When a new mobile camera is announced, typically a lot of attention is given to the device’s physical size. After all, the mobile’s compact body and light weight make it far more likely that you’ll have a video camera with you to grab that shot of a low-flying UFO.

But according to an article in Information Age, there’s a far more important size issue governing the development of mobile video cameras: the rapid and ongoing increase in data storage capacity.

Consider the following historical snippet:  Released in mid 2010, the iPhone 4 maxed out at 32 gigabytes. Four years later, the iPhone 6 offered 128 gigabytes. Predictions are that in 2016 we’ll see phones with 320 gigabytes of storage.

What does the increase in storage mean for the average filmmaker? For one thing, more gigs means the ability to shoot longer. While mid-20th-century film cameras were limited to shooting about 10 minutes at a time, the supper-sized mobile device can shoot for an hour or more.

The ability to keep on shooting  is particularly valuable with nonfiction projects such as documentaries. And we’re not talking just about commercial documentaries like those of Michael Moore. The documentary genre includes everything from family travelogues to video biographies. If you want to shoot a musical performance or a play, you’ll soon value having  big data storage.

Data capacity also impacts visual quality, specifically, shooting 4K video, which is what you see in Hollywood movies. Put into practical terms: The massive increase in data storage makes it possible  for the modest pocket camera to acquire the advanced features found in dedicated DSLR cameras.

So when you’re considering getting a new mobile, after you heft it and inspect the qualities of the lens, ask about the data storage size. There is no such thing as having  “too much.”