HT201402: How OS X and iOS report storage capacity

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Dot Guy

Q: Sounds like dialogue from Big Bang Theory.  If my 16GB iPad 3 only uses 2 GB for operating software and built in apps, why does my new 128GB iPad3 use 13GB?  They both have the same software and built in apps.

After reading the article and talking to the Apple support people I have to wonder why they sell you the iPad using one measuring stick for GB and then Settings/General/Capacity states the number using a differrent measuring stick.

iPad (4th gen) Wi-Fi + Cellular, iOS 6.1.2, 128GB

Posted on Mar 16, 2013 1:52 PM

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Q: Sounds like dialogue from Big Bang Theory.  If my 16GB iPad 3 only uses 2 GB for operating software and built in apps, why do ... more

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  • by Demo,

    Demo Demo Mar 16, 2013 2:04 PM in response to Dot Guy
    Level 10 (95,372 points)
    iPad
    Mar 16, 2013 2:04 PM in response to Dot Guy

    My 64GB iPad 3 running iOS 6.1.2 uses about 8GB of capacity for the iOS and the preinstalled apps.

     

    Same iOS, same preinstalled apps as yours. The used capacity up increases with the increased storage capacity of the device.

  • by Dot Guy,

    Dot Guy Dot Guy Mar 16, 2013 2:14 PM in response to Demo
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Mar 16, 2013 2:14 PM in response to Demo

    Thanks for the quick come back.  But, doesn't that bother you?  When I first called and asked them about the difference between 128GB advertised and the 115GB capacity I experienced, the explanation was operating software and built-in apps.  Then when I pointed out that both my old 16GB iPad3 and my new 128GB iPad3 had the same software and built-in apps, they said it was not related after all, but that the difference was in how the capacity was measured.  They said there were two differrent ways to measure it.  My question now is, if I wasn't "cheated" out of 13GB of capacity, why do they sell you the iPad using one measuring method and then show you a different number obtained with a different measuring method in your Settings?  Shouldn't Apple want to avoid the potential perception and conclusion that I reached.  I'm getting 10% less than I paid for--an amount (13GB of Capacity) that is almost as large as the total capacity of my old 16 GB iPad3.

  • by stedman1,

    stedman1 stedman1 Mar 16, 2013 2:16 PM in response to Dot Guy
    Level 9 (73,645 points)
    Apple Watch
    Mar 16, 2013 2:16 PM in response to Dot Guy

    See article below for the explanation.

    http://guides.macrumors.com/Hard_Drive_Size_Discrepancy

  • by Dot Guy,

    Dot Guy Dot Guy Mar 16, 2013 2:20 PM in response to stedman1
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Mar 16, 2013 2:20 PM in response to stedman1

    Well, that's easier to understand the Big Bang article Apple shared with me.  But I still wonder why they don't just use the same numbers on their website that we see in our Settings display for capacity.  That would avoid all the confustion.