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Confirmed: Verizon Galaxy S4 32GB Isn’t Coming

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While Verizon customers have been holding out hope for Galaxy S4 storage options other than the announced Samsung Galaxy S4 16GB, the carrier unfortunately dashed out that fire today confirming its plans not to offer the 32GB Galaxy S4 in the future.

After several weeks of waiting, consumers in the U.S. finally have most of the details regarding the Samsung Galaxy S4 release. Pricing and release dates are, for the most part, public knowledge and the device finally landed on shelves for the first time today with U.S. Cellular becoming the first carrier to offer it to non pre-ordering customers.

Read: Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini & Rugged Galaxy S4 Pegged for July.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 32GB will never come to Verizon.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 32GB will never come to Verizon.

One detail that remains a bit of a mystery though is whether or not some of the U.S. carriers will be getting the larger storage variants of the Galaxy S4. In March, Samsung announced 32GB and 64GB Galaxy S4 editions but thus far, the only carrier to confirm a 32GB Galaxy S4 is AT&T which says that it will be coming soon.

Consumers have been wondering about the prospects of the 32GB and 64GB Galaxy S4 models on other carriers and while some answers remain elusive, Gotta Be Mobile has learned that the Verizon does not plan to offer a 32GB Galaxy S4 which all but rules out a 64GB model as well.

The carrier informed us today that it won’t be offering the 32GB model, ever, and that it has heard that some other carriers will be taking a similar approach. We aren’t exactly sure who those carriers might be, but considering that Sprint, T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular have yet to announce 32GB or 64GB models, we imagine that at least one or all of them could be joining Verizon.

AT&T's Galaxy S4 may be the only one that features 32GB of internal storage.

AT&T’s Galaxy S4 may be the only one that features 32GB of internal storage.

Verizon did not get into specifics but it alluded to the many other storage options on the Galaxy S4 including cloud storage and the 64GB microSD card slot that is on board and can take a 16GB model to 80GB for cheap.

The carrier was the first to discontinue the 32GB Galaxy S3 and it did not offer anything other than a 16GB Galaxy Note 2 so this news should come as no surprise to prospective owners.

What this means is that the AT&T Galaxy S4 could very well be the only Galaxy S4 in the U.S. that offers anything more than 16GB of internal storage space.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is set to go on sale on Verizon next month with the carrier tagging it with a May 30th release date, a date far later than most other carriers.

29 Comments

29 Comments

  1. Kristina

    04/26/2013 at 10:42 am

    Can you state your source? None of the customer service reps I have talked to have said they are never getting it. They just say they don’t know.

  2. Jeff

    04/26/2013 at 11:24 am

    I’d also be interested to know where this information comes from. While I fear it is most likely the truth, it does have an effect on my purchasing decision. I’ve been intending to switch from IOS to Android for some time now, when the right device came along on Verizon, but Apple’s ‘Power’ over the carriers is a difficult thing to give up when this sort of snafu is apparently typical. I’ve had a 32gb iPhone for 2.5 years now.. Ready to move.. but.. ugh Verizon.

    • Jeff

      04/26/2013 at 11:26 am

      Incidentally, does anyone know of a source for quality, reliable information about what CAN and CANNOT be done on Android with the memory on an SD Card? The things I have read have been really inconsistent, leaving me unsure what the ramifications of the 16gb limit are.

      • Kristina

        04/26/2013 at 11:36 am

        I have talked to tech support today. You CANNOT move apps to the SD card j less you root which voids your warranty. The only thing that would go on the SD card is pictures, videos, downloads of the file sort not Apps(or their associated data), and music.

        • Sam N

          05/06/2013 at 5:50 am

          That is true, however the Galaxy S4 has already been rooted, and it is only a matter of time before a reliable method is discovered for rooting the Verizon version. Although rooting your phone can be risky, if you know what you are doing (or follow a thorough and reliable tutorial) there is very little chance of error. And Verizon hardly leaves you a choice but to root your phone when they do things like block apps (Google Wallet), release updates long after the rest of the world, and load the small storage space on the phone with non-removable bloatware. Understand the risks and the benefits, but I have been using a rooted Galaxy S III for about six months now with Cyanogenmod and can tell you my experience has been exponentially better. Give it some thought.

          • Kristina

            05/06/2013 at 6:05 am

            We shouldn’t have to root our phones for functionality. I have rooted phones in the past (Motorolas) and it has made the phone worse.

          • Jim Pettyjohn

            05/17/2013 at 1:26 pm

            James A P
            Cyanogenmod what version? I am thinking of that with the RC2 that is out. I am using Cyanogenmod 10.1 on my I815 Tablet and I am very happy with it.

          • Sam N

            05/17/2013 at 1:59 pm

            @Jim Pettyjohn

            I don’t understand why this forum allows me to respond to myself but not to you.

            Anyway, I am using 10.1 M3 (from 4-11-2013). It is classified as experimental, though I have found it to be very stable. I have not encountered any issues since I have been using it.

            @Kristina

            I absolutely agree that we *should* not have to root our phones to make them function as we want them to; apparently, however, the carriers do not. They implement ridiculous restrictions on devices that impose limits that are not part of the device’s intended design, and the user experience suffers for it. Although I wish rooting my device was not necessary for me to get the most out of it, I recognize that it is and will take the steps necessary to circumvent the nonsense that the carriers attempt to force on me.

            By definition, all you are doing when you root your device is giving yourself permission to access all areas of the device, including some that were previously restricted. This should have no affect on the stability (or lack-there-of) of the device in itself. However, the modifications that you are able to make as a result of rooting can affect how well or poorly your device performs. If you have had trouble after rooting a device, it could very well be a result of flashing a ROM that is not stable, or some other modification that you made to your device, such as installing an unsupported app or inadvertently removing an otherwise required app that contributes to the device’s overall performance.

        • Austin

          05/16/2013 at 5:18 pm

          but what if u buy videos from google play do they go on the sd card or are they like apps where they get pushed to internal?

          • Kristina

            05/16/2013 at 5:20 pm

            I believe if you save it to watch offline it goes in internal memory like the cloud music does. How big are the movie files?

  3. rushless

    04/26/2013 at 1:05 pm

    Sounds more like they spoke to a rep, since VZW would not allude to other carriers and would not say “never”. Seems like conjecture/guesses presented as fact.

  4. Steve

    04/26/2013 at 2:42 pm

    the reps I spoke with said they will never offer the 32 or 64GB versions. with the external memory options, I think this is a smart move. I trust my info on a removable card more than on internal HDD regardless of device.

    • rushless

      04/26/2013 at 7:30 pm

      How is not offering choice smart? Offer both the 16 and 32 like they did with the S3. There is only 9gb free on the 16gb version and you can NOT install apps on the sd card. The average size of a ne 3d games is over 1gb.

  5. Jeff

    04/27/2013 at 4:59 am

    The fallacy here is in trying to suggest Verizon would follow logic. Especially logic that errs on the side of the consumer’s best interest. In my (limited) experience.. its always less expensive for a company to offer one product than 2. And if 95% of your customers are going to pick that one anyhow.. well.. Us power users can deal.

    • Sam N

      05/06/2013 at 5:59 am

      I’m not sure that the majority would pick the 16 Gb version though. I would have thought the higher storage capacity version would be more popular. It makes sense that if you are already spending a few hundred bucks, another $50 to double how much you can store on the phone is worth it for most people.

      I do completely agree with you that expecting Verizon to be logical or do things in favor or the customer is an unrealistic expectation.

      Verizon:
      “We cannot offer Google Wallet because it requires integration with the secure element.”

      later…
      “ISIS [Google Wallet’s competitor backed by Verizon] accesses the secure element in your phone…”

      Now THAT’s logic.

  6. jake

    04/28/2013 at 4:56 pm

    source? Verizon has not announced this officially anywhere (other than to you??).

  7. Brea

    04/29/2013 at 7:05 am

    this is the info I just got on chat:
    My name is Natasha, how may I assist you?
    brea: any official word if verizon is getting the 32gb galaxy s4 (not just the 16gb)?
    Natasha: Good Morning Brea!
    Natasha: I am excited about this device too!!!
    Natasha: and yes, it is on pre-order right now
    Natasha: the device officially comes out on May 30
    Natasha: For both 16 and 32
    brea: the 32gb? all i see is the 16gb for preorder
    Natasha: ok, here is what I have, it is suppose to be available but the pricing has not been provided yet. The only assumption I can make it that it will be $100 more but not sure why this info hasn’t been given as of yet
    brea: ok – i’ll wait a little longer and see if it shows up online for preorder. thanks for the help.

    • Diane

      04/29/2013 at 3:18 pm

      Wow Brea! I hope you are telling the truth here. If so, thanks hugely for supplying the first hopeful information on the 32GB at Verizon I’ve seen. Every Verizon representative I’ve personally spoken with has denied knowing anything other than “it’s not available at this time” and when I have asked if it would ever be, I’ve been told “I have no information about that”. Mr. Mills claims to have confirmed that it won’t ever be available at Verizon, but then declines to give any information as to the source of that supposed confirmation. If I believe it and buy the 16GB and waste my 2yr contract price reduction and a month later the 32GB comes out I think my head might explode.

      • Brea

        04/29/2013 at 3:28 pm

        well I’m telling the truth — lets just hope the rep Natasha I spoke with is as well :) p.s. I’ve live chatted several times asking the same question to other reps and get the same answers you have – which is basically no one knows!

        • tll84

          05/01/2013 at 7:48 am

          i hope you are right brea…this is what i just got……

          Alexandria S.: Hi! My name is Alexandria S. with the Verizon Wireless Sales Team. I am available to answer your questions and help you place an order. May I have your name, please?
          Trevor: hello alexandria, i have a question for you about the S4
          Alexandria S.: Sure! What can i assist you with?
          Trevor: well i am looking into the pre-order, when are the phones being shipped?
          Alexandria S.: The phones ship 5.30.2013.
          Trevor: ok, and i was also looking for the internal memory on the phone….is this the 32GB?
          Alexandria S.: The phone is 16GB and supports a SD card to up to 64GB.
          Trevor: ok, so when will the 32GB be available?
          Alexandria S.: I’m sorry, we do not have access to that information unfortunately.
          Trevor: ok, can you at least see whether or not it will be at some time?
          Alexandria S.: We are not released information on future inventory, until only a few days before.
          Trevor: ok…..well, i guess i wont be ordering today…i will wait until the 32GB is released
          Alexandria S.: Okay then. Is there anything else?
          Trevor: nope, thanks!

          • Sam N

            05/06/2013 at 6:04 am

            I’m sorry to say that you should not assume that Verizon reps know what they are talking about. There is another article about how a Verizon rep stated that after the operating system, the 16 Gb version has 14 Gb available for storage (which would not be possible unless the operating system was incredibly tiny). They know sales, but to be honest, we know more about the hardware than most of them do. It is good that you have that documented though, perhaps you can use that to your advantage later on. I always keep a copy of chats with Verizon reps.

            Don’t get your hopes up about the 32 Gb version. It may come, may not, but I wouldn’t assume it is based entirely on what one rep says.

  8. Sanman

    04/29/2013 at 7:27 pm

    I have spoken to a Verizon wireless rep in Bj’s Wholesale store by the name Victor. He explained to me that they will be carrying the 32GB Galaxy S4 they just did not have the price set yet. The 16GB was first in sale for $249.99 but after the price was adjusted for matching other mobile companies it was changed to 199.99 after a $50.00 Verizon rebate visa card.

    Once the price has been set then it will become an option for Verizon wireless customers.

    • Al

      04/30/2013 at 6:07 pm

      If this is true, and they are just waiting on a final price, why wouldn’t Verizon announce that? If they already know they are going to (eventually) offer a 32GB, but they don’t announce it, then every impatient user who wants the S4 on release day will get the 16GB. If Verizon already knows that the 32GB doesn’t sell as well as the 16GB, they would (you would think) do all they could to ensure that every person who wants to pay more and get the 32GB option will know it is coming and therefore wait. Just doesn’t make sense…

  9. Kaintae

    05/02/2013 at 11:32 pm

    Usually we will see information about upcoming devices in our equipment guide weeks before launch, along with accessories, pricing, etc.. I’ve seen the 16 gb galaxy s4 and nothing else. Not saying it won’t come, but the 16gb s4 has been there for weeks, and it doesn’t even launch til the 30th.

  10. Mista D

    06/29/2013 at 5:07 pm

    Awesome…quality…..great job with this posting. I’ll be sure to keep reading your site from my white, 32gb, Verizon Galaxy S4.

  11. boggle boes

    07/07/2013 at 8:19 pm

    So do you update your article to eat your words? Too many so called experts writing so called articles. Waiting on 64gb while using the 32. Have a nice day. Don’t read articles from this site!

    • Sam N

      07/07/2013 at 8:26 pm

      You can’t fault the writers for writing the article if Verizon did in fact confirm that it wouldn’t be sold… that would be the responsibility of Verizon (not to confirm things that are not set in stone), however I do agree with you that the article should be updated so as not to be misleading. Still, not sure that it warrants avoiding the site altogether, they were simply printing what they were told by an official source (at least I am assuming, based on the “Verizon confirms” bit). You just have to understand that if you do read something on this site there is a possibility the information may be out of date.

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