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iPhone Owners Pay Highest Monthly Bills

By - Source: AllThingsD

59 percent of iPhone users surveyed spent more than $100 per month on their plan.

Owners of Apple's iPhone are apparently paying the highest carrier bill. According to the Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, data collected from October to December 2012 shows that 59 percent of iPhone users surveyed spent more than $100 per month on their plan. 10 percent from that figure spent $200 or more, while 6 percent spent $50 or less.

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

"Given the subsidies on iPhones, the carriers are working hard to make their money back during the course of the contract," CIRP’s Josh Levitz added. "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."

13 percent of Android users spent $50 or less, while 53 percent spent more than $100, with similar figures applying for Windows and BlackBerry owners.

 

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There are 35 Comments. B
Top Comments
  • 20
    weaselman , February 1, 2013 6:17 AM
    I phone users get screwed all the time. No change there then. Waving it around as a status symbol, the mugs.
  • 14
    neon neophyte , February 1, 2013 6:17 AM
    our local provider had one plan for iphones and one plan for everything else. both plans were the same but the iphone plan cost more.

    even the providers know you can gouge apple users.
  • 11
    soundping , February 1, 2013 6:38 AM
    Apple users don't mind because their cool. lol
Other Comments
  • -6
    Thunderfox , February 1, 2013 6:07 AM
    What plans for more than a hundred dollars per phone even exist? These must be for multiple phones on one bill, which isn't really a meaningful thing to compare.

    Even without a plan you can get several gigs of fast data and unlimited 2g for much less than $100 per phone. Unless you are dumb enough to be watching netflix from your phone all the time, I can't imagine how someone could need more.
  • -6
    aoneone , February 1, 2013 6:13 AM
    That's why you don't need a phone plan. I haven't had one since June of 2011 because every month I would pay anywhere from 75 to 100 US Dollars. Don't you people know anything about free phone service with just the internet?

    That's all the hint you need really ^_^ My iphone hasn't had a plan since and I've saved TONS of money and can't be any happier hehe.
  • 20
    weaselman , February 1, 2013 6:17 AM
    I phone users get screwed all the time. No change there then. Waving it around as a status symbol, the mugs.
  • 14
    neon neophyte , February 1, 2013 6:17 AM
    our local provider had one plan for iphones and one plan for everything else. both plans were the same but the iphone plan cost more.

    even the providers know you can gouge apple users.
  • -8
    A Bad Day , February 1, 2013 6:18 AM
    I can't find any phones that don't have some kind of a 1-3 year contract on them...
  • -6
    otacon72 , February 1, 2013 6:20 AM
    weaselmanI phone users get screwed all the time. No change there then. Waving it around as a status symbol, the mugs.


    I don't pay anymore a month than I did with my Blackberry..
  • 7
    wardoc22 , February 1, 2013 6:29 AM
    Well, here in the US, currently, iPhones are locked to atnt/verizon. But the majority of iphone users are on atnt.

    And atnt is expensive. I went in when looking for my first phone. Their lowest plan for smartphones is around 130 dollars per month for a single phone, single plan.

    While over at tmobile, its more like 45 dollars.

    Lol
  • 2
    acadia11 , February 1, 2013 6:29 AM
    ThunderfoxWhat plans for more than a hundred dollars per phone even exist? These must be for multiple phones on one bill, which isn't really a meaningful thing to compare. Even without a plan you can get several gigs of fast data and unlimited 2g for much less than $100 per phone. Unless you are dumb enough to be watching netflix from your phone all the time, I can't imagine how someone could need more.


    Ummm ... Att + 30 for data + 69 for minutes... not to mention M2M unlimited + 20 , I'm already at 119
  • 11
    soundping , February 1, 2013 6:38 AM
    Apple users don't mind because their cool. lol
  • 9
    sacre , February 1, 2013 6:39 AM
    "Looks at 81 dollar phone bill"

    All I do is text and occasionally surf the web and i'm paying 81 dollars a month. Yea, I agree, bills are insane.

    Telus, Canada
  • -9
    sacre , February 1, 2013 6:43 AM
    soundpingApple users don't mind because their cool. lol


    Wait wait, let me guess, Android user? So what, you think you're better than iPhone users because you use that virus ridden choppy interface?

    Don't get me wrong, iPhones "Can't customize" linear interface isn't any better.

    But give me a break bud, red sucker, blue sucker, who gives a sh!t what people like. I don't feel any better then others because of the phone I use.

    Welcome to 2013, where having a smart phone doesn't make you "cool" it makes you an average every day person. Back in 2007 maybe, but today? Everyones got a smart phone.

    Christ.
  • 2
    jerm1027 , February 1, 2013 6:53 AM
    sacre"Looks at 81 dollar phone bill"All I do is text and occasionally surf the web and i'm paying 81 dollars a month. Yea, I agree, bills are insane. Telus, Canada

    More or less in the same boat. With Sprint and I'm paying $75, but I do get unlimited, unthrottled data. It's also with an 18% discount. Sprint has gone downhill since they got the iPhone. I'm switching to t-mobile when my contract expires in March.
  • 5
    bllue , February 1, 2013 7:02 AM
    No surprise, it's been proven Apple sheeple like to get ripped off. They get ripped off with the phone, accessories and plans.
  • 0
    idisarmu , February 1, 2013 7:04 AM
    otacon72I don't pay anymore a month than I did with my Blackberry..


    Then you were probably paying too much when you had your BB.

    I get 150 long distance minutes, unlimited sms & mms, 7pm-8am evenings + weekends unlimited long distance calling, call display, call waiting, voice mail, and 200mb data for $30 a month. This is in Canada, which is a 3rd world country with respect to wireless networks & internet.

    I laugh at people who pay $60 a month and have less features than I do.
  • 0
    shikamaru31789 , February 1, 2013 7:06 AM
    So iPhone users are doubly screwed. Not only are the phones themselves overpriced for their specs (like all Apple products), but they're getting reemed on phone bills. I know my brother got an iPhone 5, but at least he's not paying over $100 a month, his plan is 79.99 from 450 min and unlimited data On Sprint (who will soon have 4G LTE here). Personally, I'll never get an iPhone, never been an Apple fanboy.
  • 0
    TheBigTroll , February 1, 2013 7:07 AM
    i just use one of those 20 dollar plans in canada. has some level of texting (250 free texts) and 150 minutes. enough for me.
  • 0
    drapacioli , February 1, 2013 7:19 AM
    Well, I could easily see how I would end up with an expensive bill. I'm on sprint and pay $80 a month for unlimited, but if I want tethering I'd pay an additional $50, that's $130 on just one phone there...
  • 3
    tramit , February 1, 2013 7:24 AM
    On Verizon it doesn't matter if you have an iPhone or a GS3, my family plan is the same. Not sure how many US carriers have a plan specifically for iPhones, thought any smartphone plan was just as expensive. I don't think the unlimited plan on Sprint cares if you have a Note II or iPhone 5, you still pay the same.
  • 6
    tokencode , February 1, 2013 8:03 AM
    I'm not sure the OS is the cause of the pricing... Apple users also tend to be willing to spend more in general on a device than Android users, maybe this carries over into the plans they choose as well. Correlation does not equal cause and effect.
  • 1
    afrobacon , February 1, 2013 8:12 AM
    Their total percentage is even higher by 2%; glad I'm with Android :) 
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