Level 1

31 points

iPhone X Excessive Data Usage

I got the iPhone X exactly a week ago. Ever since, I have completely regretted it. All-in-all, the phone is amazing, and I love it... but I have never run into to many issues as I have in the past week with this phone, than I have over the past 5 years that I have owned iPhones.

The phone I had before the X was the 7... I use data once and awhile, but I never go over my data plan which is 4GB per month. The morning after I get the iPhone X, I curiously check my data usage through my cell provider, and I had used almost 1GB. Rogers had stated that I had used almost 1GB of data at 10:34am last Friday (I didn't even have my phone on me as I was in a meeting, and it was connected to WIFI). Ever since, the data usage has been insane on this phone, to the point where I have contacted Apple and they have told me to turn my data usage off so I do not go over my usage. Almost all of my apps have their data usage turned off, I have always had WIFI assist and iCloud drive turned off, as well as background app refresh. It doesn't seem to matter if I am connected to WIFI, the phone seems to still love to eat up the data. Apple has given me no answers, other than the fact that the iPhone X has enhancements that might use cellular data regardless of a wifi connection. But for these enhancements to use so much that I have to actually turn off my data is ridiculous... They haven't been able to give me a more reasonable answer. This phone has become virtually useless to me, the second I turn my cellular back on the feast of data begins. Has anyone else experienced this issue or have any answers? It's sad that this is what it's come to... Apple can't even give me an answer to an issue with their product.

iPhone X, iOS 11.2.1

Posted on Dec 15, 2017 7:43 PM

Top-ranking reply

JRoy1981

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Feb 9, 2018 9:10 AM

My cellular data usage has dropped significantly by disabling iCloud drive and the Photo Library from uploading via cellular data. Now they only upload when connected to WiFi. Problem was I recorded some videos while I was away from a WiFi and it uploaded the videos to the Photo Library over the cellular connection. I checked my data usage after I got an alert from VZ stating I had reached 90% and I saw huge data usage the same times I was recording videos.

There may be some other oddities like Safari using 50MB to do a search, but I haven't noticed that yet. For the first time since getting the iPhone X, I now have extra data to rollover into next month's usage.

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87 replies

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,851 points

Jan 18, 2018 8:43 AM in response to Dennispetrone

Dennispetrone wrote:

wait, photos and vids aren't saved locally anymore? what that mean? all my photos and vids are local. not on iCloud. what is apple doing to us

Nothing.

Go to Settings -> iCloud -> Photos.

If "iCloud Photo Library" and "My Photo Stream" are off, your photos are not stored or sent to the cloud; if either are they may be:

iCloud Photo Library: Your photos are stored on iCloud
My Photo Stream: New photos get sent to all of your iCloud devices when they are on WiFi.

Jan 28, 2018 9:31 AM in response to Richard Caughlan

Go to settings down to apps disable using cellular data on all the apps you don't need to use cellular data.

Then they will just work on wifi.

Go to i books download ios 11 user guide & iPhone X guide both are free.

Cheers

Brian 🇬-1F1E7;

Jan 28, 2018 10:07 AM in response to Briansyddall

The huge usage was YouTube and I shut it. Still no excuse for cell over WiFi, especially when the phone isn’t in use in the middle of the night. I’ve reset the usage and will monitor the situation. Have to call AT&T tomorrow, see what they know. Closed today. My nephew works at the Apple Genius Bar and this is all news to him.

Feb 4, 2018 1:57 PM in response to sammergee

Yep, same here. Spent 2 weeks with apple investigating this and their final response is that it is not unusual behavior, and that this is the way the phone was designed to work. Told them my 6s never did this, and same response. Nothing they can do because it was designed to use OBCENE amount of cell data. So now I have a 1000.00 cell phone that I cannot use for cellular.

Feb 12, 2018 9:02 AM in response to jaye2802

As long as you have an Apple product as your phone, this problem will persist.

As an update to my previous posts, I have accumulated 5.4G of "Apple ID Services" data since January 15, 2018 - which is less than a month. Supposedly, Apple is looking at deeper Siri integration, Animoji with Facetime, etc. for the upcoming iOS 12 but this problem is the one that significantly needs more attention. Unfortunate and difficult to understand why we have had to pay for data Apple forces us to use for more than a quarter of a year now.

Do I really have to look at Galaxy S9?

Mar 16, 2018 7:55 AM in response to sammergee

I have the same problem with my iPhone X. It pulls data while I am teaching. Last Monday, it pulled 1gig while I was at work. No open apps, never using phone while teaching. Verizon told me it’s an Apple data software issue. I was told to turn off cellular. THAT IS NOT A FIX!!!!!

Mar 30, 2018 4:10 AM in response to TheSpadedAce

The had to go on the Verizon Unlimited Data Plan to avoid overages on our two phones. The Verizon techs were absolutely no help and the store reps stated it was an Apple software issue, and wait for a patch. I couldn’t wait with data burning like a bonfire while I was on WiFi or not even using the phone.

I would be teaching and the data usage showed according to Verizon Tier 2 Tech that I was burning a gig a day like I was steaming a movie. Ridiculous problem that Apple needs to address.

KatieM41

Level 1

13 points

Jun 30, 2018 12:54 PM in response to sammergee

I’m having this issue with an 8 and I’ve used more than 10 GB in a day, one day! And so now we are investigating what is going on, ‘Documents & Sync’ is what is using all of my data. I’ve basically erased everything off of my phone and I’m still having this issue. We’re going to see what happens...

Logato

Level 1

4 points

Jul 28, 2018 7:30 AM in response to sammergee

This has something to do with iPhone X and App Store iTunes passive cellular usage. Mine pulled 15gb in 3 days and I never used it. I checked it against my iPhone 6 Plus which is turned on and it uses next to nothing.

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,851 points

Sep 4, 2018 5:40 AM in response to crotpants

I couldn't tell you as I haven't ever seen the problem.

Check which apps you have cellular data access enabled for, it could be one of those for whatever reason.

Most haven't seen this, but certainly some have, especially those on corporate networks whose Wi-Fi is VPNed and won't allow access to the sites apps need to get their data.

G_N_3

Level 1

4 points

Oct 13, 2018 1:42 AM in response to sammergee

I just got the XS a couple of weeks ago and am having the same issue! I called Apple and they advices to turn various things off and make an appt. Wll I’ve turned everything possible off and the only thing which prevents the excessive data usage is having Cell Data off. Well that’s just ridiculous! I won’t be able to do anything outside of the house and off of WiFi without that on. I’ve been tracking things and have found for me it is all coming from System Services - parts of System Services that can’t be turned off - and it only seems to use this data when I unlock the phone - no other time. I have an appt set, but I see no point in going based on everyone else’s remarks about unhelpful appts. Seriously on the verge of leaving iPhone after having been a loyal iPhone user since its inception. Ugh.

Jan 17, 2018 6:22 AM in response to houdiniyoda

Go to settings down to apps check apps that are using data turn data off

the apps you don't need to use your data just wifi

Go to i books download ios 11 user guide it.s Free.

Cheers

Brian 🇬-1F1E7;

Jan 18, 2018 8:46 AM in response to Dennispetrone

Follow advice on my other post.

Go to i books download ios 11 user guide & iPhone X guide both are free.

Cheers

Brian 🇬-1F1E7;

sammergee Author

Level 1

31 points

Dec 16, 2017 3:46 AM in response to madra31

Thanks for your input. Apple has also advised me to monitor my cellular data until Sunday. We have it turned off completely to see if there is possibly an issue with the phone. They stated no data usage should be used while the phone's cellular data connection is off. Sure enough, it is still chewing through data even while I have the connection turned off (and am still connected to wifi). I am not a tech wizard but common sense tells me that this isn't right. I have an appointment with them at 12:30 on Sunday so hopefully they can address and resolve the issue.

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,851 points

Dec 16, 2017 4:25 AM in response to sammergee

If you have cellular data turned off and it is still using data then either yes, something is definitely wrong with your device or a thief somehow cloned the SIM card that came with your iPhone X and is using their device to download data.

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iPhone X Excessive Data Usage