Akamai: Mobile Safari was dominant mobile browser in Q3 2012, trailed Android's cellular data share

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 54
    matrix07matrix07 Posts: 1,993member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post





    Bingo. I'm at home, I'm actually sitting in front of my work laptop, and yet I'd rather grab my iPhone to do just about everything, including tapping out this message.


    I concur. My wife uses her iPhone at home most of the time even though she sat in front of her MBA. She would leave her iPhone only to do a heavy task like MS Word or Excel lol.

  • Reply 22 of 54

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    So why aren't Android-based devices using WiFI as much?


     


    Android owners have jobs and can't spend all their time sitting in Starbucks.

  • Reply 23 of 54

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by KDMeister View Post



    Hey Folks,



    The real reason why Android devices use cellular data more is because Android is flawed. Even if wi-fi is available, Android does not switch to it automatically. People end up paying for cellular data when they shouldn't have to. Users must choose which network to use, cellular or wi-fi.



    On the other hand, iOS always favor Wi-Fi if it is available. Cellular data is shut off when Wi-Fi is available. Thank you Apple for keeping our data bill down.


     


    Utter bullshit. Android automatically switches to available WiFi networks just like iOS does.

  • Reply 24 of 54
    habihabi Posts: 317member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by wakefinance View Post


    I think it's as simple as LTE.  Many Android users are still grandfathered into unlimited LTE on Verizon, and LTE is much faster than your average wifi.  Even ignoring the unlimited high-speed data, there are far more LTE Android phones than LTE iPhones, so that means more Android users are likely to prefer cellular data.





    What wifi networks do you use? All my home and office networks that im mostly living in are all 11n networks (300Mbps) How can you say that LTE is faster than Wifi. Well its faster than some 10 year old wifi would be closer to the truth.


     


    wifi and android is a mixed bag atleast in my experience. Ive helped a few frends with problems  and concluded that its faster to use usb cable than to tether via wifi so i guess that the wifi software (drivers) on some phones is not that great. (no there werent any interference on the channel...)

  • Reply 25 of 54
    habihabi Posts: 317member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by stike vomit View Post


     


    Android owners have jobs and can't spend all their time sitting in Starbucks.





    Most android phones are cheap ones. In my experience (from my own observations) is that if you cant afford to buy a decent phone you havent got money to spend on decent  accesspoints, switches, copper/fiber connections (where you live). Many dont even understand that you can pair those if they have an accesspoint.

  • Reply 26 of 54
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,628member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by habi View Post




    Most android phones are cheap ones. In my experience (from my own observations) is that if you cant afford to buy a decent phone you havent got money to spend on decent  accesspoints, switches, copper/fiber connections (where you live). Many dont even understand that you can pair those if they have an accesspoint.



    I know what you mean as I feel somewhat the same way. If you don't live in an upscale neighborhood like mine, or drive a BMW, Audi or other premium brand you don't deserve my respect either. People like that are either too poor or too uneducated to matter. It's obvious that anyone would choose a lifestyle like you and I have if they could afford to. Everyone knows that.


    /s

  • Reply 27 of 54
    jj.yuanjj.yuan Posts: 213member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by KDMeister View Post



    On the other hand, iOS always favor Wi-Fi if it is available. Cellular data is shut off when Wi-Fi is available. Thank you Apple for keeping our data bill down.


    Besides, wifi radio consumes less battery power.

  • Reply 28 of 54
    Reason: iPad
  • Reply 29 of 54

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by OllieWallieWhiskers View Post



    Reason: iPad


    I think we have a winner!

  • Reply 30 of 54
    anonymouseanonymouse Posts: 6,965member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by extremeskater View Post


    They connect to Wifi the same as iOS. I used an HTC EVO when it first came out for a while. I didn't use the internet as much because the browser was painful to use. Even third party browsers like Dolphin HD just plan sucked. Also using Wifi but even more so 4G sucks the life out of the battery.


     


    Not sure if it is still that way but certainly why my Android trial was short lived.



     


    This has been largely what I've observed with Android users -- i.e., they turn off WiFi because it drains their battery too fast when it's on. Most smartphone users do not actively manage individual radios, so once it's off, it stays off, and they end up doing everything on the cell radio.


     


    The difference in cell vs WiFi usage doesn't have any significance beyond that, it's simply an artifact of Android power management.

  • Reply 31 of 54
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,628member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    They don't connect to WiFi as easily or seamlessly as iOS?



    I can't figure it out. It's such a huge disparity, too.


    It is odd isn't it? Perhaps it's generational? In my teenage son's group I don't recall seeing any iPhones (tho most of them could probably afford a 5 and 4's are free anyway). I haven't asked any of them why no iPhones. But anyway my son was complaining about T-Mo throttling his service the last couple of months for going over his "unlimited plan" 2GB threshold. I asked him why he was using so much data, and whether he used wi-fi when out and about to save on it. Guess what? He doesn't even use wi-fi at home, much less anywhere else! He said turning on wi-fi or gps or bluetooth uses too much battery so he turned them all off. No one he knows uses wi-fi according to him. 

  • Reply 32 of 54
    kdarlingkdarling Posts: 1,640member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by OllieWallieWhiskers View Post



    Reason: iPad


     


    This.  It's all about mixing different devices into the results.


     


    When comparing phones, the browsing is basically equivalent.  When throwing in mostly WiFi-based devices such tablets, the stats get highly skewed towards iOS for two reasons: 


     


    1) The iPad alone has over 50% of total mobile web traffic...over twice the share of any phone, including the iPhone.


     


    2) Even if people own two different OS devices (iPad, plus an Android based e-reader such as the Nook and Kindle Fire), they will overwhelmingly choose the iPad for browsing.

  • Reply 33 of 54

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by stike vomit View Post


     


    Android owners have jobs and can't spend all their time sitting in Starbucks.



    Nah, I think the previous answers about being homeless/can't afford wifi is just about the correct answer.


     


    We know from many prior surveys that Androiders are nowhere near as well off as iOS users (too lazy to give you links). They can afford to spend their days at Starbucks. You can't.

  • Reply 34 of 54
    anonymouseanonymouse Posts: 6,965member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by KDarling View Post


     


    This.  It's all about mixing different devices into the results.


     


    When comparing phones, the browsing is basically equivalent.  When throwing in mostly WiFi-based devices such tablets, the stats get highly skewed towards iOS for two reasons: 


     


    1) The iPad alone has over 50% of total mobile web traffic...over twice the share of any phone, including the iPhone.


     


    2) Even if people own two different OS devices (iPad, plus an Android based e-reader such as the Nook and Kindle Fire), they will overwhelmingly choose the iPad for browsing.



     


    In other words, what KDarling is saying is that the Android tablet market is a dismal failure, and that's his explanation for the disparity.

  • Reply 35 of 54
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    Could also be due to the fact that ATT has wifi in many places.
  • Reply 36 of 54

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    Nah, I think the previous answers about being homeless/can't afford wifi is just about the correct answer.


     


    We know from many prior surveys that Androiders are nowhere near as well off as iOS users (too lazy to give you links). They can afford to spend their days at Starbucks. You can't.



     


    image

  • Reply 37 of 54
    kdarlingkdarling Posts: 1,640member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anonymouse View Post


    In other words, what KDarling is saying is that the Android tablet market is a dismal failure, and that's his explanation for the disparity.



     


    I'm pointing out that more people in the USA buy Android e-Readers instead of Android general purpose tablets.  If that's your definition of failure, then sure.


     


    Of course, we could leave Android off the chart entirely, and compare only iOS devices... and it would look like the iPhone was also a "failure" in comparison to the iPad.   Everything is relative to the usage being charted.


     


    Here, the usage is web browsing in the USA.  For web browsing, larger iPads are definitely preferred over smaller Android based e-readers, and even over iPhones.


     


    It'd be interesting to compare iPad Mini browsing to that of its bigger brother iPad.

  • Reply 38 of 54

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    Nah, I think the previous answers about being homeless/can't afford wifi is just about the correct answer.


     


    We know from many prior surveys that Androiders are nowhere near as well off as iOS users (too lazy to give you links). They can afford to spend their days at Starbucks. You can't.



     


    Actually, iPhone owners are more likely to be in debt than Android or Blackberry owners:


     


    http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/News/11294/iphone_owners_poorer_Blackberry.aspx


     


    Nothing sadder than a wannabe fanboy having to use their overdraft to pay for the latest Apple shiny... 

  • Reply 39 of 54
    Akamai?

    No point continuing further. These are the same idiots MacRulez likes to bring up since they are the ONLY study out of several that show Android and iOS close in terms of usage.

    They're also the ones who can't even separate out iPhone and iPad traffic and have to resort to making "guesses" about the disparity.
  • Reply 40 of 54
    kdarlingkdarling Posts: 1,640member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by EricTheHalfBee View Post



    Akamai?



    No point continuing further. These are the same idiots MacRulez likes to bring up since they are the ONLY study out of several that show Android and iOS close in terms of usage.


     


    While I share your disdain of using limited web or advertising stats to determine actual device usage, especially from companies who are only seeking to sell their wares, Akamai is not the only study to say that phone usage is the same.


     


    For example, take that recent Chitika study from December, which was widely quoted on fansites.   From it, most people only saw headlines like "iOS Devices consume twice as much web traffic as Android!".   Few ever took the time to actually read further down in the source material:


     


    "While third-party and our own observations have pegged smartphone Web traffic share as a near-tie, Apple has a decided advantage in the tablet market, where its iPad is unquestionably the hottest seller in the sector.  This advantage is the largest contributing factor to Apple’s lead over Android." - Chitika


     


    The upshot seems to be that, at least in the USA, mobile web browsing is done two to three times as much on large screened tablets than on phones or e-readers, and there's a lot more large screened iPads in the USA than any other large screened tablet.


     

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