iPhone, iPad now represent 83% of WiFi mobile devices as PCs shift into minority use

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Statistics published by Boingo Wireless, the largest WiFi provider worldwide, shows mobile devices are now leading conventional notebooks among airport WiFi hotspot users, and that the majority of those mobile devices are running Apple's iOS.



The company's WiFi Snapshot report notes that smartphones and tablets now make up 58.9 percent of all devices using the company's networks installed within 60 airports in North America and Europe and 400,000 other WiFi hotspots globally.



Among those mobile devices, iOS makes up 83 percent of the traffic. The firm said Android has tripled its share from last year "but is still a distant fourth place to iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices."



"Given the latest numbers, I think it's safe to say 2011 is the year Wi-Fi became an essential part of mobile Internet connectivity," Dawn Callahan, the vice president of consumer marketing for Boingo Wireless said.



"Since the launch of the iPhone in June 2007, we've seen a marked growth trend for non-laptop devices, but the exponential growth in iPhones and iPads in the last year pushed mobile devices past laptops, showcasing just how disruptive the trend is."
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 62
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    I understand why there are less "PCs' being used at airports, but where are the damn Android-based devices that are apparently so much more popular with users than anything Apple makes.
  • Reply 2 of 62
    I'm surprised at the low numbers for Android devices, in relation to its alleged marketshare.



    Are these corporate devices, locked down and not used for airport web-surfing (i.e., personal web-surfing)?
  • Reply 3 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I understand why there are less "PCs' being used at airports, but where are the damn Android-based devices that are apparently so much more popular with users than anything Apple makes.



    Popular because of low price... but suspect the average user can't make them work in that kind of environment so they don't get recorded.



    On the other hand perhaps they all have 4G and don't need to connect to WiFi...
  • Reply 4 of 62
    macrulezmacrulez Posts: 2,455member
    deleted
  • Reply 5 of 62
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I understand why there are less "PCs' being used at airports, but where are the damn Android-based devices that are apparently so much more popular with users than anything Apple makes.



    Phandroids thinks what's good for them MUST be good for everyone else, regardless of how every single report showing the contrary says.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mrtotes View Post


    Popular because of low price... but suspect the average user can't make them work in that kind of environment so they don't get recorded.



    On the other hand perhaps they all have 4G and don't need to connect to WiFi...



    Over the weekend, a friend approached me frustrated that he could not get his new Android tablet working on our public WiFi. He's not tech-savvy. iPad was too expensive so he got suckered into buying some cheap, chinese, 7" plastic iPad knockoff (brand new) from the Internet for $60.



    It was the biggest pile of $h!t I've come across. Nothing worked. The build quality was horrendous, and it required tapping the screen with the force of a sucker-punch in order for it to register anything on the touchscreen.



    We must have spent 30 minutes trying to get it connected to our WiFi. I gave up. I pulled out my iPad and got on in seconds. The online retailer offered to return it but has to pay $54 in shipping to return it. So he essentially has a doorstop.



    This is exactly why I hate all that Android crap. It's becoming the PC paradigm where everyone races to the bottom and the customer gets screwed. Then, it makes the tablet industry look bad in general even though Apple had nothing to do with it.



    Shame on people for continuing this garbage mentality and for hating Apple for smacking them in the face. These folks deserve it.
  • Reply 6 of 62
  • Reply 7 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I understand why there are less "PCs' being used at airports, but where are the damn Android-based devices that are apparently so much more popular with users than anything Apple makes.



    It could be demographics (Android appeals to poor folks), and the survey is based on world data as well (Android is more popular in the US than in Europe and US residents don't leave the country as much anyway).



    Android users are notably more conservative also. Maybe they are just too paranoid to give their credit card to the Airport people?
  • Reply 8 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacRulez View Post


    Many Android devices ship with apps to become a wifi hotspot themselves, so the odds of needing Android to connect to one of those expensive airport connections is relatively low.



    Edit: should have read the byline and not wasted my time reading another Digler invention.



    Your argument makes sense in the context of iPod T's and iPads. But iPhones?



    Furthermore, on a given trip, you likely need to data-roam at one or more airport, regardless of whether you have iPhone or Android. Boingo is a cheaper option.
  • Reply 9 of 62
    macrulezmacrulez Posts: 2,455member
    deleted
  • Reply 10 of 62
    macrulezmacrulez Posts: 2,455member
    deleted
  • Reply 11 of 62
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody View Post


    Android users are notably more conservative also. Maybe they are just too paranoid to give their credit card to the Airport people?



    Most airports I've been in had free WiFi.



    edit: Looks like this is a charged service so what other explanation is there expect that Android users are cheap.
  • Reply 12 of 62
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacRulez View Post


    Many Android devices ship with apps to become a wifi hotspot themselves, so the odds of needing Android to connect to one of those expensive airport connections is relatively low.



    Edit: should have read the byline and not wasted my time reading another Digler invention.



    iOS devices ship with the ability to become a wifi hotspot themselves, so the odds of needing iOS to connect to one of those expensive airport connections is relatively low.



    Edit: should have read the poster's name and not wasted my time replying to another MacRulez' pointless whine.
  • Reply 13 of 62
    macrulezmacrulez Posts: 2,455member
    deleted
  • Reply 14 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody View Post


    It could be demographics (Android appeals to poor folks), and the survey is based on world data as well (Android is more popular in the US than in Europe and US residents don't leave the country as much anyway).



    Android users are notably more conservative also. Maybe they are just too paranoid to give their credit card to the Airport people?



    Good arguments!
  • Reply 15 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Most airports I've been in had free WiFi.



    Not in the US, unfortunately, though that tide has been turning recently.
  • Reply 16 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacRulez View Post


    Many Android devices ship with apps to become a wifi hotspot themselves, so the odds of needing Android to connect to one of those expensive airport connections is relatively low..



    Can Android-created wifi hotspots only connect to other Android phones?
  • Reply 17 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacRulez View Post


    Is Boingo among the providors of free wifi at airports?



    At least at some airports.
  • Reply 18 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacRulez View Post


    Many Android devices ship with apps to become a wifi hotspot themselves, so the odds of needing Android to connect to one of those expensive airport connections is relatively low.



    Edit: should have read the byline and not wasted my time reading another Digler invention.



    That makes no sense...



    The ability to share one's 3G/4G connection as a hotspot has almost zero impact on a device's likeliness to itself connect to Airpot Wi-Fi. If you had 3G, you would either use that or Wi-Fi; what does turning into a hotspot have to do with anything? MAYBE if someone had an Android hotspottable phone AND a Wi-Fi only tablet, one could make the argument that their tablet no longer needs to use airport Wi-Fi (?!?!). Am I missing something?



    In any case, the iPhone can be used as a hotspot since iOS 4.3.
  • Reply 19 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacRulez View Post


    If your phone's signal is good why would you pay extra for wifi at an airport?



    Data roaming more expensive than Boingo fee
  • Reply 20 of 62
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacRulez View Post


    Is Boingo among the providors of free wifi at airports?



    Time for you to wander off to the next thread and be passive-aggressive.



    Your arguments have been totally demolished.
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