gogo
iPhones make up close to two-thirds of mobile devices using Gogo's inflight Wi-Fi service, according to All Things Digital. iPod touch devices cover another 20%, while Android makes up just 12% of devices using Gogo.

BlackBerries account for 6 percent while Windows Mobile and other mobiles aren't used enough to count.

AllThingsD notes the iPad isn't included in the mobile numbers. Mobile devices pay slightly lower charges than larger devices like tablets and laptops do. Though, the iPad is popular too, clocking in with more than a third of larger devices. Windows as a whole counted as 41% and Macs just under 20%.

Top Rated Comments

*LTD* Avatar
186 months ago
If plane tickets were free you'd see Android ruling the skies.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DeathChill Avatar
186 months ago
Why iPhone over Android?

The answer is simple. Uptake on wifi enabled flights are driven by 2 key things: 1. The length of the flight >3 hours 4-7x the number of activations vs. lengths of flights < 3 hours.
2. The airline. Virgin has a "hipper" demographic than say - Delta. (Delta also flies a lot of flights < 3 hours. So even when Delta flies 4x the number of wifi enabled flights - Virgin actually sells more activations. People that fly Virgin also have a larger % of iPhones than Androids.

So what do these two things have to do with iPhone vs. Android? The obvious choice: There are more iPhones in corporate America than Androids. Business flyers expense the activation fee or have a subscription (if they fly a lot). But wait you say - if this is true then Blackberry would be leading the pack. Ever try to use the internet on a Blackberry? On a plane flying at 550 mph? 'nuff said.

So it isn't that iPhone usage is higher than Android - it's just that people that buy wifi on flights - tend to be iPhone users. Or - another thought - iPhone users are use to paying for their apps - so iPhones users just spend more money than Android users.

TW

The issue with this logic is that it appears in every usage statistic I've seen. WiFi connections in restaurants, website traffic, app buying, etc. iPhone users just seem to be much more active in using their devices.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NebulaClash Avatar
186 months ago
If plane tickets were free you'd see Android ruling the skies.

Oh no you didn't! :)

Heh, it's so funny how we get story after story about Android's dominance when it comes to activation or total sales or sheer number of devices. But when it comes to usage, it's iOS that rules the world. What is it with these millions of Android users who don't use their devices to go online? Are they just asking for a "smart" phone, handed an Android, and thereafter only use the phone function with, maybe, the address book app?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jeman Avatar
186 months ago
If plane tickets were free you'd see Android ruling the skies.

Roger that.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Laird Knox Avatar
186 months ago
Why iPhone over Android?

The answer is simple. Uptake on wifi enabled flights are driven by 2 key things: 1. The length of the flight >3 hours 4-7x the number of activations vs. lengths of flights < 3 hours.
2. The airline. Virgin has a "hipper" demographic than say - Delta. (Delta also flies a lot of flights < 3 hours. So even when Delta flies 4x the number of wifi enabled flights - Virgin actually sells more activations. People that fly Virgin also have a larger % of iPhones than Androids.

So what do these two things have to do with iPhone vs. Android? The obvious choice: There are more iPhones in corporate America than Androids. Business flyers expense the activation fee or have a subscription (if they fly a lot). But wait you say - if this is true then Blackberry would be leading the pack. Ever try to use the internet on a Blackberry? On a plane flying at 550 mph? 'nuff said.

So it isn't that iPhone usage is higher than Android - it's just that people that buy wifi on flights - tend to be iPhone users. Or - another thought - iPhone users are use to paying for their apps - so iPhones users just spend more money than Android users.

TW

Book a flight based on how hip the airline is? :confused:
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ScottHammet Avatar
186 months ago
It's All About Affluence

If plane tickets were free you'd see Android ruling the skies.

That's right. Android may be more prevalent, but that's only because it's cheaper, not better. What these statistics tell me is that, for those that can afford to choose, they choose an iOS device. Flying's not just for the rich, but if you're flying and you're also dropping the coin on the WIFI fee, etc. there's a good chance you can afford whatever mobile device you want, and it would seem that's an iOS device.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

ios 26 1 liquid glass opaque

iOS 26.1 Beta 4 Lets Users Control Liquid Glass Transparency with New Toggle

Monday October 20, 2025 10:57 am PDT by
With the fourth betas of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS 26.1, Apple has introduced a new setting that's designed to allow users to customize the look of Liquid Glass. The toggle lets users select from a clear look for Liquid Glass, or a tinted look. Clear is the current Liquid Glass design, which is more transparent and shows the background underneath buttons, bars, and menus, while tinted ...
iPhone Air

Report: 'Virtually No Demand' for iPhone Air

Wednesday October 22, 2025 3:22 am PDT by
Apple is "drastically" cutting production of the iPhone Air and shifting focus toward the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models, Nikkei Asia reports. The business publication claims to have learned of a major cut to iPhone Air production motivated by weaker-than-expected consumer interest, nearly to "end of production levels." Despite early reports of the iPhone Air selling out within hours of...
cadillac lyric infotainment

GM to Remove CarPlay from All Future Vehicles, Including Gas Cars

Wednesday October 22, 2025 11:34 am PDT by
General Motors began phasing out support for CarPlay in its electric vehicles back in 2023, leading to complaints from iPhone users, but the company has no plans to back down. In fact, GM is going further and plans to remove CarPlay from all future gas vehicles, too. In an interview with The Verge, GM CEO Mary Barra said that the company opted to prioritize its platform for EVs, but the...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

Apple's Plan to Launch Three New iPhone Designs Allegedly Revealed

Wednesday October 22, 2025 6:24 am PDT by
Apple plans to launch a new type of iPhone every year for the foreseeable future, according to an Asia-based source. The detailed information was shared by the account "yeux1122" in a blog post on the Korean platform Naver, citing domestic trend and component research companies. Corroborating other reports, Apple will apparently launch its first foldable iPhone in 2026, featuring a...
maxresdefault

Here's How the iOS 26.1 Transparency Toggle Changes Liquid Glass

Monday October 20, 2025 1:55 pm PDT by
With the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple added a toggle that makes Liquid Glass more opaque and reduces transparency. We tested the beta to see where the toggle works and what it looks like. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. If you have the latest iOS 26.1 beta, you can go to Settings > Display and Brightness to get to the new option. Tap on Liquid Glass, then...
sam sung auction

Former Apple Employee Sam Sung Changed His Name to Avoid Attention

Wednesday October 22, 2025 4:44 pm PDT by
Back in 2012, an Apple retail employee named Sam Sung went viral because his name is similar to Samsung, one of Apple's main competitors. In a recent interview with Business Insider, he detailed that period in his life, how Apple responded, and he explained why he ultimately changed his name. Someone posted an image of Sung's Apple business card on Reddit in 2012, and it spread rapidly....
iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Saturday October 18, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across the Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, Clock, and Safari apps. More features and changes will follow in future ...
iOS 26

What's New in iOS 26.1 Beta 4

Monday October 20, 2025 1:02 pm PDT by
Even though we're at the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple is continuing to add new features. In fact, the fourth beta has some of the biggest changes that we'll get when iOS 26.1 releases to the public later this month. We've rounded up what's new below. Liquid Glass Transparency Toggle Apple added a toggle for customizing the look of Liquid Glass. In Settings > Display and Brightness,...
kohler toilet sensor

Kohler Launches $600 iPhone-Connected Toilet Camera That Monitors Your Health Through Waste Analysis

Monday October 20, 2025 1:42 pm PDT by
Kohler is expanding its line of bathroom products with Dekoda, an iPhone-connected device that's designed to be attached to a toilet rim (via The Verge). The device's included "sensors" point into the toilet bowl, allowing it to analyze what goes on in the bathroom. According to Kohler, Dekoda is a health tracker that can monitor gut health and hydration, as well as detect the presence of...