1.1 Purpose

In today’s data-driven world, devices with limited internal storage often leave users facing a dilemma: meticulously sorting through their data to delete what they deem least valuable or resorting to costly upgrades and cloud storage solutions. While cloud storage introduces recurring expenses and potential privacy concerns, upgrades for mobile devices remain expensive and, in some cases, unavailable.

Paradoxically, the cost of computer memory and storage has steadily declined over the years, yet the price of increasing a mobile device’s storage capacity between different storage tiers has not mirrored this decline in cost . Alongside the increasing cost discrepancy between storage tiers for mobile devices is the storage limitation that users face as they are often locked into a fixed storage capacity at the time of purchase, with no option to expand it later beyond monthly subscriptions to a cloud service .

These issues highlight an opportunity to explore alternative solutions that balance affordability, scalability, and the users control over his/her data.