iPad Data Consumption And You

A few news outlets (ABC and Fox News that I saw), the Wall Street Journal, and various tech blogs all had various stories about how the new iPad with LTE from Verizon and AT&T were eating up the pre-paid data buckets that people were purchasing at "alarming" rates.  There were accounts of people who burned through their 2 or 3GB of data in just a few hours by watching streaming videos in high definition.

Imagine that, streaming HD video content to your iPad could go through a couple of GB's of data in just a matter of a few hours?  Who would have EVER thought that the case?

Okay, I'll turn off my scarcasm for a few minutes here and explain just what I think of this.

First off, the new iPad has a higher resolution display which means that apps are going to larger.  This is a result of the more detailed graphics and other content.  Any app that requires such high resolution data to be downloaded (i.e. graphics heavy) is going to eat a bit more into your data plan.  It's just a fact of life for a device with a display this good.

Second, streaming any kind of video content is going to burn through your data fast.  A typical 1 hour TV show in HD is going to consume about 1.5GB of bandwidth right there.  If you're streaming a movie in HD then count on around 3-4GB.

This is why I got a 64GB model iPad with LTE!

I wanted the LTE for fast access for web browsing and app access.  I have several different weather apps on both my iPad and iPhone but I'm a bit of a closet weather geek.  I also like having the LTE for when I'm cruising the social networking apps like Tweetbot, Facebook, Instagram, etc.  For the most part it's text heavy stuff which means it doesn't consume too much data.  For how often I'll fire up the LTE radio and how I'll use it then 2GB should just about do me right per month.

If I think I might want to watch some videos in HD then I have quite the collection of material purchased over the years from iTunes.  I can just load that material up before leaving the house and with proper planning I shouldn't find myself wanting for something "at home".

In other words, I planned a head for this.  I knew that the new iPad would probably be 4G enabled and probably have a higher resolution display and I saved my money accordingly over the past twelve months.  

On the other hand I can certainly understand a lot of people won't be able to afford a 64GB LTE iPad, they'll be lucky to afford a 16GB model.  Hell, I've been there, done that, and lost the t-shirt.  However, with proper storage managment they should be able to enjoy their HD content AND not rack up a huge data bill per month.  Heck, when you consider how much the data plans cost and that both AT&T and Verizon both charge $10 per GB over their plan people will end up spending more over a month or two than they would have up front by buying a model with more storage.

And one thing that really burns me up is how the media is playing this off as some sort of "flaw" with the new iPad.  Plan a head and this is not a problem at all.

The New iPad

As expected Apple announced their new iPad models complete with a retina class display and pretty much everything everyone was expecting.  The launch date is the expected Friday, March 16th, but we don't know if it will go on sale at 5pm like the iPad 2 did or if it will go on sale as soon as stores open that morning.

So, what are my plans?

Well, I'm still going to do the store route for purchasing the new model.  That's a given.  I just hope it's the 5pm option for when it goes on sale rather than the early morning one.  I don't really feel all that comfortable being at the mall so freaking early in the morning like that by myself (so far it's no go again this year on getting a wingman to come with me).

As for which one I'm going to get I'm still settled on getting a 64GB model with 4G LTE.  However, I'm finding myself debating which version, AT&T or Verizon LTE.  The AT&T model has a faster fall back 3G HSPA radio while the Verizon model would fall back to EVDO which is much slower.  Verizon has a larger LTE footprint in place in the US but AT&T has LTE in all the places I frequent and plan to visit in the near future and both have just about the same exact data plan pricing in place for the amount of data I expect to use monthly.

The thing is I really, really dislike AT&T.  It stems from some stuff that happened over ten years ago and I'm the kind of guy who holds grudges against compaines.  However, I am also the kind of guy who would like to get some serious speed from such a device as the new iPad.  For my iPhone on Verizon the slower EVDO 3G speeds aren't that big of an issue but I can see it being an issue for something like the iPad.  It's been an issue when I've used the iPhone as a hotspot for my current iPad in that it can be a bit frustrating.

From what I have been able to deduce from reading various sources online both LTE networks are fairly empty of users right now which means some really good data speeds should be had when I get the new toy and from what I can tell AT&T has improved their network in my area so that is not so much an issue, I think.

The advantage here is that no matter which company I choose the data plans are contract free meaning that I can turn it off if I don't need it at any time and then turn it back when I do.

Right now my gut call is to get the AT&T version and hope for the best.  That and learn to try and forgive and forget.

Which LTE Provider

We are now less than twelve hours away from the expected iPad 3/HD announcement from Apple and the rumor mills are continuing to grind away, usually with the same stuff phrased differently with each post.  One rumor that seems to be firming up is that the new iPad will indeed include LTE coverage from both AT&T and Verizon here in the United States.  One rumor that popped up prior to the iPhone 4S announcement is that Verizon has been installing LTE equipment at various Apple stores around the country to better enable the demonstration of the technology in devices at the stores.  That rumor popped up again over night.  Combined with both AT&T and Verizon posting up teasers for the next big thing on both of their networks I'm tending to think LTE is very much going to be on the new iPad models.

With that in mind I found an interesting piece over at The Unofficial Apple Weblog discussing which LTE provider people should opt with.  There are various factors to take into account when making this decision and it's one that you may be stuck with for the long haul.  As in previous versions of the iPad it is expected that any data services would be available on a month-by-month basis without any two year contract being required but that there will be two different versions that will run on one network or the other.  AT&T and Verizon are using different frequencies for their respective LTE networks and each use a different fall-back 3G network (AT&T uses GSM and Verizon uses CDMA).  While the new iPhone 4S uses a chipset that can work on either GSM or CDMA it's not expected that such a chipset would be in the iPad 3 due to various technological reasons.  LTE is still too new and it would be more economical for Apple to simply use slightly different internal hardware for each network.

For the first time since Verizon started selling iOS products it may have a leg up over AT&T as far as desirability for the masses.  Verizon is the furthest along in its deployment of a 4G network having over a years worth of head start over AT&T.  Various quoted stats online show Verizon covering more than 200 million people across the country while AT&T covering somewhere around 74 million.  With a more built out and mature 4G network Verizon may end up having more customers buying their verison of the new iPad over AT&T.  That's my guess and I've not seen anyone else mention this yet.

Of course costs can play a part in who one chooses as well.  Looking at the current tablet data plan pricing for both networks show a slight difference.  For example, Verizon offers a 2GB per month plan for $30 while at the same price point AT&T offers up 3GB.  I am a very happy Verizon customer for my iPhone but that 1GB difference has me doing a bit of consideration.  Taking into account that a faster network connection may mean more data usage an extra GB of data per month at the same price seems attractive.  However, Verizon has a track record of offering double the data at the same price promotions over the past six months and it's reasonable to assume that such promotions might make their way to the new iPad as a way to hook customers.

My first inclination has always been to go with a Verizon model of the iPad 3 based on the record of their network reliability compared to that of AT&T but with both offering LTE and the possibility of one offering more data at the same price I may to think this one through a bit more.

Sprint Needs Help

Sprint just announced their newest "It" thing in mobile, the Kyocera Echo, a dual-screen Android smartphone.

At this point I have to seriously wonder just what the leadership at Sprint was thinking last month when they sent out invites to their media even at Times Square in New York City complete with David Blaine to announce this device.  As if the company did not already have enough problems loosing subscribers, dealing with the Nextel side of their business, and not making all that much money they decided to add this thing?  At a media event?  Really?!?

Click the link above to see a quick hands on review, some video, and pictures of the device.  You'll see what I'm talking about.  The Echo doesn't even use WiMax, Sprints 4G network, and they seem to be billing this thing as some sort of flagship product.

Here is what makes this sad to me.

I actually like my service with Sprint.  I've had them for over three years and considering just how fickle I am about stuff like this that should say something about what I think of their service.  In three years with them I've owned six smart phone devices.  I still love my latest one, the HTC Evo 4G!  However I have to admit that once again I'm starting to get a bit bored and I was hoping for something new to get me excited and instead I'm left wondering just what the heck is going on at their company.  The Echo almost feels insulting.  No, wait.  It IS insulting.

Other US carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile all made several impressive mobile device announcements at CES last month not to mention the Verizon iPhone launching on Verizon this very week.  There are indicators online that over the next four weeks at MWC and CITAA we can expect to see some more impressive announcements from those carriers.  Where is Sprint?

Can you hear me now?

Sad as it may seem to me personally I have to admit I am a bit of a gadget hound and right now Sprint is leaving me high and dry.  

To that end I am setting a personal deadline of June 2011 for something to grab my attention from Sprint.  If nothing from them has created a "WOW, I've just GOTTA have THAT," moment then I will look to pack my mobile bags and head to one of their competitors during the summer.  By that time my ETF with Sprint on the two lines of service I have with them will be below the $150 mark which is an acceptable amount to me.  Based on the usage patterns on my two lines I could actually get a plan with Verizon that would save me around $40 per month (1 smart phone device and 1 feature phone device) considering that the monthly minutes usage for my two accounts is less than 300 minutes per month and that I typically use less than 200 text messages per month.

You can probably guess by my already having hard numbers handy this is something I've been debating for some time anyway.  It looks like LTE 4G technology is really going to be where the "action" is over the next three or four years and if one wants a nice gadget experience one must follow the majority of the pack.  My only concern is the tiered data pricing structures that are taking shape but I can learn to live within those limits if I have to.  I'll start tracking my monthly data usages to get a handle on what works best for me.

Verizon iPhone

Coming up on January 11 Verizon has scheduled a large press event in New York City and just about everyone already knows that it will be to announce a CDMA version of the iPhone.  Too many signs are pointing to just such an occurrence.  This will break the monopoly on the device that AT&T has enjoyed here in the United States since the iPhone first launched in 2007.

So, will Apple bring the iPhone to the other two large US cellular carriers (Sprint and T-Mobile)?

Probably not right away.

There have been some unsubstantiated rumors floating around the tech sphere that Verizon wants an semi-exclusivity period with the iPhone in that they and AT&T would be the only carriers.  The rumors state they are willing to either give up a large chunk of revenue or outright pay Apple for this perk.  Verizon has some deep pockets so I can see this happening in the short term.  In the longer term though it behoves Apple to start bringing the device to all US carriers if it wants to stem the Android tide and further marginalize RIM and the Blackberry platform.  Right now there are two phone operating systems that are ahead of Apple in phone usage in the US:  Blackberry and Android.  The metrics company comScore shows that in August of 2010 24.2% of smartphone users were on an iPhone and 19.6% used Android.  Fast forward three months and Android is sitting at 26% with the iPhone at 25%.  In both months Blackberry had the most users but slipped from 37.6% of users in August to 33.5% in November.  If Apple wants to win the race in this fast growing market they need more users.  There will be a large spike by adding Verizon to the mix but a lot of those will probably dedicated iPhone users who are fed up with AT&T and jump ship as well as current Verizon customers who are upgrading their devices.

Here's what I think will happen.

Every year since 2007 a new model iPhone has been released in the summer, typically mid-to-late June.  The CDMA powered iPhone for Verizon looks to go on sale sometime during the first week of February, just a few weeks away.  What happens in June this year?  Will Apple announce the iPhone 5 for only AT&T while Verizon is stuck with a modified CDMA iPhone 4 until next year sometime?  Verizon is ending its early device upgrade program in what looks like a way to keep people on a set device and locked in a set contract.  How happy will all the new Verizon iPhone customers be when in just five months a brand new iPhone that will more than likely be better shows up for AT&T users?  Heck, even if the thing comes out for Verizon also it would still leave a rather large number of ticked off users who will have to wait even longer.

What I think Mr. Jobs has up his sleeve is something a little more crafty.

Verizon gets the modified iPhone 4 in February and gets to have a period of semi-exclusvity shared with AT&T until this summer.  Then there will be the typical Apple press event to talk about the new iPhone and near the end will be another of those Steve Jobs "And One More Thing" moments when behind him on the big screen will be the logos of all four major cellular providers.  It's a no brainer.

Apple gets access to several million new customers and Verizon gets another feather in its cap for the first five or six months.  Then come summer open the doors a little wider and add several million new customers on other carriers and the coup is complete.  Maybe throw in the second generation iPad that is compatible with Verizon as well as AT&T like the original first generation 3G iPad and the installed user base of iOS devices leap frogs ahead of Blackberry and Android users.