Smartphones launched last year consumed seven times more data than those launched in 2009 and 40% more than the 2012 models, according to a new report.
The report from Amdocs subsidiary Actix shows that the growth in data demand is showing no signs of slowing down as smartphone adoption grows.
“[While] in the past the transition that drove data consumption was from feature phone to smartphone, now it’s the upgrade path from low-end to high-end smartphones,” Actix director of global marketing Neil Coleman said. “Each generation adds 40% additional network traffic by device.”
The report shows that iPhone users consume almost twice the data per session than the average Android smartphone, and the iPhone 4, 4S and 5 held the top three places on the list of the most data hungry devices.
While smartphones collectively consume 95% of mobile data, the average tablet user consumes more than twice as much data as smartphones.
Coleman cautioned that as more low-cost tablets hit the market, operators should ensure that their networks are ready for more data-hungry tablets.