SanDisk says its new iXpand is the first USB drive designed specifically for Apple devices, including the iPhone and iPad, that will help ease storage restrictions users now face.
Apple devices have never had expandable storage, forcing users to be more careful with what they keep on a device or buy a more expensive Apple device to get more storage.
"The iXpand Flash Drive is a powerful, yet simple-to-use solution that quickly transfers photos and videos from an iPhone or iPad to a Mac or PC -- all without cables, Internet connections, or bandwidth limitations," said SanDisk in a statement. "In addition, it maintains the original photo or video resolution quality."
The device essentially makes it easy to transfer files from an iOS device to a computer without the need for cables or an Internet connection. It will require the iXpand mobile app, which allows users to automatically sync files once the device is plugged in.
The app also allows for data to be password-protected on the iPhone or iPad and then decrypted and easily accessed once the drive is plugged into a computer. The iXpand is available in 16-GB, 32-GB and 64-GB models, and while it is designed to be able to transfer files from an iOS device it also has a standard USB plug, allowing users to plug it into any computer that has a USB slot.
The iOS compatibility doesn't come cheap, however. The 16-GB version costs $59.99, with the 32-GB and 64-GB versions costing $79.99 and $119.99, respectively. Best Buy will begin exclusively selling the 32-GB version in stores on Nov. 16. Both the 16-GB and 64-GB models will be available from the SanDisk website.
The iXpand app is free for download on the Apple App Store.
According to a report by IDC, almost three-quarters of photos are captured using a smartphone or tablet. Not only that, but 82 percent of smartphone users say that being able to transfer photos, music and videos is "very important to them," says Dinesh Bahal, SanDisk vice president of product marketing.
"With this significant increase in mobile-generated content, consumers are looking for easy ways to manage it all," continued Bahal. "We created the iXpand Flash Drive to offer consumers a quick and safe way to move their favorite content between devices so it's available when and where they want it."
The new device may certainly be a great idea for iOS users, but it comes at the same time as a shift toward cloud-based storage rather than on-device storage, suggesting that on-device storage is perhaps not as important as it once was. Not only that, but apps such as Google Drive also do a great job of allowing users to transfer files without cables. Still, for those who don't think they will be around an Internet connection as often as they would like, perhaps this is the device for them.
