iPhone Owners Found Utilizing Wi-Fi Connections More Often Than Android Users

[Akshay Masand]

According to ComScore’s Device Essentials study, it was found that 71% of iPhone users in the U.S. leverage both cellular and Wi-Fi networks compared to 32% of Android users. Furthermore, the numbers are even higher in the U.K. where the share of iOS and Android users utilizing both types of connections comes in at 87% and 57% respectively.

ComScore’s President of Operator and Mobile Solutions, Serge Matta, said that “in the U.K., the scarcity of unlimited data plans and higher incidence of smartphone pre-paid contracts with a pay-as-you-go model likely contributes to data offloading among users wanting to economize their mobile usage.” He continued by stating that the lack of high-speed 4G networks like the ones found in the U.S. also force U.K. users to move to Wi-Fi connections. That being said, the shift is expected to hit the U.S. soon enough as “unlimited” data plans continue to fall in numbers. It was previously announced that AT&T would be throttling the speed of grandfathered-in “unlimited” data plan users when a user crosses the 3GB threshold.

After breaking down the findings by carrier, iPhone owners on an AT&T network seem to use more Wi-Fi than any other U.S. carrier because the telecom has both a larger share of Apple’s handset as well as the nation’s largest hotspot network. In the U.K., handsets on Vodafone, Telefonica, and Orange networks were all found to use Wi-Fi more than those on other U.K operators’ networks.

For those of you who are interested, you can check out an interactive chart below:

Chart: Mobile and Wi-Fi Internet Connection Activity Across iOS and Android Smartphone Platforms in the U.S. and U.K. (Feb-2012)Description: A U.S. analysis of Wi-Fi and mobile Internet usage across unique smartphones on the iOS and Android platforms reveals that 71 percent of all unique iPhones used both mobile and Wi-Fi networks to connect to the Internet, while only 32 percent of unique Android mobile phones used both types of connections. A further analysis of this pattern of behavior in the U.K. shows consistent results, as 87 percent of unique iPhones used both mobile and Wi-Fi networks for web access compared to a lower 57 percent of Android phones.Source: comScore Device Essentials, February 2012Tags: 3G, Wi-FiAuthor: comScorecharts powered by iCharts

Source: ComScore

[Agent929]

Maybe because android phones are mostly 4G now? Lol

[DuRoLuRo]

Because you can't do squat on an iPhone on 3G, unless it's jailbroken. Simple fact.

[Sheem166]

I don't understand why y'all iPhone haters are on here? Smh

[DuRoLuRo]

I don't understand why y'all iPhone haters are on here? Smh

They be statin'. They must be hatin'!
WTF man? :P

[Moreno53]

Because you can't do squat on an iPhone on 3G, unless it's jailbroken. Simple fact.

On of the absolute dumbest and most idiotic thing posted on this site...and that's saying somethig.

[DuRoLuRo]

On of the absolute dumbest and most idiotic thing posted on this site...and that's saying somethig.

Nah. Your comment is dumber

[Roadw3]

I find myself only using wifi at my house. I have tried AT&T "hotspot" it was painfully slow so now at the house is all I use wifi for on my iPhone. I'm grandfathered with the new unlimited throttled data plan from AT&T.

[Cellular]

Because you can't do squat on an iPhone on 3G, unless it's jailbroken. Simple fact.

+1

[KraXik]

Wtf? Scarcity of unlimited data plans? Er no.

'Telefonica' or O2 as we call them offer free wifi hotspots so I'm sure the wifi will be higher there.

Got a point on the 4g though. 3G speeds aren't horrible at about 5meg.

[Moreno53]

Nah. Your comment is dumber

Just what I figured...useless trolls have nothing better to do.

[GmAz]

Maybe because android phones are mostly 4G now? Lol

Pretty much, yup. My wife has 4G on her Thunderbolt while my DroidX is still on 3G. I always see her on 4G with wifi turned of. We both have unlimited plans on Verizon so I'm not worried about overages so I don't really care.

[Norb]

Maybe because android phones are mostly 4G now? Lol

Naw there is more to it than that... First off it's actually a pretty useless study.

1) iPhone by default ask you about connecting to networks when you start using data.
2) Some bigger apps are not downloadable over 3g because of restrictions.
3) If you connect to an ATT hotspot your phone will connect automatically to other ATT hotspots in other locations.

Either way it's a bit of a pointless study, I personally don't connect to any WiFi besides my home and I disable the dumb notification that asks you to connect to WiFi. I'm pretty sure some people don't know any better and simple connect to WiFi every time they are asks.

[Kenn@rd.]

+1

+2.

[lillewis51]

Naw there is more to it than that... First off it's actually a pretty useless study.

1) iPhone by default ask you about connecting to networks when you start using data.
2) Some bigger apps are not downloadable over 3g because of restrictions.
3) If you connect to an ATT hotspot your phone will connect automatically to other ATT hotspots in other locations.

Either way it's a bit of a pointless study, I personally don't connect to any WiFi besides my home and I disable the dumb notification that asks you to connect to WiFi. I'm pretty sure some people don't know any better and simple connect to WiFi every time they are asks.

+1

usually the android users have to open there settings to connect to a wifi network.
also how often are you in a place where there isnt wifi? my iphone is almost always connected to a hot spot, my house or my colleges wifi.
come to think of it the only time i use "4g" (stupid 4s) is when I'm driving or at a store... in which case im not really using data then anyway.

[Mrteacup]

4g isn't as real as you guys think.. Unless you have unlimited data on 4g it's not that great it hasn't been optimized yet

It still drains battery and hogs data.. And Its still not supported everywhere. 4g has been used for the tile ATM its nothin more then a title and a tool that hasn't been perfected

Also people use iPhones on wifi more because there's more data hog games on wifi. Or games that need speed connections. Android doesn't have games like that I mean they do but they aren't regularly used. 3G on android is mostly used for Facebook and not gameplay iPhone however has some heavy game play..

Not saying androids suck I'm just saying android users don't need wifi as much as iPhone users

[DuRoLuRo]

+1

usually the android users have to open there settings to connect to a wifi network.
also how often are you in a place where there isnt wifi? my iphone is almost always connected to a hot spot, my house or my colleges wifi.
come to think of it the only time i use "4g" (stupid 4s) is when I'm driving or at a store... in which case im not really using data then anyway.

+1

[awolfram]

Obvious if you've owned both phones like I have:

On iPhones it increases battery life to use wifi, so you just leave it on.
On Android you are told to turn OFF wifi/bluetooth to save battery life when not in use.

[Cardiac]

iPhone sucks is why. I've had them all and them on the network alone sucks, plus apps need WiFi sometimes if not all the time. Android os is so smooth and can keep up on the network there isn't any need for a WiFi.

[Agent929]

Obvious if you've owned both phones like I have:

On iPhones it increases battery life to use wifi, so you just leave it on.
On Android you are told to turn OFF wifi/bluetooth to save battery life when not in use.

You definitely have more usage time on wifi, but I think leaving it on when your not in a wifi zone will slightly decrease battery life. At that point your device is still searching for a wifi signal and using your 3G.