How To Reduce Your iPhone Data Usage

5 Comments 24 October 2011

Hello there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic.

In the wake of the launch of the iPhone 4S, Apple has another phenomenal sales success on it’s hands. This is great news for Apple, bad news for anyone signing a new 2 year agreement to get a subsidized phone. Unlike when the original iPhone launched on AT&T with an unlimited data plans, several of the top cellular carriers have since terminated unlimited plans.

Today Sprint is the only major carrier to offer an unlimited plan. Consequently, millions of iPhone users are stuck on AT&T and Verizon counting megabytes in fear of being charged overage fees.

For the past couple weeks I’ve been testing out a new data saving app called Onavo on my iPhone. It’s currently available for both iOS and Android devices.

Update 1:

“ In the US, our iPhone app only supports AT&T at this stage. Verizon and Sprint coming soon.” – Onavo

Onavo Data Savings

The secret behind this data shrinking magic is the servers operated by Onavo. Once you give the app permission to handle all your data requests from the net, the Onavo servers intercede and shrink all the files sent back to your phone. Every photo, song, video and email sent to your phone is compressed before it is sent to you, thus shrinking your data usage.

Update 2:

For those of you concerned with the security of your data passing through Onavo’s servers, rest assured encrypted data stays intact and remains un-molested.

Onova stores “the bare minimum needed to support the service – all aggregated and anonymized, so we can report our users with data usage and savings. Secure content such as passwords and financial records are encrypted (SSL) and we cannot read or store them – just passing them through our ‘magical shrinking machine’ like any other router on the Internet.”

More on their privacy and security measures can be found here: http://www.onavo.com/apps/ipho…

After several weeks of web browsing, watching videos, using Google maps, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram etc, I haven’t run into any overages. I’m averaging about 65% percent savings on all data.

Check out the Onavo app here, and let me know how it works for you.
You can follow me here: @KevinMinott

« Apple’s iPhone 4S Disappoints

Everyone Deserves To Live In Peace: Join @whatstrending and #stopbullying »

http://www.wonderoftech.com Carolyn Nicander Mohr

This is a great app. One of the worrisome features on the iPhone 4S is the lack of ability to turn off 3G data. With very few carriers offering unlimited data, it’s easy to imagine people blowing away their data limits, not realizing that they aren’t connected to Wi-Fi.

I will definitely be checking out this app. Thanks, Kevin!
- http://komverse.com/ KevinMinott
  
  This Onavo app has been a life saver. Especially when travelling away from home and wifi. I can spend more time using my phone and less on worrying about overages.
  
  Thanks for stopping by Carolyn.
http://twitter.com/dvirreznik Dvir Reznik

Thanks for the review Kevin – appreciate it!!

Two items:
1) In the US, our iPhone app only supports AT&T at this stage. Verizon and Sprint coming soon.
2) Onavo for Android link: http://onavo.com/a/komverse

Dvir.
- http://komverse.com/ KevinMinott
  
  Thanks for the update Dvir,
  
  I’ve added that info to the article. Some readers have expressed concerns over Onavo data security.
  
  I know that banking and SSL encryption stays intact during the shrinking process. Is there anything else you can add that will allay fears.
  
  I’ll be sure to add your feedback to the article.
  - http://twitter.com/dvirreznik Dvir Reznik
    
    Kevin,
    Thanks for the comment, important question.
    
    At Onavo we take privacy very seriously, storing the bare minimum needed to support the service – all aggregated and anonymized, so we can report our users with data usage and savings.
    
    Secure content such as passwords and financial records are encrypted (SSL) and we cannot read or store them – just passing them through our ‘magical shrinking machine’ like any other router on the Internet.
    
    More on our privacy and security measures can be found here: http://www.onavo.com/apps/iphone_help
    
    You are welcome to contact me directly if you have any further questions: dvir at onavo.com
    
    Thanks, Dvir.