Users of flagship smartphones such as Apple’s iPhone 5s and Samsung’s Galaxy S4 are continuing to suck down more data than their tablet-wielding counterparts, according to a large-scale survey of mobile data consumption in 2013 conducted by JDSU (which last year bought mobile data analytics company Arieso, the company that previously ran the annual survey).
Is there something about the evolution of the architecture of mobile phones that makes later models consume more data? Is there a correlation to the adoption rate of the most recent OS rev? In other words, the latest model of a phone enables faster transmission speeds and typically runs the latest OS. Or is there something more complex at work here?
My guess: increase in subscribed podcasts, wider use of that awesome new camera and possibly that people are making full use of newer data plans with higher caps.
but the podcasts themselves use the same size as before LTE. why would having LTE drive higher subscriptions to more podcasts? would you just continue to listen to what you listen to?
fast web access, means less waiting time, more surfing. bigger & better images means more photo sharing.
Is there something about the speed of a device’s connection to the internet that encourages users of later models to consume more data?
FTFY
I ride public transportation in Madison, WI (college-town, more
tech-savvy than the surrounding area). Many people use their devices on the bus and in the past two years, and more especially in the past year, I’ve seen a change in usage. Devices now are powerful enough and fast enough to quickly shift contexts – individuals can carry on texting, etc. while switching to another mode, and back, quickly enough to not be painful (I don’t know if you’ve hung around a group of 19-21 yr.olds texting recently – hands ablur while conversing amongst those present as well).
I think this trait – faster devices on a faster network – combined with the push for larger data (more video, more HD, more
podcasts, more streaming) is why data usage is rising so quickly. The third factor would be every month brings more smartphone users into the market and new users are typically voracious in their appetites the first few months of owning a new device.
And in iOS7, background app updates and increased mobile app download sizes (is there still a cap?) would contribute also.
In my case usage went up mostly with the upgrade from iOS 6 to 7 and only a little more when upgrading to the iPhone 5s (which came later for me). Most of the usage was in “System Services” and there under “Time & Location”. So I decided to cut down on background updates for all but the apps I truly care and usage went down to my regular levels.
This seems to be typical of a lot of people complaining about increased usage and I guess most just take the newer settings without giving much thought. Configure them the way you like and you are back to normal.
The report doesn’t say that the same users are now using more data. Users on the latest technology are likely more active data users as they are more engaged in the space than those who have 3 year old devices. Add to that the fact that updated devices are just plain more pleasant to use, and you get an increase in usage just from increased, well, usability.