What type of storage does an SD card provide for portable devices?

An SD card primarily provides flash memory storage, which is solid-state storage that uses integrated circuits to store data. This type of storage is highly suitable for portable devices due to its durability, fast read and write speeds, and compact size. Flash memory does not have moving parts, which makes it more resilient to physical shock, a crucial feature for devices that are frequently moved or carried around.

While magnetic storage, such as hard disk drives, relies on moving parts to read and write data and is therefore more susceptible to mechanical failure, tape storage is designed primarily for archival purposes and not for everyday usage in portable devices. Optical storage, such as CDs or DVDs, involves reading and writing data using lasers, which is not practical for the compact and rugged requirements of portable devices like cameras, smartphones, or tablets. Thus, the choice of flash memory for SD cards makes them an ideal solution for expanding storage capacity in portable electronics.