Track your iPhone and iPad data usage

The new iPhone and the 4G LTE iPad that has just been launched offer you a large quantity of apps that will allow one to surf the web, watch online movies and download files. Whenever you use one of these, they are consuming data from your data plan. Whenever it is possible, it is advisable that you track your data usage on these devices so you won’t end up with a large phone bill at the end of the month. Keeping an eye on your data plan will also allow you to make a decision in upgrading or downgrading it in order to further save cash.

So how much data do I use on my iPhone?

Most people tend to stay away from carrier apps because they usually are bloatware that will only sow down your device. But not all of these apps are slow and clumsy. myAT&T is offered by AT&T Wireless and it will allow you to check on your data usage.

Then there’s the My Verizon Mobile app that will detail data usage pertaining to your Verizon account data plan. Print customers can use Sprint Zone to do the same. Sprint is the only US carrier that offers unlimited data plans so there is not always the need to use this app on your device.

iOS itself will allow you to check on your data usage but you will need to set it manually. Go to Settings, then Usage, then Cellular Usage and there you will see an entry called Cellular Network Data. You can then reset the counter and restart the statistics.
All of the third party apps above were made for the iPhone so don’t expect to find tabled-wise designs from them.

Why you should monitor your data usage

The first thing that comes to mind is money. You shouldn’t pay more than you wish so you should keep an eye on your data plan. You might also notice in time that you don;t actually use that much of your data plan so you might consider another package. This will save you money in the long term.

Other apps that might help you

There are other apps that will help you keep track of your data usage, apps that were not developed by the carrier companies. They are useful especially when you plan to travel internationally. Say you want to go to Europe and you get a SIM card from a store in a European country. You might be tempted to often check your e-mail or send large photos to your family and friends. Maybe a video or two as large attachments. In this case, a data tracking app should come in handy.

DataMan Pro costs $1.99 and it is a great tool when traveling abroad. There’s also a version designed for the iPad but that one costs twice as much as the iPhone version. Then there are other two apps called Data Usage and My Data Usage Pro, but we’re sure you will find others as you navigate the App Store.
Keeping track of your data is important and you should think about investing a couple of bucks to buy such an app if in the long term this means you get to save money. Just imagine going with your kids on a beach in Italy and letting them surf the web for an hour or two. Who knows what movies they will download…