Smartphone data usage when turning on a smartphone

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I read an article somewhere within the last month or two about smartphone data. The article focused on how much data is used when a smartphone is turned on. I recall it said each time a Samsung smartphone is turned on it uses 5MB of data. Now I can not find the article. It was either in an on-line trade journal I get (Computer oriented – I’m a retired database administrator) or in an on-line newsletter I get (also Computer related). I’ve “googled” for days and can not find the article. Does anyone recall such an article… somewhere?

 

Thanks

David

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I suspect it depends on the smartphone’s OS.

I’m an Apple iPhone user so, every time I turn it on, I expect it to look for app updates as well as any OS update.

I rarely turn it off… so this data exchange happens all the time. I accept that… it’s the difference between having a ‘smartphone’ and a brick.

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Rick Corbett wrote:

I’m an Apple iPhone user so, every time I turn it on, I expect it to look for app updates as well as any OS update.

I am also iPhone (Apple Watch, iPad) user. I never let auto update any software on any device (including PC) except security software (A/V..) and default browser (Chrome).
I check and update OSs, software.. manually.

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I wonder how much data my flip phone uses every time I turn it on!

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 8.1 running in a VM

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This is, of course, a function of the “smart” functionality in use and the status of the device’s Mobile data, Wi-Fi and Airplane mode settings. If one is an active user of social media, online streaming and other internet-using apps, the turning-on of the device comes after battery depletion and recharging. Such a user could well have a flurry of activity amounting to 5MB of data usage when restarting.

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Alex5723 wrote:

Rick Corbett wrote:

I’m an Apple iPhone user so, every time I turn it on, I expect it to look for app updates as well as any OS update.

I am also iPhone (Apple Watch, iPad) user. I never let auto update any software on any device (including PC) except security software (A/V..) and default browser (Chrome).
I check and update OSs, software.. manually.

Like you, I never let any of my iDevices auto-update. It doesn’t stop them looking and flagging that an update is available.

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Some people use their smartphone all the time. Small computer in their pocket, Social media, grocery coupons and incentives, smart home apps, weather and traffic alerts when out and about, perhaps ditched their landline, and many other reasons too. I on the other hand am from the old school, always lived in the same small town (pop about 3000), and retired. I use a big bulky desktop at home I can add/remove hardware to, enjoy my surroundings when I’m out and about, and use a copper land-line at home that always has power and has a separate receiver. Last time my landline went down was at least 15 or 20 years ago.

In 2005 I bought a wireless flip-phone (3G) for those “just in case” times. I commuted daily to work 100 miles round trip. It never broke down in those 17 years until 3G went bye-bye in December 2022. That phone only got turned on when I pull into the store and decide to call home and ask “I decided to go to the store. Is there anything you want?”. Everything else in life can wait.

I now have a new smartphone. I doubt it will last me 17 years. For now I’ll probably turn it on only when I go to the store. Eventually I might use it for other things. We’ll see. Maybe I’m cheap, but I’ve learned to do with the bare minimum because there are more important things in life to enjoy. Gosh, I never planned on typing all this 🙂 .

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