Research firm NPD today announced the results of its latest survey of tablet and notebook usage trends, finding that the share of tablet users taking advantage of cellular connectivity for their devices has declined compared to earlier this year. According to NPD's numbers, 60% of users reported using their tablets on Wi-Fi only back in April, but that number has risen to 65% over the past six months.

“There are multiple reasons for greater Wi-Fi reliance,” said Eddie Hold, vice president, Connected Intelligence. “Concern over the high cost of cellular data plans is certainly an issue, but more consumers are finding that Wi-Fi is available in the majority of locations where they use their tablets, providing them ‘good enough’ connectivity. In addition, the vast majority of tablet users already own a smartphone, which fulfills the ‘must have’ connectivity need.”

There are also many more tablets hitting the market that do not provide cellular connectivity, such as the Kindle Fire. While many early adopters opted for tablets with embedded cellular – primarily as a “future proof” play – mainstream consumers are more likely to choose a lower price point and forgo the promise of constant connectivity.

Apple's iPad is the dominant product in the tablet market, and 3G-compatible models continue to carry a $130 premium over their Wi-Fi-only counterparts. While carriers have attempted to make data access for tablets flexible by offering as-needed access without the need for a data contract, cellular data service is still not a major add-on for most consumers. With the growing prevalence of Wi-Fi and features such as mobile hotspot functionality on smartphones, it is becoming less common for users to require on-board cellular data connectivity for their tablet devices.

npd cellular adoption
One development that could increase cellular data usage is shared data plans, which could allow users to draw from a single allotment of data on multiple devices. Such plans could make it easier for tablet users to sign up for occasional data usage on their tablets drawn from their current smartphone data plans, without incurring a full month's data charge for the tablet alone.

Related Roundup: iPad
Tag: NPD
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPad

Top Rated Comments

skellener Avatar
177 months ago
Paying for data per device is ridiculous. Imagine if you had separate water bills per sink, toilet, shower in the house. Or separate electrical bills for every device. Or if they charged you per device for cable.....ooops, wait a minute....

When you sign up with a carrier, you should pay one fee for access to the network with whatever devices you like. It shouldn't matter. Why should it matter whether I connect to AT&T on an iPhone or an iPad? Why should it matter if I share my connection from my iPhone, to my iPad?? It's the same data. It's the same connection.

$30 a month to share your connection from your phone to your Mac or iPad? Or another $20 just to connect your 3G iPad to the same network as your phone? Of course nobody wants to pay for those ridiculous data plans the carriers offer.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nagromme Avatar
177 months ago
I bet a lot of people got 3G iPads “just in case,” and then did try it out for a time since a month or two isn’t much cost; knowing, though, that in future they might reactivate it rarely or never. And that plan has proven true: they just don’t need it much.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
r-m Avatar
177 months ago
What a load of rubbish!
I wonder if MyFi and other devices like those were included in the "wifi only" classification?
It wouldn't have surprised me if a big reason is because of the ridiculous 3G restrictions still in place on some apps!

So annoying watching poor quality Youtube videos, no streaming in certain apps, restricted functionality in certain apps, etc, just because it's over 3G.
Especially when that same 3G connection is used in the personal wifi hotspot devices and the iPad is then connected to "wifi" and those restrictions don't exist on that same connection as your buddy's 3G iPad!!!

Apple should make "My3G" part of iOS - give users the option to enable/disable 3G/Wifi detection in apps - I know my data limit, let us worry about that rather than babying everybody.
The 3G restrictions are the one thing that would push me to Wifi connectivity only on my iPad, but I hate the thought of having to carry something extra (3G wifi hotspot device) with me all the time (or at least whenever I think I'll need to get online...).

Anyway... rant over.
Thank god for My3G and jailbreaking.


My first iPad was ripped off on a train trip across the country. I could not use, Find My iPhone due to it's lack of 3g. My current iPad does have 3g for no other reason than the ability to track it down. (I do use 3g when on long trips, but that is not the primary reason.)
That too! A friend of mine got mugged whilst walking the dog in a park, iPad in her bag. Wifi only so couldn't track it.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RalfTheDog Avatar
177 months ago
My first iPad was ripped off on a train trip across the country. I could not use, Find My iPhone due to it's lack of 3g. My current iPad does have 3g for no other reason than the ability to track it down. (I do use 3g when on long trips, but that is not the primary reason.)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tempusfugit Avatar
177 months ago
Tablet data plans are annoyingly expensive. Like my $20/1 gig plan on my VZW ipad2.

It's so annoying that technology is finally here to do so many amazing things remotely, and now people have to worry about caps on their phone, tablet, and home Internet connection (I'm talking to you Comcast, who keeps raising my Internet speeds and keeping my bandwidth cap the same)

Cloud computing is definitely on the rise but has the hurdle of the bandwidth cap to get over before it reaches it's true potential.

I use Netflix a lot, and other streaming services as well. I even tried onlive's cloud gaming platform. All of this is impressive technology, but now I'm literally counting bytes to make sure I don't get pounded by overages or removed from concast's service for going over 250gb in a month.

Bandwidth NEEDS to get cheaper somehow, because we are fast approaching a bottleneck.

On another note, public wifi is rarely faster than my ATT 3G, so screw that sentiment of "theres wifi everywhere anyway" because it sucks, lacks security, and is slow.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GSPice Avatar
177 months ago
If this data is consistent, I like it because it might call AT&T's bluff as they promote their wi-fi hotspots. In other words:

a) Smartphone/tablet users load up AT&T's cellular network
b) AT&T scrambles to block/cap/charge extra for data, and desperately encourages customers to use "free" and "fast" wi-fi hotspots
c) Smartphone/tablet users increasingly rely on wi-fi
d) AT&T whistles past their 3G graveyard

So AT&T wins by pulling the wi-fi quarter out of customers' ears, while pick-pocketing 3G.

The article might call AT&T's bluff by showing that poor AT&T, beat down by all those "gluttonous" mobile users, will do nothing to improve their 3G speed/quality/coverage/pricing even as users shift to wi-fi.

Feel free to replace "AT&T" with the wireless carrier of your choice.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Early Prime Day Deals on Apple Products

Saturday July 5, 2025 7:22 am PDT by
Amazon is soon to be back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront, and there are already many deals you can get on sale ahead of the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a ...