USB OTG: A way to increase internal memory of your android device

Now-a-days most of the high end android devices are manufactured with internal memory fixed to approx. 16-32 GB. Some of them have an external SD card slot whereas the remaining devices are just limited to the internal memory only.

Problems with limited internal storage

• The limited memory is not even sufficent for the phones. For example, if you are a music freak and gamer, and if your device has limited internal storage like 16 GB then you are forced to sacrifice any one of them. This is because with the advancement of hardware of the devices the app sizes are also have been increasing. So you are limited to only a few games. 
• Not only the games but also the HD camera and its features are a big obstacle. Generally a 4 minute 1080p HD video takes about 400-500 MB of space which is appximately 4-6% internal memory. And a snapshot taken in a 8 MP camera is approx. 2-3 MB.
• Another issue is with the availability of the memory. Usually in a high end device the Android OS itself takes about 4-5 GB of storage leaving you only a scarce amount of internal memory.

Nothing can be done to those devices to increase its memory, but there is a secret weapon called "USB On-The-Go"(abbreviated as OTG). Some phones have this feature from stock rom itself while some of them needs to be rooted to use this feature.

USB OTG is a specification that allows USB devices such as digital audio players or mobile phones to act as a host, allowing other USB devices like a USB flash drive, digital camera, gamepads, mouse, or keyboard to be attached to them.

How to increase internal memory of your android device ?

• To increase internal memory of your android device just plug a special cable called USB OTG cable which looks like this 

• You can connect USB flash drive to extend your device storage.
• If rooted, you must use USB OTG Helper, StickMount and DirectoryBind.

If your device supports USB OTG and even the flash drive is not detected, then use Y-USB OTG cable

connected to a power bank. Powered USB hubs can also be used. 

Here is a demo video on USB OTG

video source: cnet