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The Hidden Costs of the Facebook App

Using Facebook app is not actually free, it do have some hidden costs. Get an idea of the hidden costs of the Facebook in this article.

Using a Facebook app on your smartphone might be a time-consuming process. But studies are now pointing towards serious hidden data costs from using social networking apps on mobile handsets, and the implications for the 40% of smartphone users with social networking apps could be considerable.

The Facebook app is the most popular single app for Android and iPhone users, with Twitter and other social networking apps gaining ground. But for users of Facebook’s app, the Facebook platform is one of the most data intensive of its kind, and therefore one of the most expensive app options.

Bandwidth usage amongst those that have the Facebook app has increased by an average of 50% since November 2012, and the ever-growing prominence of photo and especially video files is increasing the pressure on data allowances. When the figures are extrapolated, light daily usage could account for as much as $470 extra annually, based on uploading and viewing a handful of photos every day. The Hidden Costs Of The Facebook App

The costs are based on the average user browsing the site for an hour, uploading a single photo and browsing through ten others. For more significant usage, the costs can increase more significantly, and because of the remote link between data and usage, users can often find themselves using much more data than they had expected.

These costs are on the expensive side of other apps, with comparable behavior through Twitter apps costing an average of just $125 per annum. Still, these costs are often hidden away in mobile usage fees, and some users are still unaware of the impact their social networking can have on their bill.

Some tech analysts have been quick to suggest that falling data prices will make mobile browsing much more competitive. While technologies and infrastructure are continuing to improve, best-guess estimates show prices will fall by a maximum of $0.01/megabyte by 2015, and multiplying this impact over the year will have only a negligible effect on the hidden costs of using apps like these.

App developers like Miami FL based Simplikate.com are increasingly being asked by clients to consider their data footprint, and some in the industry have said that app makers need to be more conscious of the weight of their software to protect their clients’ interests.

While the issue of app data usage costs has yet to come to the fore, there are concerns that as smartphones become even more widespread and networks continue to grow, a new generation of users could be affected by strong data demands.

If data costs and usage levels continue to rise, the potential for more significant monthly bills could cause increasing dissatisfaction with users. And with almost universal coverage across operating systems, usage of the Facebook app is expected to increase as the social network moves its focus to become more integral to phone usage.

The Facebook app is available across multiple platforms and formats, including Android and iPhone. It remains the world’s most frequently used app, despite its variable data consumption needs, and the implications on usage costs need to be taken more closely into consideration.

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