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iDevices top data usage charts, iPhone 5s users downloading 41 percent more data than Samsung S4

While Android devices have the greatest market share, the evidence that iOS users do more with their devices continues to grow. The latest survey by analytics company Arieso found that iDevices took six out of the top ten slots in terms of the amount of data downloaded by 2013 devices. All numbers use the iPhone 3G as their base, and exclude the iPad Air which was launched after the survey ended.

Unsurprisingly, the company found that our appetite for data grows with each generation of device, as they become increasingly capable. iPhone 5s owners, for example, download 19 percent more data than iPhone 5 owners.

But tellingly, iPhone 5s owners download 41 percent more data than the Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung’s current flagship handset (a figure that increases to 54 percent in developing markets). A previous study showed that iPhone users spend more time using their phones than do Android owners.

In a separate analysis by the UK consumer association Which?, the iPhone 5c was found to have the greatest amount of usable storage space after built-in apps were accounted for. Comparing the 16GB models of eight leading smartphones, the 5c was found to leave users with 12.6GB of storage, with the 5s at 12.2GB taking third place behind the Nexus 5. The Samsung Galaxy S4 took bottom place, with just over half of its 16GB space available to the user.

Via TechCrunch

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Comments

  1. Should the headline not be “iPhone 5S USERS download 41% more data”? Current title suggest that there is an issue where device downloads a lot of data on its own…

    • Ben Lovejoy - 11 years ago

      Hadn’t thought of it being read in that way, but good suggestion, thanks – updated

  2. John Murphy - 11 years ago

    And its goodbye from Samsung!

  3. Richard N - 11 years ago

    For a truly useful comparison, we need to compare two more parameters:
    1. Cost of doubling the amount of available memory
    2. Cost per Mb of available memory on the base phone

    I’m fairly sure the order would be very different in both these from your list!

    RIchard

  4. Mohammed Afzal Rafiq - 11 years ago

    “Samsung 16 gb S4 phone has just 8 gb usable space?”
    Totally expected from samsung. Their 8GB galaxy R has just about 2.9 GB usable memory!

  5. Skimo Jones - 11 years ago

    You may notice that only the first 3 devices on the list of available storage space do not allow the user to install an SD card. While it is not excellent how little space Samsung leaves you with, for $30 you can add 64GB to that.

  6. Skimo Jones - 11 years ago

    I’m glad you mentioned the usage time when comparing data rates. It seems to me the data comparison is more of a usage comparison than anything to do with which phone uses the internet more easily. It would also be nice if you had figures for which phones do the most background data use without user input.

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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