Meraki, which specializes in cloud networking, has announced results of a study of mobile data consumption on WiFi networks, showing that iPads use significantly more Wi-Fi data than the average mobile device. Additionally, the study found that mobile platforms overtook desktops, with a marked rise in Android devices.
The study showed that:
° Between 2010 and 2011, mobile platforms overtook desktop platforms in percentage of Wi-Fi devices.
° The average iPad consumes over 400% more Wi-Fi data than the average Android, iPod, and iPhone.
° iOS and Android together now account for 58% of Wi-Fi devices, compared to 33% just one year ago.
° The iPhone is now the single most popular Wi-Fi device with 32% share.
Meraki anonymously surveyed over 100,000 randomly selected devices accessing general use, public, and educational Wi-Fi networks across the US. The survey looked at bandwidth usage and operating system popularity over selected periods in 2010 and 2011.
Meraki’s data shows iOS devices growing from 32% to 47%, and Android growing from 1% to 11%. In particular, the iPhone is now the most popular Wi-Fi device with 32% share. Desktop platforms declined, with Mac OS X going from 21% to 13%, and Windows shrinking from 42% to 23%. (That’s not in overall market share; that’s for mobile data consumption).
— Dennis Sellers