No one is more excited about the iPhone’s availability at Sprint than CEO Dan Hesse. And it’s no surprise either, seeing that the carrier is investing at least $15.5 billion over the next four years just to offer the device to customers. That said, Hesse has been tooting the iPhone horn as much as possible, taking special note of its efficient use of data. He even went so far as to say that the iPhone’s data handling may quite possibly keep Sprint’s unlimited data plans alive longer than expected.
According to Hesse, the iPhone is better at picking up WiFi signals than Android devices, making it easier for users to jump off their 3G connection onto a network. This is, of course, great news to any network as it unloads a good deal of traffic. In the same vein, Hesse said that Apple’s iPhone app requirements result in less data traffic from apps, as they tend to employ the network less than other platforms’ apps.
“One of the beauties of carrying the iPhone is it extends the period of time and increases the likelihood of us maintaining unlimited data longer because it uses our network so efficiently,” said Hesse in an interview with Forbes. However, if smartphone adoption continues to grow (especially at the rate it’s growing now), unlimited data will cease to be a feasible option for any carrier.