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Posted on 02/16/2008 1:41:47 AM PST by Swordmaker
Search titan Google and mobile phone carrier AT&T have been stunned by iPhone users usage patterns according to reports in recent days.
AppleInsider reports that Google has seen 50 times more search requests coming from Apple iPhones than any other mobile handset. They were so shocked, in fact, that they suspected that they had made an error tabulating their data.
According to the Financial Times Vic Gundotra, head of Google’s mobile operations, said that if other handset manufacturers follow in Apple’s footsteps and make Web access easier on their handsets the number of mobile searches could outpace fixed internet search “within the next several years.”
I know that my Google searches from my iPhone are high because Apple makes it so damned easy. The Google search bar pops up right below (and as large as) the URL field. Why guess at a URL when Google is right there? I know lots of people that don’t even try URLs any more, they just Google everything – even domain names!
Is the address bar doomed?
In related news René Obermann, CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG, says iPhone is driving up average wireless data usage as much as 30 times higher than on other phones. The average Internet usage for an iPhone customer is more than 100 MBytes. Which is 30 times the use for their average contract-based consumer.
AT&T’s announcement of new business and international roaming plans and their replacement of T-Mobile as the Wifi provider at 7,000 U.S. company-owned Starbucks stores nationwide should only accelerate data usage in the months to come.
A quick peek at my last two months iPhone data usage shows that I used 110MB in February and 169MB in January. You’ve gotta love those domestic unlimited data plans!
What is your Google and data plan usage on your iPhone?
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could you imagine if they had iphones for providers with good coverage like verizon?
If I had done that on my old AT&T pre-iPhone plan's ridiculous data rate of 10¢ per kilobyte, that would have cost me an astounding $1,065 a day... or $129,930 for the 122 days I've owned my iPhone!
Color me shocked!
and I've talked on it 8 days, 8 hours...
It's 1 minute to 2 AM where I am... I really should go to bed.
5:07am here. just got home from work. killer night.
Could you imagine if they had other providers that didn’t have data nets with real coverage, like AT&T?
Yes, Verizon has higher speeds inside most cities. But they have ZIP outside of the cities proper. As part of my client’s wireless rollout for our sales reps, we tested this last year. AT&T got a perfect 50 out of 50 job sites with service. Verizon got... ready for it? 15 out of 50.
Yeah... given a choice between a fast network that’s available sometimes, or a not too much slower network that’s available everywhere, I know what I’d pick - and have. My sales reps have ATT EDGE cards in their laptops.
In addition, Apple offered it to Verizon first. Verizon 1) refused to expand their network in time for the rollout, and 2) wanted Apple to cripple the phone, so that things like browsing and iTunes cost extra to add to the phone. Don’t think the iPhone would have been such a hit if sold that way.
but the customer service sucked.
now my girl has switched to ATT due to her need of the iphone. i will be going there shortly. service is definitely spottier in the city compared to verizon, but you cannot argue with endless browsing. verizon browsing for their internt-abled phones is like $45/month.
i am trying to hold out for the 3G iphone. worth it?
I’ve been replacing some 3G Verizon and Sprint/Nextel phones with the 2.5G iPhones. My users aren’t complaining - several have observed that while file transfers are somewhat slower than before, the lack of crashing (Windows Mobile) and the fact that they can count on getting usable signal out on the job sites more than makes up for it.
Amusingly, my guys are sometimes the only ones on the job sites with any kind of connectivity, because others’ Sprint or Verizon phones/cards don’t have usable signal. Which means that often there’s a line to “borrow” their laptops (and now iPhones) to check mail, etc.
AT&T’s service seems to have problems in places like NYC, where the 2/2.5G signal doesn’t seem to have the penetration of 3G. In places that aren’t deep concrete-and-steel ravines, like Dallas or Austin, for example, it’s as good as or better than competitors’.
I don't think so. 3G availability is only about 3% of the AT&T network, mostly in big cities and not even all of them... on the other hand, I travelled from Southern Indiana to Central California a couple of months ago on Interstates 44 and 40 and only lost EDGE for a total of about 5 minutes.
I did lose it on a side trip to the Grand Canyon but at the Grand Canyon it was available... just not on the way there and back. I also did not have an AT&T signal on the North Coast of California (The Sea Ranch) last weekend... while my daughter's Verizon phone had excellent service. However the house we rented had WiFi and so I had no problem while there... just couldn't make a phone call.
Test have shown that 3G is not really that much faster than the 2.5 EDGE... perhaps a few seconds of load time at most. AT&T upgraded its EDGE at the same time as the iPhone was rolled out... it is now about 200Kbs or about five times faster than dial up modem speeds.
Think about what kind of usage you will do with the iPhone... downloading large files is not among them... which is where the advantage of a faster connection really lies. i am surprised at how fast graphics load... text pages like FR load in about 10 seconds or less.
In my case, a lot of my regularly checked bookmarks tend to be preset google news searches. If a lot of others are doing that, it would tend to show up on their graphs. IOW, instead of typing in new searches all day, I just click my saved bookmark buttons whenever I’m bored and since it is a new search every time I click it, that’s probably what they are seeing on the graph end. The iPhone really is the most wonderful pocket sized gadget/toy ever invented!
Swordmacher,
I was back on another extended road trip. WiFi is so frustrating. It is nice to see starbucks offering free WiFi in the future. Most frustrating are the number of airports not offering free WiFi.
I had a free morning and spend a few hours in an Apple store checking out Leopard, iLife and MacAir.
Observations:
MacAir is an amazing computer. Seemed plenty fast and amazingly light. The screen and keyboard are a definite step up. The USB port is a bit recessed to I’m not sure all USB device will fit (Verizon USB wireless adaptor). Also forget using your old chargers and any video cables.
I would gladly forgive these transgressions if MacAir came with a 3G or even 2.5G chip set and $20 data plan. In lieu of this it would be nice if once the iPhone SDK came out somebody would turn the iPhone into a bridge: Mac -> iPhone -> carrier network.
I am constantly trying to find a way to get my Rush 24/7 podcasts without finding a WiFi hotspot.
iMovie8 is a step backwards. Time to get FCE for even minor editing.
iWeb is an improvement but they need an iWebPro which would facilitate more advanced programming with PHP, MySQL etc.
I love the education you get no matter your level of experience you can get by talking to the people that work in the store.
Bose, Apple, IZOD, Martha Stewart or anything that sells for more than it is worth and forces you into specific services or other products has always been a nonstarter with me.
I had a opportunity to but one of the first Apple computers from the man himself, back in 1977-78. I did not buy it then and still won't. He rolled his cart into our radio station and retail operation, and had the office girls chirping like crickets, but the machine was all hat and no cattle. .....................Still is....
I think the current iPhone is great right now. When Apple introduced the 16GB iPhone I couldn't resist anymore and purchased one. I don't regret the decision. The iPhone is a simply ingenious device. I do wish the data transfer was faster at times, but I don't consider that a major negative at this point.
AppleInsider reports that Google has seen 50 times more search requests coming from Apple iPhones than any other mobile handset. They were so shocked, in fact, that they suspected that they had made an error tabulating their data. ... In related news Rene Obermann, CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG, says iPhone is driving up average wireless data usage as much as 30 times higher than on other phones. The average Internet usage for an iPhone customer is more than 100 MBytes. Which is 30 times the use for their average contract-based consumer. AT&T's announcement of new business and international roaming plans and their replacement of T-Mobile as the Wifi provider at 7,000 U.S. company-owned Starbucks stores nationwide should only accelerate data usage in the months to come.I don't understand this at all. I mean, how much porno can one enjoy in a public place without getting arrested? And on that little screen? ;')
The biggest missing feature in the iPhone is its inability to download Rush 24/7 podcasts over the wireless cellular network. This is the show stopper for me.
You wouldn't have any horsewhips to sell, would you?
Never whipped a horse. Never even used spurs.
No need for them. Horses are a lot like people, if you hurt them enough, they will become useless.
Another good example of name vs. utility and value is Harley Davidson. back when I was riding, I had a lot of friends who would tell you that if you did not ride a Harley, you were not riding a motorcycle.
I bought a Yamaha 920 with shaft drive, and air adjustable mono shock that ran rings around any Harley, and best of all did not leak oil and stayed running the entire time I owned it, for more than 6 years. It was still in great shape when I sold it. Still comfortable, fast and reliable.
I put Mac in that same category. I can make a PC do whatever I please, when I please and buy accessories from anyone I please.
Yes, I have a issue with Mac heads who berate MS and PC's as if they were junk and Macs are the answer.
They are not.
Saw a post on this thread claiming the Mac Air was just peachy, With no optical drive, and batteries that require factory refurbishment, it seems to me to be a cute, expensive but useless adornment.
It never ceases to amaze me as to how money is wasted on names.
I have an 8 gig, 2.5G data iPhone and the only complaint I have is the 2.5G data. It is painfully slow at times. If I'm expecting to do serious data transfers with it, I do it using the built-in wifi. The speed for that is faster than DSL, but not quite as good as Roadrunner.
My advice is hold out for the 3g later this year if you plan to do large data transfers and that includes surfing graphic-intensive web sites.
I'm sure Apple will soon be adding Java, Flash and other helpers to make the iPhone browser comparable to Safari on the Mac. Maybe Swordmaker will post an update when this happens. Ask him then to try the Rush podcast.
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