iOS5 data usage

There is a mystery here! Because most people complaining, (you are partly right) are not only complaining about iOS5, but since iOS4.3.x, also started causing problems with data usage. Back in iOS 3... man did I had a low phone bill! That is with multitasking enable on iPhone 3G. But if an app is completely closed (not in the multitask bar) there shouldn't be any data leaving the phone (well large size data that is).

This morning I checked Dataman, and it was at a low 11.1 KB, and only a couple of minutes later... I got the message from Dataman that my limit is almost out!!! I checked and saw 4MB gone out! From where? Why?

I have notice, that even though, all apps are completely closed in the background...nothing running. When I open a System Info app or Memory Cleaning app, shows that the Mail app is open! Why? It is not in the multitask bar, so it shouldn't be running, right??? I'M PRETTY SURE, THAT IS THE LEAK!

When we open apps like Cal, MMS, Notes, Reminders, etc. These all cause the Mail app to open silently in the back. The "mail" app is not open technically, cause is not seen in the multitask bar. But it is open, if you use a special app that kills all running apps except "phone" app. You will notice "Mail" is open, but after cleaning your memory, it is gone!

If someone could prove, this leakage... somebody should start calling the lawyer. Cause ALL THIS STINKS BAD!

It's not a multitasking bar, it is a "recently used" bar. And yes, killing Mail does not end the Mail background task. Same for Contacts, Calendar, Ping, Game Center or any of the other built in apps. If you have any Push email account (MS Exchange, iCloud, Yahoo, gmail) mail will always be running, whether you have Push on or off. It's not leakage; it is data that you have chosen to receive or send. The only solution is to not use features that consume data. ALL of the data shown by dataman is data that you have chosen to receive or send.

There absolutely is a mystery. Whether this is caused by IOS5 is another matter. We're not idiots, it's a given that the more settings/apps you have on that consume data will lead to more consumed data isn't it? That goes the same for any iOS software version, the pretty basic principle stays the same.

Most people's issue is unexplained data usage. We're turning all features off that shouldn't constantly be transferring data over mobile connection, but data is still being transferred. The iPhone should never be transferring data without you knowing (from keeping a known setting on etc). This is the issue.

Thanks for reclarifing the real issue!

@Lawrence,

Thanks for the correction "recently used" bar... but for your information, as I posted previously, I don't have any "smart phone" feature ON. Nothing... This has got to be the dumbest smart phone out now (my settings).

Basically, at home & work use WIFI, but when I'm outside I just use the Phone & MMS... that's it!

All notifications, badges, Location Services, Mail & Calendar accounts are all OFF. "OFF" as in, not functional... well shouldn't be functional that is. But some how, when I open certain apps (MMS/SMS, Phone, Reminders, Cal) all the sudden Data starts leaking.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only person with this problem. I had a 4s on AT&T tht used 5gb of data in 8 days. AT&T told me it was one of my apps and had me do a factory reset. Now I had no apps and the data use continued so they said it was something to do with ios5 or my Internet browsing and email checking. I went to apple they reset the phone again even tho there was still no apps on the phone since the last reset. I called AT&T and again they said to reset the phone and that they would not refund me for the 3gb overage of data the phone had used. I told them I had an iPhone 4 for a year and a half that never used 1 gb in a month how can I use 5 gb in 8 days with NO APPs. She said it was something I was doing wrong not them and that I was on my own. Therefore I cancelled both my 4 and 4s and moved to Sprint. All has been good since then.

I have an IPhone 4 recently upgraded from 4.3.3 to 5.01 and I AM NOT AFFECTED BY THE HIGH DATA USAGE BUG !!! I browse the Web reguliary (couple of hours a day), I use Facebook and Twitter moderatly. When I'm at home I use WiFi, but I'm on 3G when I'm at work (andI do use Facebook at work, don't tell my boss...). I use less than 100 Mb of 3G data per month. BTW, the stats from my ISP is consistent with what is displayed by the Iphone. I don't use ICloud (even though I have an account set up), but I use push notification for my Gmail. I do close the apps when I'm not using them. My dauther just bought an IPhone 4 but she's not with the same carrier than me. Her phone is setup just like mine but her data usage is MUCH MORE than me (she's at 600 Mb after just 2 weeks). She do use Facebook a lot more than me, but aside from that it's about the same as me. Could this be related to the carrier? Or is it Facebook using that much data?

Yes, FaceBook uses huge amounts of data.

Have you tried simply going into you settings and turning "Cellular Data" OFF. This should stop any 'leaking' that you may be experiencing

Depending on the carrier you are with, and the country you are in, you may have free access to social media sites included in your contract.

That's the first I've heard of this. What carriers, what countries?

I have two 4s phones, one is okay and no massive usage of data, the second is using too much data.

My wife uses her phone to listen to the radio indoors over wifi, which she did on the previous iphone4.

Her usage should be the same but has instead gone crazy.

This may be a problem with a lot of different faults, one tip that might help help a few.

I was checking why my imac was intermittently losing contact with wifi since I had upgraded to Lion the latest OS version for Mac's. I found that this was happening to quite a few people, the fix is to change the channel on your router, there are 12 channels, you ISP will tell you how. Hoping my wifi stays connected now.

What was happening was that while listening to the radio or any other data crunching opteration thinking it was on wifi but wifi was dropping out. I think this could also be a fault with IOS5, maybe switching channels might help.

Worth a go.

If you are streaming and the phone goes to sleep it switches to cellular data, unless the phone is connected to power. WiFi is only enabled when the screen is on or the phone is plugged in.

I`m new to this forum and to an extent to Apple. I`ve had a cell phone for 30+ years and have advanced with technology at a rapid pace. I switched to Apple after long contemplation because I thought it had alot to offer. I was a BB user before. I have an iPhone 4S which until recently has only caused me minimal frustrations. Freezing, bugs, performance, the usual. All this was bearable until iOS5 came along.

I should have stayed on iOS4 like I recommended to most of my family members. Since iOS5, my phone usage time has diminished by over 50% and now I find out that I've used 5.5G of data on a 6G data plan in 6 days. What the heck is going on? In 18 months I've never even so much as touched 1G of usage. I upgraded to iOS5 and do the same thing I've been doing for 18 months and the only answers I get to my issues are turn this off, turn that off, don't use this, don't use that.

No one has an answer. I've been using WiFi 80% of the time both at home and at work and now for some reason I shouldn't use it because it used more battery but I can't turn it off because I have not data left. The trouble shooting is always the same and such an ordeal. Backup your phone, restore factory settings, test it a few days, restore your information and if you still have a problem, call us. What a waste of time and a croc of you know what. I've been in technology for 25+ years, I may not be an Apple specialist, thank God but I'm not an idiot with technology or mobility. All these support teams know how to do is read from script, they can't think out of the box and no one has a flipping clue what the **** is going on otherwise they would resolve this problem.

So my take on this situation is go back to iOS4 or scrap Apple altogether.

The free usage is in Australia with most carriers