苹果(Apple)仍然销售只有 16GB 存储空间的 iPhone 和 iPad ，这真是可悲。这是一款可以拍摄 4K 视频的设备，但如果您尝试一下，它会在几分钟内耗尽空间！显然，最好的办法是获得更大容量的设备(capacity device)，但有些人根本不愿意花额外的 100 美元或 200 美元来增加空间，我可以理解为什么。
由于没有真正的方法可以在物理上为iPhone 或 iPad(iPhone or iPad)添加存储空间，因此您必须依靠各种黑客手段。基本上有两个原因我可以考虑为设备添加更多存储空间：清理设备上的空间，以便您可以安装更多应用程序等，或者加载一堆您可以快速访问的音乐、电影和文档，而无需需要互联网连接(Internet connection)。
在本文中，我将讨论目前可用于解决Apple引起的这个真正不必要的问题的不同解决方案。不幸的是，没有一个解决方案是理想的，您在选择产品时必须非常小心。
如果您认为有限的空间是Apple的唯一举措，那么如果您从 iTunes 购买电影，他们也会让您大吃一惊。如果您尝试从外部驱动器播放从 iTunes 购买的电影，由于DRM 保护(DRM protection)，它会给您一个错误。因此，所有 iTunes 电影和电视节目都必须本地存储在您的iPhone 或 iPad(iPhone or iPad)上才能播放或必须使用视频应用程序(Videos app)进行流式传输。如果您阅读这篇文章是希望可以卸载 iTunes 内容，那么这里没有任何帮助。
但是，如果您有很多音乐（甚至来自 iTunes）或您自己下载/翻录的电影和电视节目，那么下面的设备会有所帮助。请注意(Just note)，您可能必须先将视频转换为iPhone 或 iPad(iPhone or iPad)格式。此外，如果您是一名狂热的摄影师，并且希望快速访问您的DSLR 照片(DSLR photos)以便在您的iPhone 或 iPad(iPhone or iPad)上查看，而不占用您设备上的任何空间，那么这些产品将适合您。
我也没有在这里提到云(mention cloud)服务，因为我想大多数人已经知道了，但可能不想支付存储的月费。如果您对云存储(cloud storage)感兴趣，请查看我的文章，比较不同的云存储(cloud storage)提供商，以及如何使用云在所有不同设备之间共享数据。
无线硬盘
无线硬盘基本上是一种便携式硬盘，内置无线网卡和电池(card and battery built-in)。他们都有自己的WiFi网络，您可以将几乎任何您想要的设备连接到他们。连接后，您可以双向传输数据，还可以将内容从硬盘驱动器传输到您的Apple 设备(Apple device)。
一些无线硬盘驱动器具有SD 卡(SD card)插槽，因此您只需从DLSR 相机(DLSR camera)插入卡，它将所有数据复制到驱动器。然后，您可以通过网络轻松地在智能手机、平板电脑、计算机或电视(computer or TV)上查看该内容。
购买无线硬盘驱动器时，您只需要小心购买一个允许您在连接到驱动器的同时访问互联网的驱动器。(Internet)不得不断开与您的无线网络(wireless network)连接、连接到驱动器并且在此期间不能访问任何 Internet(Internet access) ，这是一种皇家痛苦(royal pain)。确保(Make)设备具有 WiFi 直通功能。我将在下面的建议中记下它。
Seagate Wireless Plus 和 Wireless Mobile(Seagate Wireless Plus and Wireless Mobile)
这些设备应该可以持续 4 到 6 个小时，并且它们支持WiFi 直通(WiFi pass-through)，尽管人们抱怨连接速度比直接连接到WiFi慢。价格从 79 美元到 149 美元不等，具体取决于您想要的型号和存储空间(storage space)。
总体而言，他们似乎在将内容流式传输到您的设备方面做得非常好。这些驱动器没有SD 卡(SD card)插槽，因此如果您想从DSLR传输图片，您必须先将所有图片下载到计算机，然后通过USB将驱动器连接到计算机。
RAVPower 文件集线器加
只需 40 美元，您就可以从这款小型设备中获得大量功能。它如此便宜的原因是因为它没有任何内部存储。它有一个 SD（SD、SDHC、SDXC）卡插槽(card slot)和一个USB 3.0端口。您可以连接最大 4 TB 的驱动器或使用最大 256 GB的SD 卡。(SD card)
此外，最多可同时连接 5 台设备，您可以在已连接的设备之间传输数据。最重要的是，您可以将其连接到有线网络并将其变成WiFi 热点(WiFi hotspot)，或者将其连接到无线网络(wireless network)并将其变成无线扩展器。如果您有自己的SD 卡或 USB(SD card or USB)硬盘驱动器，RAVPower 文件集线器是一个非常好的选择。(RAVPower File Hub)
还有其他主要玩家拥有无线硬盘驱动器，但我不会在这里详细介绍。您可以在下面查看它们。
WD My Passport Wireless – 包括 SD 卡插槽
LaCie Fuel 无线驱动器(LaCie Fuel Wireless Drive)
SanDisk Connect 无线驱动器(SanDisk Connect Wireless Drive)
(Flash)带闪电连接器的(Lightning Connector)闪存驱动器
如果您对需要电池供电的硬盘驱动器来扩展存储这一事实不满意，那么您可能需要考虑使用带有闪电连接器的(lightning connector)闪存驱动(flash drive)器。您将失去使用无线硬盘驱动器获得的大量流媒体、媒体集线器、路由器/扩展器功能，但它更小且更易于携带。
不幸的是，在这个类别中还没有完美的产品。有些更便宜，但需要充电。有些效果很好，但有一些奇怪的设计，让你的手机使用起来很困难。其他缺点包括只有USB 2.0端口，而不是 3.0，并且在连接驱动器时无法为iPhone 或 iPad充电。(iPhone or iPad)一些设备也往往会更快地耗尽你的电池。希望(Hopefully)将来我们会有更多选择，但就目前而言，这里是最好的产品。
Leef iBridge 移动内存
根据您购买的尺寸，Leef iBridge的价格从 59 美元到 399 美元不等！但总的来说，它是目前市场上最好的闪电闪存驱动器(lightning flash drive)。您可以将所有音乐、电影和文件存储在设备上，并使用随附的应用程序访问所有内容(access everything)。您还可以将相机胶卷(camera roll)中的照片和视频传输到设备上。该设备也仅在使用时才耗电。总的来说，它在亚马逊(Amazon)上得到了很好的评价。
闪迪 iXpand
SanDisk iXpand是另一款不错的设备，但必须充电才能使用。不过，由于它有自己的电池，它不使用(t use)iPhone 或 iPad(iPhone or iPad)的任何电源。
它也有点奇怪地适合 iPhone/iPad，这有点烦人。该应用程序也不如Leef 应用程序(Leef app)，但希望随着时间的推移会有所改善。否则，它可以正常运行以达到预期目的。如果您想使用SanDisk SecureAccess(SanDisk SecureAccess)对数据进行密码保护，这是最佳选择。
最后一个选项是Hyper iStick，但它更贵，而且效果不如SanDisk 或 Leef iBridge(SanDisk or Leef iBridge)，所以我真的不推荐它。
结论
如您所见，有几种方法可以虚拟增加iPhone 或 iPad(iPhone or iPad)的存储空间，但它们都带有各种警告。主要问题是您不能在驱动器上存储任何 iTunes 购买的内容并从那里播放。
此外，就从iPhone 或 iPad(iPhone or iPad)传输内容而言，您实际上只能访问“相机胶卷”(Camera Roll)。这是由于Apple限制对文件系统(file system)的访问的方式，这不是其他任何人的错。希望本文能让您清楚地了解扩展(Hopefully)设备存储(device storage)可以做什么和不可以做什么。如果您有任何问题，请随时发表评论。享受！
2 Ways to Add More Storage to Your iPhone or iPad
It’s truly pathetic that Apple still sells iPhones and iPads starting with only 16GB of storage. This is a device that can take 4K video, but will literally run out of space in a few minutes if you try! Obviously, the bеst thing to do is get a higher capacity device, but some people simply aren’t willing to spend the extra $100 or $200 for the increased space and I can understand why.
Since there is no real way to add storage to an iPhone or iPad physically, you have to rely on all kinds of hacks. There are basically two reasons I could think of to add more storage to a device: to clear space off your device so you can install more apps, etc. or to load a bunch of music, movies, and documents that you can access quickly without needing an Internet connection.
In this article, I’ll talk about the different solutions that are currently available for this really unnecessary problem caused by Apple. Unfortunately, none of the solutions are ideal and you have to be really careful when picking a product.
If you thought the limited space was the only jab from Apple, they also screw you over if you purchase movies from iTunes. If you try to play a movie you bought from iTunes from an external drive, it will give you an error because of DRM protection. So all iTunes movies and TV shows have to be stored locally on your iPhone or iPad in order to play or have to be streamed using the Videos app. If you were reading this article in the hopes that iTunes content could be offloaded, then nothing here will help you.
However, if you have a lot of music (even from iTunes) or your own downloaded/ripped movies and TV shows, then the devices below will help. Just note that you might have to convert the video into iPhone or iPad format first. Also, if you are an avid photographer and want quick access to your DSLR photos for viewing on your iPhone or iPad without taking up any space on your device, these products will work for you.
I also don’t mention cloud services here because I think most people already know about that, but maybe don’t want to pay the monthly fee for the storage. If you are interested in cloud storage, check out my article comparing the different cloud storage providers and also how you can use the cloud to share data between all your different devices.
Wireless Hard Drives
A wireless hard drive is basically a portable hard drive with a wireless card and battery built-in. They all have their own WiFi networks and you can connect pretty much any device you want to them. Once connected, you can transfer data both ways and can stream content from the hard drive to your Apple device.
Some of the wireless hard drives have SD card slots, so you can simply plug in the card from a DLSR camera and it’ll copy all the data to the drive. You can then view that content on your smartphone, tablet, computer or TV easily over the network.
When purchasing a wireless hard drive, you just have to be careful to buy one that allows you to access the Internet while connected to the drive at the same time. It’s a royal pain having to disconnect from your wireless network, connect to the drive and not have any Internet access in the meantime. Make sure the device has WiFi pass-through. I’ll make a note of it in my recommendations below.
Seagate Wireless Plus and Wireless Mobile
These devices are supposed to last anywhere from 4 to 6 hours and they support WiFi pass-through, though people have complained the connection is slower than being directly connected to WiFi. Prices range from $79 to $149, depending on what model and how much storage space you want.
Overall, they seem to do a very good job of streaming content to your devices. These drives lack an SD card slot, so if you want to transfer pictures from a DSLR, you’d have to download all the pics to a computer first and then connect the drive to your computer via USB.
RAVPower File Hub Plus
For only $40, you get a whopping amount of features from this little device. The reason it is so cheap is because it doesn’t have any internal storage. It has a SD (SD, SDHC, SDXC) card slot and a USB 3.0 port. You can connect drives up to 4 TB in size or use an SD card up to 256 GB in size.
In addition, up to 5 devices can connect at the same time and you can transfer data between connected devices. On top of that, you can connect it to a wired network and turn it into a WiFi hotspot or connect it to a wireless network and turn it into a wireless extender. The RAVPower File Hub is a very good choice if you have your own SD card or USB hard drives.
There are other major players that have wireless hard drives, but I won’t go into too much detail here. You can check them out below.
WD My Passport Wireless – Includes SD card slot
LaCie Fuel Wireless Drive
SanDisk Connect Wireless Drive
Flash Drives with Lightning Connector
If you aren’t happy with the fact that you need a battery-powered hard drive to expand your storage, then you might want to consider a flash drive with a lightning connector. You’ll lose a lot of the streaming, media hub, router/extender functions that you get with wireless hard drives, but it’s a lot smaller and easier to carry around.
Unfortunately, there isn’t any perfect product yet in this category. Some are cheaper, but require recharging. Some work great, but have odd designs that make using your phone difficult. Other downsides include only having USB 2.0 ports, rather than 3.0 and having no way to charge your iPhone or iPad while the drive is connected. Some of the devices also tend to drain your battery a lot faster. Hopefully, we’ll have more options in the future, but as of right now, here are the best products.
Leef iBridge Mobile Memory
Depending on the size you purchase, the Leef iBridge can cost anywhere from $59 to $399! Overall, though, it is currently the best lightning flash drive on the market. You can store all your music, movies, and files on the device and use the accompanying app to access everything. You can also transfer photos and videos from your camera roll onto the device. The device also only consumes power when it is being used. Overall, it’s gotten pretty good reviews on Amazon.
SanDisk iXpand
The SanDisk iXpand is another decent device, but it has to be charged in order to use. Since it has its own battery, though, it doesn’t use any power from the iPhone or iPad.
It also fits a bit oddly into the iPhone/iPad, which is a little annoying. The app is also not as good as the Leef app, but hopefully that will improve over time. Otherwise, it functions properly for its intended purpose. This one is the best choice if you want to password-protect the data using SanDisk SecureAccess.
The last option is the Hyper iStick, but it’s more expensive and doesn’t work as well as either the SanDisk or Leef iBridge, so I don’t really recommend it.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a couple of ways to go about virtually increasing the storage for your iPhone or iPad, but they all come with various caveats. The main one being you can’t store any iTunes-purchased content on the drives and play it from there.
Also, in terms of transferring content off an iPhone or iPad, you can really only access the Camera Roll. This is due to the way Apple restricts access to the file system and it’s not anyone else’s fault. Hopefully, this article gives you a clear understanding of what can and cannot be done to expand device storage. If you have any questions, feel free to comment. Enjoy!
