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What we're deaing with is two different paradigms. They lead to 2 different needs. One is not better than the other, just different.
Paradigm #1 - The PC (in the general sense, pick your OS). Designed to be autonomus, with real time communications as an option, not a neccessity. This paradigm depends on local storage, and local processing. Designed to be completely environment independent, except for electricity.
Paradigm #2 - The cell phone. Designed to be completely dependent upon the communication network, totally worthless without it. Processing is an act of communications. No local storage needed.
These two paradigm are trying to converge, but they have reached the hard nub of unreconcilable differences. Depending on which paradigm you come from, you get a different answer. And each paradigm viewpoint thinks it's viewpoint is the best way...
PC paradigm considers local storage to be paramount, hence the demand for built-in SD readers. The cell phone paradigm considers them to be basically useless, data access should be by streaming. Hence the unconcern for local storage. Of course the cell phone paradigm has conceded that some local storage is handy, but it should be internal to the machine for convenience. The PC paradigm also can use streaming, but considers it a secondary source of data.
See how the paradigms determine design, even when you could seamlessly meld the two? It even extends to software, the downloadable app, requiring an e-mail address to use, even when it's free, for the cell phone paradigm. The PC paradigm is load from any external source and use. No communications required. (Yes, I know, anti-piracy activations blur the paradigm, but they are just one-time communications, and not necessary for all software.)
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