iPhone Users Twice As Likely To Use Wi-Fi Than Android Users

Posted by Rounak Jain on Apr 03, 2012 | Comments (18)

A new study by ComScore reveals that more than 50 percent of Android users in the U.S. rely solely on mobile networks for their Internet needs as compared to a third of iPhone users.

This stat is very surprising because it means that more than half of Android users (68 percent to be precise) never connect to Wi-Fi. And if 4G LTE’s increased speeds indeed eat up data very quickly, data heavy 4G Android phone users should ideally go past their monthly caps very soon and fallback on Wi-Fi. (The iPhone on the other hand doesn’t yet support 4G LTE.)

In U.K. the disparity between iPhone and Android users who don’t rely on Wi-Fi networks was the same, although the actual figures decreased substantially as can be seen in the chart below. ComScore says this is because the prepaid, pay-as-you-go data model is quite popular in the U.K. In addition to this, 4G LTE and unlimited data plans are scarce in the country.

So what’s the reason behind this unexpected usage pattern?

Here’s what we think:

Here’s the carrier wise breakdown:

carrier wise breakdown

What do you think could be the reason for this usage pattern? Think we missed any reason? Please sound off in the comments!

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Categories : Android, iPhone News


  • Zack says

    its probably because it takes so long to find the wifi settings on an android

    • Nosferatu

      Zack, simply pull down the notification bar and click wi-fi to turn it on / off. Sure takes a lot longer on a non-jailbroken iOS.

      I’m certain most Apple users (and most aren’t rooted) will toggle it on once and just leave it on and forget it. When out in public they’ll use 3G and when they get back home it’ll just auto-connect (or auto-detect a new network when out in public).

      Android usually you’ll see the swipe bar up top to toggle it.

      • http://iphonehacks.com Rounak

        After turning it on via the Notification bar, where do you see the available Wi-Fi networks?

        • Nosferatu

          It pops up on the screen the available networks or you can set it just to give notification. Tap it and that same list comes up. With signal strength, level of encryption. It’s pretty easy. :-)

          • http://www.motorbeam.com/ fas

            Android users usually have better internet plans!

    • http://twitter.com/bobbydigital Agent Walker

      Like LOL

  • jksahdjh

    Agree with the second point. Iphone 3g is waaaayy too slow therefore we use WiFi more often.

  • Aus

    In Australia iPhones are available on plans with included data and calls, or you can buy an iPhone outright for $800 or whatever it is. On the other hand Android is available from $50 for a prepaid handset which comes with a month of usage usually.
    So, a lot of people who make Android use popular are on a very tight budget and don’t have broadband and wifi available at home to use. And wifi hotspots in Australia are very rare.

  • Scott

    My android phone often will not detect my wifi, so I don’t use it. That’s probably a big reason why, unless it’s just my phone.

    • http://iphonehacks.com Rounak

      and you’ve done nothing about it? (speaking to manufacturer, getting it repaired)

      • Scott

        No, I figured it was just an android problem. Guess not, huh?

    • Jhonny

      You don’t have a 5 Ghz network? Set it to 2.6 Ghz or whatever, should work.

    • Jhonny

      You don’t have a 5 Ghz network? Set it to 2.6 Ghz or whatever, should work now.

  • rbg2

    I rarely use wifi on my Nexus because having wifi on kills the battery much more quickly. I’ll usually only use it when I’m charging it. When I had an iPhone, I’d always leave wifi on.

    • Jhonny

      You don’t have a 5 Ghz network? Set it to 2.6 Ghz or whatever, should work.

  • http://twitter.com/bobbydigital Agent Walker

    It’s SIMPLE…and what I have been saying for about a YEAR now… MOST android users are just people looking for a phone and don’t care what the OS is. They will lightly use their phone but have no interest in doing the things that REAL (and by “REAL” I mean people who utilize more than just the phone and angry birds features on their smart phone. Not just iPhone users.) smartphone users do that will take up more data. They will use it for a few quick things but won’t RELY on it like heavy smartphone users because it’s JUST a phone to them where Most iPhone users have made their phone the GO TO device in their arsenal for all things.
    This ALSO speaks to my theory of Google touting all those Android sales like they are people ACTIVELY going after Android when in reality, they are people just asking for a phone. All those activations and still no revenue, lower amount of money spent on apps, lower amount of apps downloaded, lower wifi consumption etc… You do the math.
    ~*~TO PREVENT FLAME WAR~*~ I like android and think it’s fine. I just dont like how google boasts like all their sales are people choosing iPhone over android. It’s more people just wanting a phone… in most cases…a Cheap phone. For an ACCURATE depiction of sales of Android VS iPhone..Look at the sales of the AWESOME android phones lie the Nexux and Razr and WAY TOO MANY TO NAME… Don’t count the Droid WTF’s and the cheap forgettable phones…

    • ozwald

      What a load of BS.

      • http://twitter.com/bobby_digital Agent Walker

        Elaborate…