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This still doesn't excuse a smartphone with built in WiFi compatability using cellular data whilst connected to a WiFi network...
Whether we have an unlimited cellular data plan or not, this just shouldn't be happening. We should have the confidence to expect that WiFi = no cellular data.

There may be situations cellular data is required even though wifi is on. I have an unlimited data plan and turn my cellular data off when I don't want it accessed.
 
There may be situations cellular data is required even though wifi is on. I have an unlimited data plan and turn my cellular data off when I don't want it accessed.

Surely any data could be transferred via WiFi, why should a cellular data transfer ever be necessary whilst connected to WiFi? I can think of no good reason.
 
Surely any data could be transferred via WiFi, why should a cellular data transfer ever be necessary whilst connected to WiFi? I can think of no good reason.

But that doesn't mean there isn't a reason, or that somehow carrier settings contribute to this.

I think it's clear that to prevent your cell data from being accessed, turn it off.
 
But that doesn't mean there isn't a reason, or that somehow carrier settings contribute to this.

I think it's clear that to prevent your cell data from being accessed, turn it off.

That's a workaround for an issue which shouldn't exist. It's nothing to do with the carrier, they aren't requesting iPhone system data.
I'm on a 4GB data plan so it doesn't affect me as such, but out of principle I disagree with it. Eating into folks' data plans who aren't heavy mobile users and who don't ordinarily need a big plan, is lousy.
 
That's a workaround for an issue which shouldn't exist. It's nothing to do with the carrier, they aren't requesting iPhone system data.
I'm on a 4GB data plan so it doesn't affect me as such, but out of principle I disagree with it. Eating into folks' data plans who aren't heavy mobile users and who don't ordinarily need a big plan, is lousy.

I didn't suggest is was the carrier, but the carrier settings. Whatever the root cause of the issue the fix is clear; turn off your cellular data. Quick; easy; fast!
 
Smartphones used to use less data.

Yes, they did. Back when the "web browser" on a smartphone relied on a proxy to heavily compress and strip data and the type of web pages you could see on smartphone were vastly cut down from what a desktop could view. Also, back when smartphones were incapable of processing, let along displaying, high definition video, and before web streaming of content and cloud based services were common.

And iOS doesn't do anything spectacularly new to justify such a drastic increase of data usage.

I think I've listed several things that iOS "does" that explains the increase. AND Android AND Windows phone, AND Blackberry 10, by the way.

So basically everyone suggests that there's only to polar opposites of modern phones:
- the one who accepts high data usages as needed and necessary
- and the one who uses flip phones because he's to poor/dated/whatever to use smartphones.

That's just narrow-minded.

Actually what's narrow-minded are individuals who compare online services of today with the online services of the days before 3G, when sub-1Mbps speeds were the norm. Faster data means richer media is more common, not to mention services even at base levels that are improved and as a consequence, require greater data usage.

Even iMessage uses significantly more data than a traditional SMS, but for that trade-off, you get delivered/read receipts, recipient-is-typing notifications, the ability to communicate with non-phone devices, and much higher resolution photos, video and audio than traditional SMS can offer.

Completely ignoring this, and expecting the devices in the world to continue to use only as much data as was used back in 1999, is narrow-minded, not to mention looking at the problem form the wrong angle. The question shouldn't be "why is my phone using so much data?" It SHOULD be "why is my cellular carrier charging me more for data and giving me less of it?"


I couldn't contain iOS' data hunger for now. It's still the single highest usage I have. Maybe an update improves this, but I believe that this'll only get worse.

I can guarantee you, iOS 8 will only make it "worse." Not because of some carelessness on Apple's part, but because that's the direction cloud-based and online technologies are headed, like it or not. You have a very easy option if cellular data usage is unacceptable for you:

celldataoff.png


And, use Wifi instead.
 
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Yes, they did. Back when the "web browser" on a smartphone relied on a proxy to heavily compress and strip data and the type of web pages you could see on smartphone were vastly cut down from what a desktop could view. Also, back when smartphones were incapable of processing, let along displaying, high definition video, and before web streaming of content and cloud based services were common.

I certainly know that web services nowadays are far more "rich" but that was never the point. When you're using such services heavily, it's logical that you're using tons of data.

What's more important is when you do not change your behaviour but your data usage does. I changed nothing after I upgraded but I used more data. I didn't do anything and iOS didn't do anything new that justified the increase.

I think I've listed several things that iOS "does" that explains the increase. AND Android AND Windows phone, AND Blackberry 10, by the way.

That's certainly true. But no system does it as drastically as iOS did. And that's what I wanted to express. See, it's okay when the need for data grows as fast as prices for data drop but that increase should never surpass the price drop.

I switched to Android for the time being ( the iPhone ist just so small but I hope that Apple will release a bigger one ) - believe me, I miss my old iPhone - and my data usage dropped significantly. It was hard to "survive" a month when I used my iPhone and know I barely touch the 80% mark. Again, I never changed my behaviour.

Actually what's narrow-minded are individuals who compare online services of today with the online services of the days before 3G, when sub-1Mbps speeds were the norm. Faster data means richer media is more common, not to mention services even at base levels that are improved and as a consequence, require greater data usage.

I agree with you and I'm aware of the fact that data usage will grow because of these "improvements".

But this increase should at least come with a betterment of services. Or something new. But that did not happen.

Even iMessage uses significantly more data than a traditional SMS, but for that trade-off, you get delivered/read receipts, recipient-is-typing notifications, the ability to communicate with non-phone devices, and much higher resolution photos, video and audio than traditional SMS can offer.

Completely ignoring this, and expecting the devices in the world to continue to use only as much data as was used back in 1999, is narrow-minded, not to mention looking at the problem form the wrong angle. The question shouldn't be "why is my phone using so much data?" It SHOULD be "why is my cellular carrier charging me more for data and giving me less of it?"

Have a look at WhatsApp. I sent over 1200 messages and received over 4500 replies. And that consumed not even 6MB of data.

Videos, images do use data but then again, I do not send those.

I can guarantee you, iOS 8 will only make it "worse." Not because of some carelessness on Apple's part, but because that's the direction cloud-based and online technologies are headed, like it or not. You have a very easy option if cellular data usage is unacceptable for you:

Image

And, use Wifi instead.

I no that iOS 8 will only make it worse.

But my point was that when you never change your app usage, internet usage etc. that data usage shouldn't change (drastically).
 
iOS was never known for being frugal with data. However when on a wifi network turning off cell data will prevent leakage, period.
But at the same time it shouldn't be necessary to do that as just being on WiFi on its own should essentially ensure that.
 
But at the same time it shouldn't be necessary to do that as just being on WiFi on its own should essentially ensure that.

While I don't disagree, the reality of this is to prevent cell phone data from being used, turn it off. Whether it should, shouldn't, what it does, what it doesn't do is kind of irrelevant.
 
While I don't disagree, the reality of this is to prevent cell phone data from being used, turn it off. Whether it should, shouldn't, what it does, what it doesn't do is kind of irrelevant.
If it's not working the way it's supposed to work, while a workaround might be needed to work around it, it's still an issue that is worthy of being discussed and in need of being addressed, certainly far from being irrelevant.
 
If it's not working the way it's supposed to work, while a workaround might be needed to work around it, it's still an issue that is worthy of being discussed and in need of being addressed, certainly far from being irrelevant.

Sure, I agree this is worthy of discussion. We can discuss this till the cows come home, but this appears to be buried deep in the operating system and other than turning cell phone data off there is no other remediation.

But sure we can discuss that "it should" do this but it doesn't, and to fix this there is only one option, turn off cell phone data.
 
Sure, I agree this is worthy of discussion. We can discuss this till the cows come home, but this appears to be buried deep in the operating system and other than turning cell phone data off there is no other remediation.

But sure we can discuss that "it should" do this but it doesn't, and to fix this there is only one option, turn off cell phone data.
That's great. And that's what we are doing, discussing it.
 
Until recently, I also had a 200 MB plan ... on my iPad. Similar pattern in that system services will use a chunk of data. However, we also only use cellular data when we carry the iPad on outings (keep in mind that my wife has a feature phone with no desire to upgrade). When sitting at home, the cellular data is switched off.

Even with only 200 MB/month, we only went over the data allotment once in the year that we had that plan. Now, we use the 1 GB data plan for the iPad. Pay $25 and you get 3 months to use it, so it actually costs less than the monthly 200 MB plan and you have more flexibility with when you use the data.

With mobile in general, the data usage by apps has kept going up. Simple changes like Facebook now auto-playing all videos as you scroll can and will add up if you have a restricted data plan. Shouldn't be surprising that the OS itself has joined the brigade, yet I also agree that 2MB/day for system services is not a whole lot.
 
It happens te same thing to me.
Usually I have a plan with 1 GB per month and I never use it all.
I travel to another country and with a prepaid option I bought a 350MB, and turned off many dada use, to be economic. Suddenly, the iPhone used 100% of all the 350MB data in a couple hours without me using it.
And I looked below all the app data use, and all the use was from system services / general.
Didn't get it and don't know how to turn it off!


I am on the 200 MB plan with AT&T. I last reset my cellular statistics on April 9. Since then, it says that for my current period, I have used 65.1 MB. I have turned off many apps for them not to use cellular data. The only apps that have used data since April 9 are Mail (13.7 MB), Safari (21.4 MB), Stocks (1.7 KB), and Weather (27.6 KB). "System Services" at the bottom of the list, however, has used 30 MB! When I tap System Services I see a long list of items that have used data such as "Messaging Services", "Software Updates, "iTunes Accounts", "DNS Services", etc. In the System Services settings in Privacy, all but 3 settings have been turned off.

I would just like to know why "System Services" uses so much data. I do not want to upgrade my data plan as I really don't use that much data.

Thanks.
 
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