Do you remember when GTide had to rebrand to GTel? Rebranding is an expensive endeavour, but they had to do it because the GTide brand had become synonymous with subpar quality and poor performance.
It didn’t matter that GTide had improved. As long as it remained GTide, many people wouldn’t give it a chance.
I believe the same applies to Itel to some extent. There are those who won’t give Itel a chance because of their past experiences with the brand. Of course, others simply dismiss the brand due to the mockery it receives on social media.
Here at Techzim, we’ve tested Itel phones and found them to be quite pleasant to use. They are budget phones, but they deliver great value for their cost. One of us is actually using an Itel phone and is happy with it.
However, I now fully understand where those who complain about Itel are coming from.
See, Itel operates at different price points. If you’re using a $159 Itel S24 with 256GB of storage, your experience would be worlds apart from someone using the $69 Itel A06.
The flawed Itel super-budgets
I met someone using the Itel A13 Plus, and they were not happy.
Here was the problem: the phone reported that 75% of the storage was in use, meaning 25% was free. In other words, 2GB of the 8GB was free.
The operating system was using 3.6GB of the 8GB, which meant the phone had 4.4GB free right out of the box. There was only one third-party app installed—WhatsApp—which was using most of the 2.3GB of storage attributed to “Other apps.”
The free 2GB isn’t much to work with, but it’s something. If only they could use it. When they tapped on “Manage Storage,” they found there was something wrong with the storage.
In this submenu, you’d see that the internal storage was full. It says “Internal storage – 0B free,” fully contradicting the previous page.
Trying to tap on “Internal storage” to manage it wasn’t possible. It would try to load, fail, and return to the previous page.
It gets worse. No one should ever see this notification, yet the Itel A13 Plus user got it:
They couldn’t download an image sent via WhatsApp, and the phone said, “Download failed: Can’t download because no internal storage is available. Please unmount it as a disk drive, and try again.”
I hope you understand how bizarre this is. Has your phone ever told you that internal storage isn’t available? The part about unmounting it as a disk drive is the weirdest thing you’ll ever seen.
So, what could be going on here?
There are several possible causes.
It’s important to know the full context. The Itel A13 Plus was first released in 2018, and it’s still being sold today by various retailers, with prices ranging from $10 to $37.
The owner of the phone we’re discussing bought it this year within that price range.
Software issues
There could be a bug in the software causing the phone to think it’s connected to a computer as a disk drive. You might see a cable in the image, but the problem persisted even when it was set to ‘Charge only’ or disconnected from the computer entirely.
So, potential cause number one: a software issue might be causing the phone to misinterpret the available storage.
Corrupted storage
Another possible cause could be corrupted storage. It’s relatively common for budget devices to experience storage corruption or storage-related errors.
Budget phones often use lower-grade internal memory (flash storage), which may wear out faster or become prone to data corruption over time, especially under heavy use.
The A13 Plus has just 1GB of RAM, which can cause problems. Limited RAM can lead to inefficient background processes, software crashes, or file system issues, indirectly causing storage problems.
Additionally, budget phones may not use as robust file systems or error correction protocols as higher-end devices, making them more susceptible to storage corruption.
Low storage
All the above potential causes are plausible, but the most likely cause is the low storage. The phone only has 8GB of internal storage, with 4.4GB available after the operating system is installed. 4.4GB of storage is simply not enough.
Phones with small storage (like 8GB or even 16GB) can struggle when they get too full, or when you frequently update apps, install new ones, or download media. Think of it as a small closet becoming cluttered and hard to manage when it’s packed full. This can sometimes even mess up the way the phone organises its files, like mixing up pages in a notebook.
This ties into overuse of what’s called cache. Budget phones with small storage use something called “cache files” to help things run smoothly.
It’s like having a notepad to quickly jot down notes. But, if you don’t erase those notes regularly, they can pile up and make the notepad messy and hard to use. Similarly, if the phone doesn’t clean up these cache files, they can get messed up and cause storage problems, even if there seems to be space left.
Android
Here’s the kicker: Android’s storage system can be confusing.
The built-in storage is divided into “internal” and “external” sections, even though it’s all physically in the same place. If you have an SD card, it’s called “removable” storage.
Think of it like this: “internal” storage is a private area where apps store important data, while “external” storage is like a shared space for files like downloads, which you can see and access.
So, even if the phone shows some free space overall, the “internal” section might be full, leading to problems. It’s like having a closet with two compartments—one might be overflowing while the other is still half-empty.
This is likely what’s happening with the Itel A13 Plus. The internal storage is full, even though the phone shows some free space overall.
Again, this is mainly caused by the low storage fitted to the phone in the first place.
Itel moved on from 8GB storage
Earlier this week, we talked about the recently released Itel A06, which retails for $70 and has 32GB of storage.
While the other downsides of budget phones remain, you’re less likely to encounter low-storage issues with 32GB.
People who used phones like the A13 Plus, which had limited storage and faced the challenges we’ve discussed, might swear off Itel altogether. However, now we better understand why certain models were problematic.
I’m unsure what to make of the A13 Plus still being on sale. On one hand, if someone can get their first smartphone for $10 to $37, that’s great. But on the other hand, if the phone can’t even handle a good WhatsApp experience, let alone store photos, audio, or video, what’s the point?
I think Itel should address these 6-year-old budget devices still being sold in 2024. If that’s someone’s first experience with Itel, they’ll be less likely to stick with the brand when it comes time to upgrade.
As buyers, the lesson is clear: don’t buy a phone with 16GB or less of storage. It’s better to wait a few months and save up for a 32GB or 64GB option.
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18 comments
it’s come back to my point…I understand why the 69 phone exists…but 2gb…how bad is the experience…they could have cut the camera totally and upped the battery and ram….and would have a better option..2gb can’t run any app
I’m with you on this one. What’s the point of having features you won’t enjoy. Cut the camera and increase RAM and storage for the same price and we’re cooking. It would be the ultimate WhatsApp phone for someone just looking to communicate.
That’s a favorable review. I can imagine i am currently using a Samsung device with:
8 GB RAM
128 GB ROM
Without going into its processor, Itel has indeed started producing superior devices. Particularly with their S23 model, they have outdone themselves; it’s even better than the Itel S24.
The person who uses the A13 Plus above won’t want to hear about the S24. That’s what a bad experience does.
That’s true! I have used two itel phones so far, the p33 plus which was good during it’s days & now l have an A56 which performs badly! This month l am disposing it for a Samsung midrange phone! To hell with itel
This is honestly why we were all laughing on the other article as you boldly called the A06 a “decent smartphone” with its 2gb ram. Lol.
Yeah, 2Gb RAM and 32GB storage is kinda decent for $70. If expectations are not unrealistic on the experience it’s usable. We’ve seen those specs work for some people for years.
There is really nothing decent about 2gb of ram in 2024. If itel even caref about their brand image they wouldnt even produce that phone. I get thay the $70 price tag might be the only decent part about that phone but even if you buy it for your kids you are just paying for a barely functional device.
With those specs?
Unrealistic expectations or lack of knowledge is the actual problem here.
Look we all know that we Zimbabweans love cheap stuff but sometimes we take it too far!
Those itel A23 specs are the specs for a high end mbudzi phone. The high end part is the touch screen, which is for those people who like myself absolutely hate the idea of squinting at a small screen whilst pressing physical buttons as I slowly type out a message.
The Calender and calculator is about all that you should reasonably expect to work well on such a phone. Anything else is wishful thinking or the grace of the ancestors.
Just so you know I’m not hating, I myself use a
Samsung J1 mini with
8GB Memory and
1 GB Ram
All apps wherever possible have been disabled, and I use the memory card as the main storage to save pictures, music etc, etc.
This phone is mainly used for calls and to send/receive sms’s the battery lasts for days.
And everything is fine. Why?
Because I don’t have unrealistic expectations!
But then you hear about someone who wants to use such a low speced phone as the main phone. All I keep thinking is “…you people!”
I guess you’re right on this. Expectations were too high for this phone. Granted, she only expected to install WhatsApp on it and no other 3rd parties. However, it appears even that was too high of an expectation.
exactly….that’s the problem with Chinese low quality…when to get this price range yourealjy make a non functional thing….is like buying scale for a dollar but it’s not accurate…it’s self defeating.all that r and d and tone and effort for non functional thing. I have syringes that come with needles and guts what the needles don’t work… there has to be done quality control
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Iwe Leonard, watanga manje. Out of the blue, just throwing shade like this. At my beloved, Itel.
First and foremost, this an old phone, at least a full 4 years old. Its probably, reached EOL. So , likely no longer getting firmware updates. Either that or the user has not bothered to apply any updates. Its also , as you say a super budget phone. Those are not good combinations, regardless of the brand. Plus the user should have been more careful considering the storage. They allowed their phone to accumulate a lot of junk over time.
Anyway, I wonder how many big brand name super budget phones from 4 years ago actually boot up flawlessly to allow one to make a phone call.
Lastly, what do you all mean that 2gb ram phones are unusable? Such phones are not an Itel thing, Xiaomi have the Redmi A3. That is a 2gb ram phone but its way over priced. Besides, what do you use your phone for, Are you some psycho masochist who goes out of their way to edit 4k vids on their phone? That’s madness.
Itel Manyama !!!!!
Thanks for your comment,I Love it!
Mostly with people it’s NOT Unreasonable expectations but actually ignorance,Itel Is a good brand, I’m currently Using the Itel S23plus, it’s perfect for it’s price point & It’s much better than many Samsung Entry levels,but some brand snob out there can “diss” me whilst they are Using a Samsung M13, Itel is a good brand and it makes entry level smartphones,What can you expect from a 2018 phone?. Remember that fake itels exist and they were some people’s first experience with Itel,so because of their ignorance they go and buy Samsung M13 instead of the S23 plus or another phone of that price point which is a FAR much better mid ranger with a Super AMOLED display and a beefy 256GB Of storage.
I’ve got a Samsung Galaxy A3 2017,With 2GB Ram and 16GB Internal storage,it’s unusable now so is the case with an itel released in 2017
Do an article about Device Renders Pls I need to know more about my phones render
Aiwa, no shade was thrown. I mentioned all the caveats you’re talking about.
– the phone is 6 years old but still on sale in many places. It should not be, and my cry is to Itel to do something about it.
– these super budgets don’t get any updates and this one was up to date.
– the user was super careful with it in the couple of months she has owned it. It hadn’t accumulated junk over time.
– I said 1GB is unusable, not 2 but 2 is not ideal either.
You guys got a bit emotional and missed the point. Super budget phones are a terrible deal. Especially for future proofing.
The point was that these phones have challenges and are just not worth it. We talked about why they are unusable. Then about why this is bad for Itel’s brand.
Like I said, those with Itel S23s and S24s will have a totally different experience. However, they should now understand why some people say Itel is crap, they aren’t just throwing shade. They had bad Itel experiences.
As you know, this is also why people perceive iPhones to be superior to Androids from Samsung for example. Apple has no budget phones and so telling someone who has suffered with a budget Samsung that Apple is not superior sounds crazy.
Its better to stay without a phone than using itel.
Some brands are jus rudimentary. I have seen when writing assignments .the struggle is real but with budget Samsung your typing, copying splitting screen keeping multiple tabs becomes handy when writing