iPhone vs Android: Wi-Fi use in US and UK

Among its findings, the analysis shows a significantly higher percentage of iPhones than Android phones connecting to the Internet via Wi-Fi networks.

"With the rise in adoption of smartphones, tablets, and other connected devices, network operators have seen a surge in mobile web activity and face new challenges in keeping up with data demands while maintaining their quality of service," said Serge Matta, comScore president of Operator and Mobile Solutions. "As bandwidth usage increases and the spectrum become scarcer, operators, OEMs, and others in the mobile ecosystem should understand the different dynamics between the use of mobile and Wi-Fi networks to develop strategies to optimise resources and provide their customers with continued high-quality network service."

iPhone users significantly more likely to use Wi-Fi than Android users

A US analysis of Wi-Fi and mobile Internet usage across unique smartphones on the iOS and Android platforms reveals that 71% of all unique iPhones used both mobile and Wi-Fi networks to connect to the Internet, while only 32% of unique Android mobile phones used both types of connections. A further analysis of this pattern of behaviour in the UK shows consistent results, as 87% of unique iPhones used both mobile and Wi-Fi networks for web access compared to a lower 57% of Android phones.

UK Smartphones show higher incidence of Wi-Fi use compared to US

The comScore analysis also revealed that 69% of total unique smartphones in the UK browsed the Internet via both mobile and Wi-Fi network connections, compared to just 38% of US unique smartphones. US smartphones on the AT&T network were more likely to use Wi-Fi than those on other major operator networks, likely due to AT&T having both a greater iPhone market share and the largest Wi-Fi hotspot network in America. In the UK, smartphones on the Vodafone, Telefonica and Orange networks were more likely to use Wi-Fi than were others on other UK operators.

"The difference in mobile and Wi-Fi network usage across the US and UK suggests that there are a few factors at play affecting Wi-Fi usage rates," said Matta. "In the UK, the scarcity of unlimited data plans and higher incidence of smartphone pre-paid contracts with a pay-as-you-go data model likely contributes to data offloading among users wanting to economise their mobile usage. In addition, the current lack of high-speed data networks in the UK might also lead users to seek out higher bandwidth capacity on Wi-Fi networks. In the US, the increased availability of LTE, 4G and other high-speed data networks currently make it less necessary for smartphone users to offload, but it's also possible that the diminishing availability of unlimited cellular data plans will eventually push more usage to Wi-Fi."