Archos launched a new proprietary technology that will combine the physical storage space of its tablets and smartphones with storage provided by an inserted microSD card. Called Fusion Storage, this software-based feature is now rolling out to specific tablets and phones by way of an over-the-air update.
"Archos' R&D team focused on the lower layers of the Google operating system and its Kernel core, modifying its characteristics to allow automatic memory reconciliation and allocation," the company explained in a press release. "The result is increased capacity for Android tablets and smartphones through a seamless and safe transfer of information."
Once customers install the new feature, Fusion Storage will analyze the files on the device and move them to a specific area. For example, photos, video and data will be stored on the installed microSD card. However, the application files will be housed in the internal storage. All of this can be reversed if the customer removes the microSD card.
Archos indicated that all new tablets and smartphones, starting with the Archos 62 Xenon and the Archos 59 Xenon, will already have Fusion Storage installed. Older devices that will receive the over-the-air update include the Archos 101 Oxygen, the Archos 50 Oxygen Plus, the Archos 52 Platinum and the Archos 50 Diamond.
The company first introduced Fusion Storage back in March during Mobile World Congress 2015 (pdf). Archos called it "revolutionary" in that the tech pulls data from the microSD card and "optimizes memory balance." Thus, by combining the microSD card and internal storage, devices receive an increased storage capacity.
Fusion Storage was introduced alongside the company's Magnus range of tablets that feature up to 256 GB of internal storage. This line includes the Archos 94 Magnus, the Archos 101 Magnus and the Archos 101 Magnus Plus. These tablets shipped in April, costing $349 for the Archos 101 Magnus Plus (128 GB), $349 for the Archos 94 Magnus (256 GB) and $179 for the Archos 101 Magnus (64 GB). All three have Fusion Storage.
What will be interesting to see is how the Fusion Storage-compatible devices will perform with the feature enabled. Presumably, this method is different than moving apps to an SD card, as Fusion Storage is attempting to "fuse" together both the ROM and microSD capacity. As Archos revealed, there won't be chunks of installed apps sitting on the microSD card to slow the system down.
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