Not all of us need or want an unlimited plan. The good news is that you do not have to sacrifice the convenience of a connected smartphone just to save money on mobile data. Here are five things that will take you five minutes to do and that can save you a lot of money every month.
Your smartphone is indispensable. There are lots of different data-hungry apps that enhance your mobile experience. Cloud storage, audio, and video streaming, rich browsing, turn-by-turn navigation, and so on can place great demands on your mobile data connection. Fortunately, however, it is easy to reduce mobile data usage without hindering your mobile experience.
Bandwidth Management
Google has implemented a feature in Android called Lite mode that can greatly reduce the amount of data required by the Chrome browser. Using Google’s servers, Chrome condenses images and other files to optimize page sites on your mobile device. They also give you a visual look at how much you have saved in the last month using a simple line chart. According to Google, your data usage can be reduced by up to 60%!
To activate the Lite mode setting, go to:
Chrome menu> Settings> Restricted mode
Cachar Google Maps
You can download an area in Google Maps so that it uses fewer data when navigating to your destination. This not only saves you lots of mobile data but also enhances the experience if you travel through a low reception area.
Although there is some debate about the size of the roof, there is a limit to the amount of data you can cache. If it is exceeded, you will be asked to zoom in on a smaller area.
To save a map for offline use:
- Open Google Maps and search for the location you want to save. Tap the lower info bar, then tap Download
- Choose the size of the region you want to save, name it and you’re done!
Get detailed instructions for Android and iOS.
Save data in Gmail
Download Gmail attachments on Wi-Fi
Google lets you download Gmail attachments automatically via Wi-Fi. If you are a daily user of the Gmail app, this switch can help you save big! Sorry iOS users, this is also a feature that is only for Android.
