For a long time, it was a commonly held perception that dual flash drives were only compatible with android smartphones and personal computers. This is because file systems on iPhones are not designed with the same accessibility as android phones and PCs. However, iXpand Mini flash drive, made by Western Digital, is a dual flash drive that plugs into iPhones and iPads, as well as Mac and Windows computers. It comes in 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB.
The concept of a flash drive that works with an iPhone or iPad to manually and automatically move files on your iDevice is certainly innovative. The iXpand Mini dual drive has two connector ports – a standard PC-compatible USB-A connector, and an iPhone-compatible Lightning connector. The Lightning connector has a transparent protective piece of plastic as a cover, while the USB-A connector is exposed. It is quite lightweight and slim, making it convenient to carry around.
After plugging the flash drive into a laptop, it plays the typical audio prompt and opens a file manager window to reveal the drive’s contents. Because of the iPhone/iPad’s system architecture, the iXpand flash drive requires its app to function. The iXpand Mini flash drive app is a tool that helps to back up, transfer and manage photos, videos and files between your iPhone, iPad and computers (Windows and Mac). It also provides access to a portion of your iPhone’s file system so you can move files around and copy, paste just like on a computer or Android phone. Once the app is installed, it works seamlessly on iPhones and iPads.
Being able to access your files on an iPhone is a big deal. From iOS 11, Apple introduced a Files app, but it offers limited access to files on your iDevice. The app works primarily to allow you manage your files across Apple’s iCloud Drive and other third-party cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive. To access your local files i.e. those on your device, you need to install an app that enables it. This is where the iXpand Flash Drive app comes in. The drive app allows you to copy files, view files including playing audio and video directly from the USB drive on the iPhone, backup and restore.
The iXpand Flash Drive app is available for iPhones and iPads for free and is ad-free. It is compatible with the iPhone 5 upwards and can be plugged in with a Lightning port and connector.
In conclusion, the iXpand Mini flash drive is a simple but useful USB accessory for iPhone, Mac and Windows users. You can purchase the flash drive in different storage capacities on Western Digital’s website. It is also available at local and international online stores.
iXpand Mini Flash Drive Specifications
- Storage Capacity: 32GB / 64GB /128GB / 256GB
- USB Type: USB 3.0
- Connectors: Lightning; USB-A
- PC/Mac computer compatibility: Windows® 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Chrome OS, Mac OS X v10.9 and higher
- Mobile device compatibility: iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad mini 4, iPad Pro 12.9″, iPad Pro 9.7″ iPad with Retina display, iPod 5th Generation and newer, with Lightning connector and iOS 8.2+.
