Does Bigger Screen Lead to More Cellular Data Usage?
26 Pages Posted: 16 Oct 2014 Last revised: 17 Jul 2022
Date Written: September 25, 2016
Abstract
This study utilizes a unique dataset from a telecommunications company to examine the relationship between screen size and cellular data consumption for smartphone users. We first find an overall positive correlation based on population-level cross-sectional regressions, but after adopting a quasi-experimental design, there is no significant relationship between screen size and cellular data consumption measured by the amount of data transmitted. Motivated by the theory of task-technology fit, our additional analyses of the QQ browser mobile app suggest that screen size has a positive effect on mobile web browsing. Our study provides important implications for mobile network operators in understanding consumer behavior and promoting mobile data services to users with different devices.
Keywords: task-technology fit, telecommunications, screen size, data usage, smartphone, mobile web
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