iPhone Users Have the Highest Cell Phone Bills

The average monthly carrier bill of an iPhone user is higher than that of any other smartphone user, according to data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) relayed by AllThingsD.

Almost 60 percent of the iPhone users CIRP polled during October-December 2012 spent more than $100 per month on their wireless plan, with 10 percent spending $200 or more. Just 6 percent spent $50 or less; for Android users in that category, the percentage was double. And only 53 percent of Android users fell into the “over $100 per month” category, with 7 percent landing in the “over $200 per month” category.

“We think it has to do with their data plans and carriers, rather than their usage habits,” CIRP co-founder Michael Levin said. “They are all on expensive data plans, unlike Android users, some of which are on prepaid or unsubsidized plans with regional carriers.”


Although the average iPhone user spends more on his or her carrier bill, this is offset by the higher subsidy cost that carriers need to pay for the device.

“Given the subsidies on iPhones, the carriers are working hard to make their money back during the course of the contract,” said CIRP’s Josh Levitz. “With the exception of perhaps the hottest Android phones, we think the subsidies on Android phones are lower, so the carriers make more money even with slightly lower per-subscriber revenue.”

Notably, CIRP also found that iOS was the stickiest mobile operating system with 88% of activations coming from prior iOS users. Compare that to 64% for Android, 9% for Windows Phone, and 7% for BlackBerry.

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