At CES 2026, ShiftCam is introducing a portable solid-state drive that reflects how storage needs are changing for creators who work primarily on mobile devices. The new Planck Studio is a magnetically attached SSD designed to sit on the back of a smartphone, offering large-capacity storage and fast transfer speeds without requiring a separate cable-heavy setup. It is aimed at production teams and individual creators who regularly move large video or image files between phones, laptops, and cameras.
The Planck Studio will be available in two configurations when it launches in early March. The 4TB model starts at $399, while the 8TB version is priced at $599. Both variants are positioned at the higher end of the portable SSD market, reflecting their capacity and use of newer interface standards rather than targeting casual backup users.
In terms of performance, ShiftCam says the drive supports transfer speeds of up to 3,700MB/s through a USB-C port compatible with USB4. That places it firmly in the category of high-speed external storage, suitable for handling large video files, RAW photo libraries, or project folders without significant bottlenecks. A small built-in display on the device shows basic information such as the drive’s identifier, current transfer speed, and remaining storage capacity, reducing the need to check software utilities during file transfers.
Physically, the Planck Studio differs from ShiftCam’s earlier, more compact Planck SSDs by adopting a magnetic mounting system similar to those used by wireless charging accessories. This allows the drive to attach directly to the back of a phone, keeping it aligned and reducing the chance of accidental disconnection while recording or transferring files. Comparable designs have appeared from other storage brands, but ShiftCam is clearly focusing on making the drive feel like an extension of the phone rather than a separate peripheral.
One feature that sets the Planck Studio apart is built-in location tracking. If the drive is misplaced, it can be located using both Apple Find My and Google Find My Device networks. This adds a layer of security that is uncommon for external storage devices and reflects the reality that small, high-value accessories are easy to lose during travel or on busy shoots.
The Planck Studio does not attempt to reinvent portable storage, but it adapts familiar SSD technology to the way modern creators work, especially those relying heavily on smartphones as primary capture tools. Whether the pricing feels justified will depend on how often users need both high capacity and tight integration with their mobile workflow, but the concept addresses a practical gap between traditional external drives and phone-limited internal storage.
