One of the better features of recently launched mobile products is that they come with the latest software and firmware already installed. However, while it is true that both the new flagships LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7 will come out with Android Marshmallow already pre-installed, the two new iterations will not take full advantage of the new Android platform.
Reports suggest that one of the key features that will be missing from the Android M environment in the new flagship devices is the adoptable storage option.
According to Ars Technica, the feature will not be present in the new flagships, and it is unclear if adoptable storage will be unlocked when the LG G5 and Samsung Galaxy S7 receive their future software updates.
The South Korea-based tech giant brought back the expandable storage feature for the Galaxy S7 since fan feedback mentioned file transfers between devices, which would not be possible if the device had an adoptable storage option. The industry follower quoted Samsung's statement on the matter: "With adoptable storage, first of all the card may be erased the first time it is inserted into the device. This behavior may be unexpected by many users and we don't want our users to lose their files. Second, once Marshmallow starts using a card for adoptable storage, it cannot be read by other devices, so it loses this ability to be used for file transfer."
Samsung added that the new adoptable storage option for the Android Marshmallow platform is geared for devices with low internal storage capacities. This is the likely reason for the feature, since adoptable storage allows the user to format and use the microSD card as an expanded internal storage.
Once the feature is turned on, the microSD card is merged with the existing internal storage of the device running Android Marshmallow, extending the device's capacity to install as many apps as possible. Previously, users could only install apps in the internal storage of the device using the microSD card to store app data (if the app allows it).
As for the LG G5, the feature is also absent from the flagship, as Android Central found out when it had a hands-on test of the new flagship at the MWC 2016.
