iOS Devices Still Account for Vast Majority of In-Flight Internet Use

MacRumors · Mar 8, 2013

Infographics released by in-flight Wi-Fi service Gogo (via CNET) reveal that iOS devices continue to dominate customer use with an 84% share, although Android use has grown significantly in the last two years.

As further evidence of the post-PC trend, the majority of access - though only just - is on tablets, accounting for 35% of usage compared to 33% for laptops. When it comes to iOS devices, iPads are used more often than iPhones.

Web-browsing is the top activity for Gogo users, with email, social networking, news and weather completing the top five slots.

Gogo is available on Air Canada, Air Tran, Alaskan Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Frontier, United, US Airways, and Virgin America, with over 1,500 commercial airplanes and over 5,000 business jets equipped for the service.

Article Link: iOS Devices Still Account for Vast Majority of In-Flight Internet Use

iPusch · Mar 8, 2013

Most Airlines do not even support wifi on flight...
That's the only reason I don't use my iPhone / iPad that much up there^^

urbanslaughter1997 · Mar 8, 2013

Could they add a few more shades of blue to those charts? Those are some of the worst charts I've ever seen. I had to turn the contrast up to eleven just so I could read them.

PracticalMac · Mar 8, 2013

If I would be so bold, strong evidence iOS is preferred device for business, power users, and smartly budgeted people.

and people who get Android tend to be purchased by those who do not have funds (and by extension purchase airline Wi-Fi)

ProVideo · Mar 8, 2013

urbanslaughter said:
Could they add a few more shades of blue to those charts?

MrXiro · Mar 8, 2013

Makes sense. Many iPhone/iPad users are usually the wealthier, trendier and business types that have the disposable income to spend on Wifi in flight or even fly often enough where they would bother using it.

As not to sound like an elitist, I do not fit in this category of Apple device user.

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PracticalMac said:
If I would be so bold, strong evidence iOS is preferred device for business, power users, and smartly budgeted people.

and people who get Android tend to be purchased by those who do not have funds (and by extension purchase airline Wi-Fi)

I'm sure you'll get attacked eventually by someone who will take your comment personally.

szw-mapple fan · Mar 8, 2013

urbanslaughter said:
Could they add a few more shades of blue to those charts? Those are some of the worst charts I've ever seen. I had to turn the contrast up to eleven just so I could read them.

They are OK. I've seen worse.

PracticalMac · Mar 8, 2013

MrXiro said:
I'm sure you'll get attacked eventually by someone who will take your comment personally.

They they should not get an Android if they are ashamed of it.

I certainly did not say all of them are like that, just tend to be.

drewface · Mar 8, 2013

That's because Android users don't like to pay for anything

jayducharme · Mar 8, 2013

Poor Windows ... it's at just .006%. It will be interesting to see whether Blackberry adds significantly to its .01% share next year, when their new devices will be in use. After all, as other pointed out, the survey is skewed toward business users and Blackberry needs to regain that segment.

ArtOfWarfare · Mar 8, 2013

So what's the breakdown between OS X and Windows (and Linux?) They show the most popular browsers as being Safari, IE, Chrome, and FF in the full article, but then fail to provide percentages for them.

Drunken Master · Mar 8, 2013

drewface said:
That's because Android users don't like to pay for anything

Decent burn.

spb3 · Mar 8, 2013

so how much of the browsing information are they tracking? privacy?

MacRumors said:
Web-browsing is the top activity for Gogo users, with email, social networking, news and weather completing the top five slots.

jav6454 · Mar 8, 2013

drewface said:
That's because Android users don't like to pay for anything

'Nuff said.

Ventilatedbrain · Mar 8, 2013

I've got a theory about this are you ready ? Android users brag so much about themes and launchers because that's all they ever do on them , who would want to save their credit card details on a phone that's sneezes malware ?
And
I'm curious to hear from someone who switched ecosystems ! I tried it and had to go back 2 weeks later

ptb42 · Mar 8, 2013

iPusch said:
Most Airlines do not even support wifi on flight...
That's the only reason I don't use my iPhone / iPad that much up there^^

United, Southwest, American, Delta, and US Air have inflight WiFi. Continental is the only one among the "majors" that doesn't -- although that should be changing soon, if it hasn't already started.

The deployment is uneven, though. The individual plane has to be equipped, and I think they are doing it during scheduled major maintenance. I fly American most of the time, and it has gone from "occasionally available" to "almost always". For a while, I even subscribed monthly because every plane I was flying had it.

I typically use the inflight WiFi for following my flight with FlightAware, and exchanging iMessages with a handful of people. I occasionally use it for email and browsing, but I'm more likely to buy a book on Amazon if I don't have something to read. The files are typically moderate in size, and download in 10-15 seconds.

MonkeySee.... · Mar 8, 2013

Its amazing how many Android devices have reportedly shipped but any sort of useful data coming back shows that nobody is using them.

Interesting.

iPusch · Mar 8, 2013

ptb42 said:
United, Southwest, American, Delta, and US Air have inflight WiFi. Continental is the only one among the "majors" that doesn't -- although that should be changing soon, if it hasn't already started.

The deployment is uneven, though. The individual plane has to be equipped, and I think they are doing it during scheduled major maintenance. I fly American most of the time, and it has gone from "occasionally available" to "almost always". For a while, I even subscribed monthly because every plane I was flying had it.

I typically use the inflight WiFi for following my flight with FlightAware, and exchanging iMessages with a handful of people. I occasionally use it for email and browsing, but I'm more likely to buy a book on Amazon if I don't have something to read. The files are typically moderate in size, and download in 10-15 seconds.

I only know of wifi for additional charge...
Is yours free at all? All inclusive^^

duaneu · Mar 8, 2013

It's Alaska Airlines, not Alaskan.

tongxinshe · Mar 8, 2013

Android users are more cost-efficient aware. Inflight Wifi is as overpriced as international roaming.

ptb42 · Mar 8, 2013

iPusch said:
I only know of wifi for additional charge...
Is yours free at all? All inclusive^^

No, it hasn't been free on American since it was first being deployed. At that time, you could get a coupon code for a free flight. But, I haven't seen an offer for a while, if you don't count the email I just got to "spin" for a chance to win a Gogo coupon code.

I read that their uptake rate was still pretty low. It was only 7% in 2011, and they were hoping for 10% in 2012. Unfortunately, that is still well below the break-even point purported to be at 20%. Personally, I think they would do better if they lowered prices: the increased volume would more than offset the lower price. But, one of the reasons I cancelled my monthly subscription is they RAISED it at the beginning of the year.

ReallyBigFeet · Mar 9, 2013

Android owners, overall, are less affluent with smaller disposable income. They won't be flying as much as their jobs and lifestyle keep them from doing so. And those that do likely don't realize inflight wireless is even available, or can't afford the fee for same, small as it is.

Simple economics really. No surprises.

deannnnn · Mar 9, 2013

I hate the "post-PC" term. Tablets become more like PCs every day, so eventually they will essentially be the same thing. But that just means that the tablet is becoming the PC, not that the PC is going away. And even so, traditional desktop computing will always be relevant even if it is less popular.

Eric E. Schmidt · Mar 9, 2013

this reminds me; i need faster wifi in my gulfstream.

turtlez · Mar 9, 2013

this is hilarious. Android, cheap quality and minimal existence in premium places.

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deannnnn said:
I hate the "post-PC" term. Tablets become more like PCs every day, so eventually they will essentially be the same thing. But that just means that the tablet is becoming the PC, not that the PC is going away. And even so, traditional desktop computing will always be relevant even if it is less popular.

The term will die out. People just use it at the moment because there is a clear distinction between tablet and PC for now. Just an easy way of showing people where the future is going.

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ReallyBigFeet said:
Android owners, overall, are less affluent with smaller disposable income. They won't be flying as much as their jobs and lifestyle keep them from doing so. And those that do likely don't realize inflight wireless is even available, or can't afford the fee for same, small as it is.

Simple economics really. No surprises.

or they are too busy spending hours customising their home screen only to change it again next week. They remind me of the people who get silly little tattoos on their ankle, like a heart or a butterfly then regret it a year later.

iOS Devices Still Account for Vast Majority of In-Flight Internet Use

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