimedia functions are played through proprietary applications, photos, videos and a music player. A separate application is also used for control, and traditionally it is equipped with a minimal set of functions: you can forget about the depth effect on the 7Plus.
Visually, iUSB Pro is unremarkable, but in operation the application is simple and very ergonomic - it is difficult to get confused in it. The software itself reads a huge number of file types:
Video: .mov .mpg .vob .wmv .rmvb .avi .mp4 .mkv .flv .mpg .gif .rm Audio: .mp3 .wav .aac .m4a.wma.ape.ogg.ac3.flac Photo: .jpg .jpg .gif .tif .png .bmp Documents: .txt .doc .ppt .xls .pdf .xlsx .docx
The cable can be found in various online stores at prices starting from 1,660 rubles.
Speed measurements
We tested the read and write speed of each drive using specialized software Blackmagic Disk Speed Test, which operates on large blocks of data, essentially showing linear read and write speeds. Below we invite you to take a look at the screenshots with measurements. It is important to remember that in the case of Budi, the speed of operation will depend more on the microSD card installed in the accessory.
Read and write speeds Elari Smartdrive 128 GB
Read and write speeds PhotoFast 32 GB
Budi read and write speeds with SunDisk Ultra 32GB card
For ease of perception, we have collected all the results into one diagram.
In our case, Budi and Elari showed the same results, while Budi almost fully revealed the capabilities of our SD card, the declared operating speeds of which turned out to be as close as possible to the results obtained in the test.
PhotoFast turned out to be a less balanced device. High read speed is combined with low write speed.
Ideal for iPad Pro: Kingston DataTraveler
This flash drive is suitable for use with new iPad Pro models that are equipped with a Type-C connector for connecting charging and peripherals. The drive is recognized in the Files application and will allow you to fully work with the files on it.
On the other hand, the flash drive has a classic USB-A connector, which will allow you to connect it to most computers.
This accessory is also convenient to use for transferring data between older computers and newer MacBooks that only have Type-C connectors.
▸ Kingston DataTraveler 32 GB – 2490 rub. ▸ Kingston DataTraveler 64 GB – RUB 3,490. ▸ Kingston DataTraveler 128 GB – 6980 rub.
The computer does not see the iPhone as a removable drive
There are only four reasons why a computer may not recognize or read a device:
- The USB port to which the smartphone is connected is faulty;
- The USB cable itself is faulty;
- software conflict;
- the smartphone is faulty.
The check should begin with the most likely and simplest problem in order of complexity.
First, you should reconnect your iPhone to a different USB port. It is worth checking all ports and best of all using another device (smartphone, digital camera and similar gadgets). If after this the smartphone still does not want to be detected, proceed to the next step.
You must replace the cable with a known good one. It is checked while charging (by the way, you can check the suspicious connecting cord itself in the same way) or by connecting another device to the computer.
Is the cable fully functional? Then proceed to the software environment. First, you should update iTunes to the latest version. The smartphone may be blocked by an antivirus or firewall. They need to be disabled. It would also be a good idea to restart the AMDS (Apple Mobile Device Service) service. Each operation with programs requires restarting the computer.
Finally, after all the operations, it is concluded that the problem is in the iPhone itself. Before you sound the alarm, you should restart the gadget; perhaps it is a system failure. If after this no changes occur, then the device requires repair. You need to contact the nearest service center.
Note! The computer does not see the iPhone as a removable disk or flash drive due to the closed nature of the iOS operating system itself. Regardless of the model, it will appear in File Explorer as a “portable device.”
In the dispute between “Yabloko” and “robots” we can put an end to it. Despite the lack of slots and ports, the iPhone can also expand its own memory or transfer files to a removable storage device. The only thing is that this will require additional costs and certain manipulations with your own device.
*Prices in the article are for January 2022.
Is it convenient to use
The key characteristic of flash drives for iPhone is data transfer speed. But ergonomics is no less important, because you will most often have to use the drive in “camping” conditions. For example, on a plane, watching a movie downloaded in advance from a flash drive. Or in a hotel room, transferring pictures taken on the iPhone to the drive to free up memory on the smartphone.
I tested the flash drive paired with a 4.7-inch iPhone SE 2nd generation, the dimensions of which are fully consistent with all previous iPhone models with the same screen.
I won’t lie - at first the flash drive seems quite long. When inserted into a smartphone, it does not feel “invisible” and does not “merge” with the body of the device.
However, using a smartphone does not become more difficult because of it. The iPhone is still comfortable to hold in any orientation, including when watching a movie.
I specifically tested what it was like to watch an entire two-hour movie from a flash drive on an iPhone. There were absolutely no inconveniences. The flash drive did not distract or overwhelm . The viewing was not marred by lags - all two hours passed like clockwork.
SanDisk Connect Wireless Media Drive
A combination of a drive, adapter and router - you can store information in the device itself, synchronize data between your smartphone and desktop, play streaming video and edit documents online. Dual connection, wireless for communicators and USB connection for Mac, its own memory capacity is 64 gigabytes, but can be expanded without unnecessary delays by connecting SDHC/SDXC memory cards.
Other useful options include a built-in battery with the ability to be powered externally, password protection of the communication channel, and multi-stream HD video broadcasting. In the Russian segment of the Apple Store, SanDisk Connect Wireless Media Drive is sold for 9,790 rubles.
About iFlashDrive
First, a little about this device. What is it? And why is it considered a universal removable storage device for Apple phones?
The thing is that iFlashDrive works with all iOS, starting from version 5. Therefore, its owners do not have to worry about device compatibility. In addition, this drive is compatible with both Windows and MacOS, and can be used on any Apple product.
A distinctive feature of this component is that you do not need to “dance with a tambourine” to connect it. The device easily connects to Apple phones and works without much difficulty.
Of course, iFlashDrive, as already mentioned, has an adapter for connecting to different versions of iPhone. It is included with the device.
Compatibility
Here freedom of action is almost complete. At least the manufacturer claims that the gadget is compatible with the following OS:
- Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1, 10
- Mac OS X 10.x
- Android
- iOS (iPhone 5, 5S, 6, 6S, as well as Plus versions, iPad and iPod Touch) starting from version 8.0
We have already dealt with the list of supported files. In addition, the program works great with major languages: English, Chinese, Russian and so on.
Video player
Probably the most obvious use case for the device is watching videos on both iPhone and iPad. The iXpand iPhone flash drive supports the most common video formats: WMV, AVI, MKV, MP4 and MOV. The device's built-in application can play them without the help of other players.
The only disadvantage of this player is its slowness and sometimes incorrect operation in the background. Quite often it happens that when switching between windows and working in parallel with other applications, the player closes the current video tape and you have to start it again, fortunately there are markers and there is no need to look for the place of last viewing.
Design
iXpand Mini looks like a completely ordinary modern USB flash drive, without any special body shape. However, the key difference between a flash drive and its conventional counterparts is easy to consider. In addition to USB-A, it has an additional Lightning connector for connecting to iPhone and iPad.
The Lightning connector is covered with a small translucent plastic cap. The USB-A connector is unprotected and always ready for use.
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In addition to the connectors, there is only one element on the flash drive body - an LED indicator. It blinks when data is being transferred, thereby signaling that the flash drive cannot be removed, otherwise the process will be interrupted.
The flash drive is made of durable aluminum with plastic inserts , giving the body a pleasant contrast. The assembly of the device is at the traditionally highest level for SanDisk. Those who have ever used flash drives from the manufacturer immediately understood what we were talking about. In fact, these flash drives are eternal and armor-piercing, precisely due to their perfectly fitted assembly.
iXpand Mini is one of the most compact flash drives for iPhone . The dimensions of the device are only 53x12.1x4.6 mm. On the one hand, this is a plus - the flash drive is relatively invisible when you insert it into the iPhone. And overall it takes up little space.
On the other hand, the flash drive is really small and light. Losing one is a piece of cake. That is why the absence of a hole for a lace can be considered a design disadvantage.
The flash drive is ideally compatible with cases . It is inserted into the connector without problems, regardless of what case is on the smartphone. I tested it on three different cases, including a cheap one from AliExpress.
“Traveling” through pockets, the flash drive does not get scratched at all . At least I didn’t manage to leave even a barely noticeable scratch on it during a week of active use. The material is clearly not easily soiled and is scratch resistant.
