The data consumed by mobile users in the US in 2013 almost doubled compared to 2012, from an average of 690MB per month last year to 1.2GB a month this year, according to industry consultant Chetan Sharma.
That's thanks to two factors, said Sharma: phones are getting bigger, and data connections are getting faster.
Thanks to the continued rollout of 4G LTE networks by the major US carriers, mobile users were able to consume more data than ever.
And thanks to popular devices like Samsung's Galaxy phones (like the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 2) and even Apple's larger iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S, phones are downloading bigger and bigger images.
The future is mobile
"As smartphones approach the 2B mark [globally], the data appetite of consumers showed no signs of abating," Sharma wrote in his year-end report.
He continued, "In the US, some Android devices are consuming over 4 GB/mo on average. Operators will need to continue to refine their pricing and margin models as the demand for more spectrum will continue."
Average data consumption per month worldwide increased from 140MB to 240MB, Sharma added.
Here's a related tidbit: networking company Cisco reports that data consumption on mobiles will surpass data consumption on traditional "wired" PCs by 2016.
Out with the old and in with the new, eh?
