File Storage and Management

For all of the wonderful things that an iPad is valued and good for, it is still not a viable laptop replacement for several reasons:

• it is designed so that only limited external accessories can be added, usually through Bluetooth
• printing from an iPad is not easy without an AirPrint enabled printer (see section on printing)
• multitasking is limited to the newest devices and even then it is clunky to use
• editing is more cumbersome than highlighting with a mouse/trackpad
• typing is slower using the onscreen keyboard
• however, the main reason that an iPad is useful as a computing device is file management and the limited options for transferring and managing files. Storage capacity is still largely limited by the flash memory that the iPad came with. It is not possible to add external memory through an microSD/SD card as many Android devices are capable of. As the iPad lacks a standard USB interface, it is also not possible to use the majority of USB flash drives that exist on the market. There are new flash sticks however, that are equipped with a lightning plug and allow storage of certain types of information on Apple devices.

This section covers some of the ways that files can be stored, accessed, transferred, and shared across devices and computers using the various iOS options.

Ways to Store and Access Files on an Apple Mobile Device

Although it may not be immediately obvious or intuitive, users of Apple mobile devices are not stuck with just the memory that their devices came with. In addition to the stock onboard memory, whether it is 16, 32, 64, 128 or 256gb, there are other options for users to store their information. However, before we cover the various options, here are some caveats and limitations to the options:

• regardless of the storage option, Apple devices can not boot using a source other than the device itself (most computers can run off an external drive of some fashion).
• Apple devices will not allow users to store or run Apps on a source other than the device itself (Android devices will store Apps on a microSD/SD card in comparison)
• only specific types of information can be stored externally. As a generalization, this is limited to media files.
• external memory sources will most likely require an App to interface with that device. Currently, Apple has not built in any protocols to allow these devices to recognize and access those devices in their iOS system
• aside from the physical lightning memory devices, most storage devices will interface through a wireless protocol such as Bluetooth or WiFi

These are the current options for expanding the memory on an Apple mobile device:

1. Use a cloud-based storage service. This is one of the first options that was available for iPads and one that Apple continues to support through its iCloud service. These days, there are many options to choose from including iCloud (Apple), Google Drive, DropBox and OneDrive (Microsoft). Support for cloud storage is usually built into the App and therefore it is dependent on the App Developer to decide which platform(s) are supported. Obviously, Apple's iCloud has an advantage in providing native support and is used for device Backup and media storage.
2. Use a physical lightning flash drive. This is a relatively new option and there are various companies that manufacture these drives. This is a fairly expensive option and requires an App provided by the manufacturer to interface with the device. Here is a great article listing some options. These drives are usually equipped with two different connectors - a lightning and a USB interface allowing connectivity to both Apple mobile devices and traditional computing devices. An USB to Micro-USB adapter can be used for Android devices.
3. Use iTunes. This is the oldest method of transferring files and supports non-media files. It requires connecting the Apple mobile device to a computer that has iTunes installed on it. See tutorial section to learn how to use iTunes to backup files.
4. Use a WiFi enabled external hard drive. This is an external hard drive that has a wireless router built into it. Essentially, the iPad connects to the external hard drive's WiFi network which allows it to send and receive files to and from the iPad. Many of these hard drives provide options of adding memory either through a USB port or a SD card slot. This solution uses an App provided by the manufacturer to interface with the hard drive. Here is a generic tutorial on how to use a WiFi hard drive with an iPad.
5. Use a WebDav server. A limited number of Apps utilize a protocol known as a WebDav server. Interestingly, most of Apple's own developed Apps such as Pages, Keynote or Numbers provides this support. To use this option, you must first install WebDav on your computer (Mac and Windows).
6. Although this is not a true storage solution, using AirDrop is an easy way to transfer files to and from another Apple device. This will work on all devices except for the iPad 1 and 2. See How to Send a File Using AirDrop in the tutorial section.

iOS11

With the release of iOS11, Apple took steps to move its tablets closer to a computing device particularly for their iPad Pro line to compete with devices such as Chromebooks and Microsoft's Surface devices. iOS11 incorporates a new file management system and a Files app adds slightly more functionality than before. Unfortunately, this does not bring the iPad much closer to a computing device but allows a unified file browsing platform for cloud storage solutions such as iCloud or Google Drive.

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