04
Nov
2014-11-04 14.45.09

Android 5.0 Makes SD Cards Great Again, Extends API To Allow Full Directory Access, Automatic MediaStore, And Improves Security

Posted by in Android OS, Development, Lollipop 5.0, News

Over the last few years, few topics have been more hotly contested by Android users and developers than how SD cards are handled by the OS. Back in February, I discussed some of Google's changes during the transition from Android 2.3 to 4.0, and then how more recent policy changes ultimately led to 3rd-party applications losing most of their access to removable storage. By the time I/O came around, Google acknowledged that KitKat's newly added Storage Access Framework still didn't offer enough range for apps to get their work done. With the release of the L Developer Preview, new APIs were added to allow apps to request access to directories owned by other providers. Now that Android 5.0 Lollipop has been finalized, these APIs have been improved and even offer more capabilities than before, and they do it in a very user-friendly and secure way.

Posted by Jeff Sharkey:

Richer access to secondary shared storage devices

In KitKat we introduced APIs that let apps read/write file in app-specific directories on secondary storage devices, such as SD cards.

We heard loud and clear that developers wanted richer access beyond these directories, so in Lollipop we added the new ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT_TREE intent.  Apps can launch this intent to pick and return a directory from any supported DocumentProvider, including any of the shared storage supported by the device.  Apps can then create, update, and delete files and directories anywhere under the picked tree without any additional user interaction.  Just like the other document intents, apps can persist this access across reboots.

This gives apps broad, powerful access to manage files while still involving the user in the initial selection process.  Users may choose to give your app access to a narrow directory like “My Vacation Photos,” or they could pick the top-level of an entire SD card; the choice is theirs.

There aren't a lot of changes to this functionality since the announcement at Google I/O. The Storage Access Framework (SAF) already gave 3rd-party apps the ability to ask for access to a single file or whole directories (including sub-directories). The important detail is mentioned at the end, which is that this can now be used to give total SD card access to an app. Once the decision has been made, apps won't have to request access ever again, and all future operations can occur seamlessly. This finally puts users in charge of which apps can access different parts of device storage, and it's basically painless.

That wasn't the only addition regarding storage. Apps that deal heavily in photos, music, and video are prone to filling up space very quickly, and as a result, they may need to push their content to the SD card. KitKat didn't necessarily handle this very well, because the content still had to be placed inside of private folders and inserted into the MediaStore manually. A new method simplifies the process by generating a folder that is essentially open to the public, while still keeping it tied to the app that created it.

Posted by Dianne Hackborn:

Also worth noting is the new getExternalMediaDirs() method that gives you a place for your own files on any available secondary storage, without needing to request read/write permissions: https://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/Context.html#getExternalMediaDirs()

If an app places a file into a folder returned by getExternalMediaDirs, it is essentially available to any other application to access via the MediaStore service. This will be great for something like a camera app or sound recorder, because now the files they produce will be automatically available to every other app without any hassle. This method will also resolve some complications that resulted from removing and reinserting SD cards. Additionally, since the method of access goes through the MediaStore, apps that would consume these files won't even have to be updated for the latest SAF. Of course, they probably should be, so they can also request files that are only available through that method.

All put together, this should be enough to alleviate most of the stress related to SD cards after the release of KitKat. Power users will no longer have to deal with crippled file managers, media apps will have convenient access to everything they should regardless of storage location, and developers won't have to rely on messy hacks to work around the restrictions. Of course, these features are still specifically a part of Android 5.0 (and above), so it'll be a while until these benefits can truly materialize. At least we can all rest easy knowing that the future of Android does not involve dooming the SD card to obscurity – it's actually balancing usability and security.

Source: Android Developer Portal

Tags:
Cody Toombs
Cody is a Software Engineer and Writer with a mildly overwhelming obsession with smartphones and the mobile world. If he’s been pulled away from the computer for any length of time, you might find him talking about cocktails and movies, sometimes resulting in the consumption of both.

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  • Franco Rossel

    So Google listened to people, huh? Android is maturing very quickly.

    • ProductFRED

      Now put MicroSD card slots back in Nexus devices. If someone doesn't want them, they don't have to use them. They offer flexibility to users and a failsafe in case something happens to their phones. Plus, external storage is cheap and easy to upgrade. It makes sense since now there's an official API for telling where apps where they cans save data.

      • RyanBeesley

        This doesn't solve the Apps2SD user space divide still. This only provides APIs that will give applications access to SD storage. You still have to deal with a split user partition which is the reason Nexus devices don't have SD Cards.

        • Aborto

          No one uses apps2sd anymore. I haven't since the HTC desire. I don't even think its an option on most newish phones with SD cards.
          The SD card is just there for media and backups etc.

          • RyanBeesley

            You're welcome to prove me wrong and point out where they have obsoleted that feature. As far as I'm aware this feature is still part of the AOSP codebase.

          • Aborto

            You're right, its still in there somewhere. Its just not something I have seen used in a very long time. The SGS3 didn't seem to support it, my Z2 doesn't.
            The current version of apps2sd needs explicit support from the apps themselves as far as I know and I don't think anyone bothers anymore.
            * I may well be wrong here, haven't looking into it in years *

            16GB is enough storage for apps alone for most people, it just runs out very quickly if you want to store music there as well.

          • Régis Knechtel

            It's not needed on high end phones, but Android One could use it with only 4 Gb storage

          • Aborto

            4GB? ouch. How much is left after android? that would have to use a gig by itself.

          • Régis Knechtel

            Exactly! It's awful, but it's the only kind of phone a lot o people can buy, specially on developing countries

          • Aborto

            Well on the plus side I don't imaging many of those users will be buying GTA:SA but that is definitely limiting.

            It could be worse though, have a read of the arstechnica review of the $35 firefox phone for a laugh.

          • Régis Knechtel

            128Mb of RAM and 256MB of storage. DAMN! Now this is insane

          • Aborto

            The alarm clock process regularly gets killed to save ram. Brilliant design!

          • Régis Knechtel

            I can't even express what i feel about this phone, lol

          • Aborto

            I have to admit I want one, just to try it.

          • Muhammad Tello

            You can use MultiRom to try/use Firefox os on a Nexus. I've tried Ubuntu Touch, and so far, I have disliked it.

          • brianbaughman

            Start earning $90/daily for working online from your home for few hours each day... Get regular payment on a weekly basis... All you need is a computer, internet connection and a litte free time... -> click HERE to LEARN MORE <-

          • avi

            that firefox fone don't have quadcore ,1gb ram processor scoring 18k+ in antuntu,,and quadrant and vellamao equivalent to Moto G series

          • http://j.mp/scottbeamer Scott Beamer

            It's needed on my Galaxy S 5...

          • Steve Freeman

            It's situationally needed for me. When I travel, I bring my Nexus 7 (2013) with for watching movies/TV episodes. I have the 32GB model, which still has an only limited amount of storage, so I also have to bring (and hopefully not lose) a couple SD cards filled with more videos.

            Though on a day-to-day basis, since I do all my music listening off of Pandora or iHeartRadio on my phone, I have no need for an SD card.

            So while having a SD slot on my devices would be fantastic, not having one wouldn't prevent me from purchasing a specific device.

          • WhoaManWtF

            It's called foldermount now, I have 60+ gigs of games and apps on my 16 GB shield tablet.

          • Adrian Meredith

            That's bespoke to shield, they even mention it in marketing materials

          • WhoaManWtF

            No... I had the same exact setup on my Galaxy S5 as well...

          • Wayne Peterkin

            LG g3. I love it.

          • http://j.mp/scottbeamer Scott Beamer

            I've got a Samsung Galaxy S 5 with only 16 GB of internal storage. Because of this, most of my apps are on the SD card.

            So, I'm afraid you're mistaken.

          • Aborto

            Yes, ok some people still use it. I do keep the obb files from a few games on the SD card as well to save space.

            My point is more that the SD card slowing down system operation is no longer a valid excuse for google not supporting them properly. Most people dont store any apps on the SD, most phones dont support it so performance is just not a good reason anymore to not have the SD card.

            During the gingerbread days when half my apps were on the SD card a lot of performance problems were due to the cards. With the high write speed to new SD cards and the fact that usually there are no apps on them or at most just the large game files this is not a problem but continues to be used as an excuse for why we shouldnt have SD cards.

          • nghthawk

            Really an uninformed comment Aborto-By looks of the replies (61 at current), you are way off base. I have used Apps2SD since the feature was enabled, including on by Galaxy S5 and Tablets.

          • Aborto

            Yes yes, as several other people have pointed out and I have replied to in this thread already already, yes it is still there.

            The point I was making is that it is not used nearly as much as it was, when it is used it usually only for large game files. Its no longer something that affects the system performance like it was when nearly every app was installed to the SD card and so it is no longer a good reason to not have SD cards.

            One of the most commonly used excuses for why we shouldn't have SD cards is the performance hit from apps2SD, this was valid in the gingerbread days but no longer is even if you are still using it.

          • nghthawk

            Says you. I work in IT and most everyone I deal with who uses Android, uses this feature, so your notion that 'no one uses the feature' is way off base. You can say "as for me, I certainly don't use this feature anymore", but to speak for the rest of us, is really just presumptuous and wrong.

          • Aborto

            Oh god, sorry for the exaggeration sir, its irrelevant to the point I was making but correct you are.

          • Aborto

            How do you get 61 replies by the way, I count something like 11 replies to me, there's only 20 something in total?

          • True Radiant Free

            Link2SD is where it's at.

          • Aborto

            Haven't tried it myself, I am using obb2SD currently. It needs xposed so I will have to try something else when 5.0 come out.

        • ProductFRED

          It doesn't even matter if they made it just for media (photos/videos/music/documents). That's what takes up the most storage, anyways.

          • RyanBeesley

            But that isn't how it currently works.

            The code could certainly be written to exclude the Apps2SD functionality, but that isn't what you have in AOSP because they must assume the lowest common denominator. The problem will always be that if you don't have enough onboard storage, why can't you just use the space in the SD Card. This is what the current OS supports. This however creates a lackluster user experience for many already documented reasons. For this reason Google has rejected SD Cards for Nexus devices.

            With a single SD Card slot that is required to support both a secure application storage and user writable removable storage, you run into this physical limit.

            Now let's say that some manufacturer releases a device with two SD Card slots, you could provide expanded internal memory for storing applications and have the second slot for user space. This could be solved with a modified Android source. But you haven't *really* solved the problem. This isn't all that different from just having more onboard storage from the beginning and it is more costly to design. Plus you have the additional burden on the user to know which slot is used for what purpose, and that your SD Cards are not swappable.

            The Nexus approach is to provide enough space for all of your applications. User storage is a secondary concern. The very serviceable workaround is to use cloud services to store user data. While that doesn't work for everyone, it provides the cleanest reference implementation.

            If you must have SD Card expansion for user data. The message for several years has been clear, purchase a device from some other OEM that has a slot.

            If somehow in the future, they can solve the use experience problems, I'm sure Google would reconsider their SD Card slot stance on Nexus devices. As it stands now, this doesn't solve that problem and is only an API to make user storage easier to access through applications, while still providing additional security mechanisms to limit unwanted access by potentially nefarious rogue applications.

          • Aborto

            It isnt a user experience problem on a phone with 16GB of storage though. Apps go to internal, SD card is optional media storage. It is nothing but an improvement to a nexus device with 16GB of storage.

            It is a usability problem on phones with only a few gig of storage, which coincidetially usually have SD slots and suck to use.

            My current phone has 16GB of storage like most nexus phones, does not allow apps2sd, has an SD card slot, and it works perfectly. Theres no good reason for google to not do the same other than it might damage thier push to have everone pay for google drive.

          • Guest

            Fuck off, twat.

    • Max, el Slowpoke

      Nice to see Google isn't becoming a tyrant.

      • abobobilly

        ... yet.

      • Đức Thành

        But they will become Skynet, eventually.

    • abobobilly

      "very quickly".. What about all those years it has already spent?

      Don't let excitement reach your brains dude.

      • Franco Rossel

        It has matured very quickly recently.

        • egg

          Yeah, no.

        • Alucard291

          not really no. And if you mean Android L is somehow "mature" my god wait till you try it.

          If anything its gone back to childhood.

    • esper256

      I highly doubt this was the result of listening to users. I imagine this has been the plan all along, but only a certain amount of functionality made the KK feature freeze.

      • Aborto

        Well lets hope so, if KK was the direction they originally planned all along then it was a shit decision.

  • AbbyZFresh

    Of course Google, being a cloud-oriented company and all, probably wasn't happy about implementing this feature. It's only done to please the customers and developers.

    • AkhdanP1234

      More android user = more google user

      • AbbyZFresh

        Not necesarrily. Especially in third world countries where there is less access to internet and more abundance of forked Android phones.

        • Armando Rodriguez

          I think China is the only country were forks are the norm

    • Drew M

      I don't believe the conspiracy theories about cloud storage. I think Google was grappling with the security problems of SD cards for a long time. Foregoing a band-aid solution, they committed the OS changes to Lollipop. If Google was truly against SD-cards, then they wouldn't have included them in the Android One specs.

    • http://robert.aitchison.org raitchison

      Actually it's the low end devices (Moto G, Moto E) and all the super-budget phones that are appearing in the 3rd world. Those rely on expandable storage so Google had to play nice with them.

  • maerkmurphy

    Score.

  • shojus

    YES!!

  • SpanishAbh

    I want SD Card support in My Nexus phone. Now Anti-SD Card zealot morons ,,|,, verbally attack me for showing interest in SD Card on Nexus Phone.

    • abobobilly

      Then you attack back. RAWWRR. -_-

      • SpanishAbh

        Trolling is such a fun ;-) :P ^_^ :D is not it ;-)

      • SpanishAbh

        Pew Pew Pew ^_^

        • abobobilly

          Chiti Chit Bang Bang 'the-n-word(plural)' going down -_-

      • SpanishAbh

        RAWWRR

  • TrivialTweeter

    Any chance that a Google Play Edition Galaxy S4 will be able to save pictures to the SD card using the Google Camera app, and would they be displayed in the Gallery?? Or would I have to use a 3rd party camera app? Would those pictures show up in the Gallery?

    • http://www.androidpolice.com/author/cody-toombs/ Cody Toombs

      Well, there's certainly a chance, but it's all dependent on if Google implements support in the camera app to enable storing the pictures on the SD card. Technically, Google could have already support for external storage a while ago, it just would have had some limitations in KitKat. We'll have to wait and see. On a positive note, you will now have the option to manually move those pictures to the sd card using a file manager, or even have an app do it automatically.

      • TrivialTweeter

        Cool. Thanks for the info!

    • http://robert.aitchison.org raitchison

      As I understand it the AOSP camera app just has the storage selector code commented out. I don't know if the Google Camera app has the underlying code or not.

      I'm running the Downloads2SD Xposed module (http://repo.xposed.info/module/com.egingell.downloads2sd) which saves all pictures to SD even if the camera app I'm using think's it's saving to internal storage,

      • TrivialTweeter

        Thanks for your reply. I was looking into Xposed and that module the other week. I didn't install the framework because of the warning that my phone could go into a boot-loop. I know how to fix it if it did, but I didn't have the time to deal with it if it happened. Maybe I'll give it a shot. Are you using a GS4 GPE? If I knew there weren't any issues installing the framework, I'd install it in a heartbeat.

        • http://robert.aitchison.org raitchison

          Yes I'm running a slightly out of date version of this ROM: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2537495

          I haven't updated because I don't have any issues with my current build.

          • TrivialTweeter

            Cool. I'm running stock 4.4.4 from Google. I guess it should work then. Thanks.

  • pirerman

    Thank you god!!!!!!!

  • Preet

    So the S4 GPE becomes an amazing Nexus existence device with SD and removable battery.

    • Craig M

      Add the Sony Z Ultra GPE to that as well, minus the removable battery of course.

    • Chris P

      ...but a Gingerbread-era menu key, and the back button on the wrong side. Almost, but if you ask me (though no one did <_< ), not quite :(

      • tim242

        The back button makes more sense on the right side.

        • Nathan J

          Explain. Do tell. Do you have the back button on the right side of your browser's address bar, or the left like everyone else? Back could very well be left, but it's defined for a lot of us as left. Like Super Mario Bros., left is back and in the first one, you couldn't even go back. By what logic does right mean back (outside politics)?

          • tim242

            I'm not sure what the browser, or Mario Bros has to do with this. I'm referring to the back navigation button being more easily reachable from the right side of the phone.

          • Nathan J

            They all have to do with backwards navigation. Try to keep up. Do you still get credit toward your next Galaxy phone with such a low effort comment, or does Samsung care about as much as Samsung Knights as they do about cellular radios? Quantity over quality and all that. ;)

            Are you a lefty? When I hold my phone with my left hand, the back button would be nice on the right. Difference is, I can switch them if I want. That's another thing soft keys can do. Lefty mode. Or maybe it's not lefty mode if you have a Note phone, as you'd hold the S-Pen in your right hand. But for trace typing my active hand is my phone hand.

          • tim242

            Right handed people make up 90+% of the population. We hold our phone in our right hand. I have been using Samsung phones for years. I have tested them side by side with others...same dBm.

          • Anon

            Where is the back button on every QWERTY keyboard ever made?

      • http://robert.aitchison.org raitchison

        That menu key is very useful and it along with the physical home button and back button save precious screen real estate that Nexus devices waste on an action bar 98% of the time.

        A Galaxy S4 with a GPE ROM is the closest thing to the perfect phone that I've ever experienced.

        • Brayjr

          As someone with a S4 and loaded with an Stock ROM. I don't have to use my physical buttons simply because of PIE Control.

          It's the best of both worlds.

          Software based ✓
          Doesn't take up space when not in use ✓

          Google really should have bought it and implemented it in vanilla Android. I'm so ready to load it up on my N6.

          • Nathan J

            Pie is open source. Google wouldn't have to buy anything, they could just include it. For example, the Note 4 has pie controls, but not for navigation. I'm not 100% on this, just seen it in screenshots. I think it's if you press and hold the S Pen? Like context based?

        • Nathan J

          Samsung? Perfect phone? Samsung uses the weakest cell radios they can find. I'd think a perfect phone would be the last one to drop a call when each phone is taken farther and farther from the last cell tower, not the first.

          • http://robert.aitchison.org raitchison

            Eh, I get better reception with my S4 than I ever did with my HTC phones.

  • jack galler

    Now if only the Nexus 6 had an SD slot :|

  • Nathan Walters

    "Materialize" I see what you did there...

  • Fatal1ty_93_RUS

    Fixes the SD card access
    @
    Doesn't include SD slots in N6 and N9

    - Google Logic

    • abobobilly

      That calls for a "badluckbrian.gif".

      • ProductFRED

        More like Scumbag Brian.

        • abobobilly

          damn straight

    • fox

      N9 dies have SD slot

      • Fatal1ty_93_RUS

        No it does not

    • RyanBeesley

      Different problem that they fixed.

    • Rahul Srivastava

      Also, makes Android L 64Bit compatible, and the Nexus 6 isn't lacks 64Bit architecture.

      - Google Logic.

      • Zap_12100

        It's not actually Google's fault though. Exynos chipsets are Samsung exclusive, the Nvidia Tegra K1 64-bit is too hot to cram in a phone - hell, it appears to be having overheating issues on some Nexus 9s - and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 808/810 aren't available until next year. There's literally no SoC out there yet to use for the 6.

        • Nomaan

          Exynos is not samsung exclusive.
          So many Chinese OEMs use them.
          In fact, Meizu is the first manufacturer to use Exynos 4 beating galaxy s3. Meizu MX3 runs on Exynos 5.
          Lenovo also had them in past.
          http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exynos
          Wikipedia has list of the devices using them.

          • Toss3

            Samsung usually doesn't allow their newest tech to be used in their rivals' smartphones, which is why most of the manufacturers you listed are using the older version of the current best exynos SoC.

        • Rahul Srivastava

          MediaTek?

          • http://renanlazarotto.com Renan Lazarotto

            throw this shit on fire. I don't want to ever have something that runs on mediatek ever again.

          • Aborto

            Qualcomm all the way. But to be fair I think I have had a better run with mediatek that Tegra. Mediatek is crappy but usually pretty good for the money you pay for them.

            Every Tegra device I have used has been expensive, far slower and far more power hungry that it was meant to be. Tegra 2 may be the worst chip ever made, Tegra 3 wasn't much better.

          • C64

            For this post you will burn in hell for eternity

    • senor_heisenberg

      Nothing wrong with Google's logic. Every device doesn't need expandable storage, nor is it a requirement. I'm glad the N6 doesn't have an SD card slot. Managing one pool of storage is much better. The vast majority of people with smartphones don't care about SD cards, but for those that do, there are a huge number of devices that offer such functionality.

      ----

      Expects Nexus devices to have expandable storage even though that's not been the case since the Nexus One.

      - Fatal1ty_93_RUS logic

      • Aborto

        Its not required on all phones, and they don't have to put them there. It really would be nice if some of the nexus devices had them though, those of us that need SD cards cant buy nexus even if we would prefer them. The option would be nice.

        And it doesn't do any harm having them there, don't put an SD card in the slot and it behaves exactly as if there was no slot at all.

      • galaxyNote4isBoss

        You are definitely a NEXUS FANBOY that's generally the problem with the holier than thou NEXUS users. "The vast majority of people with smartphones don't care about SD cards that's grossly understated at best. Try this out for size the vast majority of android users DO CARE about SDcards why because the vast majority of SAMSUNG HANDSETS use sdcards. Time to remember 7 out of 10 android purchased handsets are Galaxy products end of that statement by you.

        • Nathan J

          Samsung fanboys, Nexus fanboys, and iPhone fanboys are all equally bad. The rest of us just use the best device available to them. It might be a Samsung, it might be a Nexus, and it might be an iPhone. Or it might be something else entirely. But what they have in common is that they don't take up a torch and a pitchfork for a company that doesn't care about them. Did Samsung give you your Note 4 for free because you take up for them on social media? Or did you pay the same price as the guy who was simply happy with his purchase and feels he owes Samsung not an ounce of his good name on the Internet?

          • Amardeep

            While you are right...without fanboyism this world would be pretty drab!

          • galaxyNote4isBoss

            You poor soul.

          • mark

            But the OP is the one saying the Nexus 6 shouldn't have an SD card because he and some others don't use it. The one you're replying to just wants to have the choice - I don't see how that's fanaticism.

        • tim242

          Preach it Richard!

        • primalxconvoy

          THIS, THIS , and thrice THIS.

          BIG companies, like Samsung give customers what they want and/or make adjustments to Google's stock offerings.Third party apps, which prove popular, also rely on additional external storage support.

          It's simply bad design for any device to not support external memory.

        • Simon Belmont

          Holier than thou Nexus users, eh, Richard? And you aren't holier than thou about Samsung phones at all, (I mean your newly created account to evade the ban on this site isn't named "galaxyNote4isBoss", right?)

          Samsung isn't the only kid on the block that uses SD cards, so stop acting like they're some savior for it. I have nothing against SD cards in phones, even though my last two phones haven't had them (and I haven't missed them), but Android is about choice, and I'm glad that we have such a vast ecosystem that we can have the choice of getting a phone with an SD card slot or without, but like I said above, it's not just Samsung that's doing it (but of course, you being the Samsung shill that you are, will always plug them, even if they took peoples' first born children).

        • shlk7

          Well you're assuming every person who buys a phone with an SD card slot is using it. So even if every 7 of 10 androids are galaxy, what if only 1 in 30 use an SD card (assumption). And this is a good example of how my assumption can really skew my conclusion.

          In any case, I think Google just wants to push cloud storage. Personally I think they over use the argument that there are other competitive smartphones that offer that functionality and hence we don't really have to always cater to every need of the customer (especially in cases where they can push their services as an alternative.)

      • primalxconvoy

        Choice is a beautiful thing. Consumer products that sell well are usually ones that are either considered easy to purchase and use and/or offer choice for the user.

        That's probably why, no matter how much some rally to Nexus devices, most people still purchase iPhones and Samsung's.

        • Lexster

          While I agree with you, what choice do iPhones offer? Up until recently, the only choice you had was what color you wanted. Not quite the same.

          • Aborto

            Some people like choice, some people have trouble tying their own shoes, apple has that market sown up.

        • mark

          Apple are 3rd place after Samsung and Nokia (or were, not sure if this has changed since the MS buyout).

      • Fatal1ty_93_RUS

        Yes I expect SD card from devices sold at premium cost.

        Previous Nexus devices, even though they lacked SD, were sold at a price where it's understandable at 350$ for Nexus 5, for example.

        But here they ask 650$ and don't include such a simple thing.

        It's fucking ridiculous

      • kgptzac

        "but for those that do, there are a huge number of devices that offer such functionality"

        This is simply false for mainstream flagship devices.

    • WestFiasco

      There's nothing inherently wrong with that logic.

    • primalxconvoy

      Which is why I don't buy Nexus devices and prefer Samsung.

      • Imparus

        But why do you prefer it over something like a Sony z3?

        At least you aren't using the BS argument that Samsung is at the top because of the SD card, even thought there are all the competition that also have it :-/

  • https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=dyna.logix.bookmarkbubbles Bubble Cloud Widgets → Moto360

    This is good news indeed

  • Moyako

    Finally! Easily the best news of today

  • Robbie Khan

    This, this makes the hairs on my neck stand to attention.

    Finally I don't have to use File Commander to manage files on my SD card (Z3) and can use Quickpic to manage photos and videos.... Well once L is out for the Z3 anyway ;_;

  • msal
  • Aborto

    Thank god, now I really am looking forward to the 5.0 update.

  • Bala

    one of the best decision... well done

  • http://mjflynt.wordpress.com/ Jeffrey

    I thought the real reason Google didn't include SD memory slots in Nexus devices was because of the FAT/FAT32 patents that M$ leeches off and because of other security issues and general user unfriendliness (some versions of Android mount the card last causing glitches, for example). I realized I had SD Card envy and got over it.

    • Aborto

      I am not aware of any glitches or user unfriendliness from having them, and it is optional after all, you don't have to put one in.

      The FAT32 patents are a likely reason but they could format them in ext3, the advantage of the change to MTP instead of mass storage means it makes no difference to the PC what the card in the phone is formatted in.

    • http://www.androidpolice.com/author/cody-toombs/ Cody Toombs

      A couple of reasons have been given, most notably that it's a UX problem (link). I don't mean to sound confrontational about it, but I don't really buy that rational. I also don't think the patents on FAT32 are credible either. Google has worked through thousands of other patents, I don't see how that single one is going to be a showstopper.

      I doubt it's a single reason, but rather a mashup of issues that led them to shy away from including the SD slot in Nexus devices. I've just hit the point that I no longer care about the reason, because we'll probably never really know.

  • Franco Rossel
  • Steve Richardson

    1) Install Xposed on rooted device.
    2) Install Kitkat SD Card Full Access Module.
    3) Install Obb on SD Module.
    4) Enable Modules and restart device.
    5) Cut and move the Obb folder over to Ext-SD
    6) Done...

    • primalxconvoy

      1/ Refuse to update phone hardware due to awful Google design.
      2/Contact Google and tell them so, and why.
      3/ Bitch and moan online about it.
      4/ Continue to use existing phone.
      5/ Wait for market to speak.
      6/ Read news that Google have done as they were bloody well told.
      7/ Buy new phone when it comes out.

  • Guest
  • Guest

    ..

  • TedPhillips
  • Michael De Giovanni

    Lollipop is another huge step ahead :) https://www.threadless.com/designs/lollipop-10

  • daisyboots

    For those of us on (very likely) end of life handsets where updates are concerned, does anyone know if it's possible (technically feasible) that this could make its way back to Kitkat?

    • http://www.androidpolice.com/author/cody-toombs/ Cody Toombs

      It's not impossible, but I think it's a very safe bet that it won't happen. Custom ROMs have been known to backport the occasional feature here and there, but it rarely happens with APIs. Even if somebody did, developers are still going to write their apps to assume that 4.4 doesn't support the newer APIs, so it won't do much good. Google certainly won't do it, and most custom ROM makers almost certainly won't. I'm sorry to say, but you'll either have to hope for one last update on that phone, or consider a custom ROM running 5.0 (when one comes out).

  • primalxconvoy

    Excellent. Google has learnt it's lesson. The crippled sd card/external storage "un-feature" of KitKat was one of the main reasons I never upgraded from my current Galaxy Note 2.

    I'm looking forward to the Galaxy Note 5, then?

  • Jatin Bhardwaj

    Android 5.0 update Lollipop on my nexus 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GgkKC77R3I

  • danishdhanshe

    Does that mean I will now be able to delete sdcard videos/pics using quickpic?

  • Simon Belmont

    "So it'll be a while these benefits can truly MATERIALIZE." Emphasis mine.

    I see what you did there. #MATERIAYOLO.

  • neo905

    Does anyone know if the new Yoga 2 Tablet will be getting lollipop? It has an SD card and don't want to run into KitKat problems if I decide to buy it.

  • nikos

    So with android 5.0, can i move the data from GTA SA (2.5 GB) to sd card without root like in gingerbread ?

    • Aborto

      Probably not. You could move it but it is unlikely to still work with the data moved unless the app is designed that way.
      Pretty sure you would still need root for something like obb2sd to work.

      Nothing to stop them putting an option in GTA SA to save to the SD card though.

  • Steve Salazar

    Finally

  • BoFiS

    GOOD, I hope this means Motorola, Google, and everyone else goes back to including MicroSD slots in their phones...because who wouldn't want expandable storage or the ability to easily move all of your music and photos and videos over to a new device easily ;-)

  • Wesley Modderkolk

    This probably only exists because OEMs just refuse to add larger amounts of storage to their devices.

  • Sam Ferdinand

    Thank goodness gracrious me and Google I was THIS close to root (in
    spite of beeing a noob and probably making it unusable) my spanking new phone and burning my large-capacity, costly SD card I bought together with it!! Bless you Google, you are
    human after all!

  • JG

    Now if only Google and the other OEMs would re-adopt the SD card as standard hardware... Getting an SD card inside the Moto X would make an already excellent phone just that much better... And I would still pay the extra $50 to pick up the 32GB version over the 16 (I'm currently using a 32GB SD-enabled GS4 instead of the cheaper 16 as proof).

  • Bruce

    getExternalMediaDirs() isn't any better. Sure you can write files but they are deleted on app uninstall which basically make it useless.

    The open_document_tree is a great step forward but what we really needed is a GRANT feature where the user simply says yes/no to accepting access to a directory. e.g., DCIM folder. So far what I see is a crappy picker app that the user has to figure out what to do. I can't believe the lack of thought that went into such a critical feature of Android!

  • Ajadan Gareau-MacDonald

    My personal issue is that there is never enough space to store apps themselves, especially games, with out rooting a device and using an app to trick the device into thinking the external sdcard is part of the internal storage. I have many games that are 1-3GB and either have to spread them over several devices to play them, or not play them at all. I find this ridiculous. With the new OS, will apps be able to install on SDcards? At least the bulk that take up so much space? KitKat ruined the use of my Shield and my phones only have 16GB storage minus the OS, after taking pictures and videos, some music and a couple games, I have no space. If I want to play a different game and uninstall, i loose my game data. No practical. Will this be fixed? no one really seems to be addressing that. I don't use documents, I don't use social media, I watch movies on my computer, I don't use apps that need my photos or anything, so the only reason I need an SDcard is to store game apps.

  • DaveQus

    Is there a lawsuit to get refunds for people who bought external SD cards only to have them rendered unusable in their phones by automatic "upgrade" to Android 4?

  • http://www.arcane.org Mystech

    No luck here. After updating to Lollipop (Shield Tablet) I actually LOST the ability to delete files off my microSD card. Is this Google's version of passive-aggressive revenge after getting so much heat to "un-nerf" microSD cards?

    • http://androidpolice.com/author/cody-toombs/ Cody Toombs
      • http://www.arcane.org Mystech

        Nope, lost root after Lollipop update. Without TowelRoot working yet, guess I'll have to live with Google microSD hostility or root it manually and live with the few minor glitches in the XDA method.

      • http://www.arcane.org Mystech

        Correction/Update. Root Explorer says it will work on Lollipop microSD but no luck. It wants users to explicitly grant permission, but you can't actually do that because... you don't have root. Chicken & Egg? :-)

        • http://androidpolice.com/author/cody-toombs/ Cody Toombs

          Read the article (or changelog) again, it doesn't require root. Root is only necessary for certain operations.

          • http://www.arcane.org Mystech

            Allow me to clarify... Root Explorer does not work. When you attempt to delete from microSD it wants you to grant it "explicit permission" but you can't.

  • soupgoblin

    Oh great... so now I have to buy another phone to get access to my files again?

    How "awesome"...

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