# Google play data usage



## Natsuke (Apr 15, 2011)

Hi all. 
I have a difficult time finding out what happened with play store data consumption. Yesterday I was browsing play store for maybe an hour in total and downloaded just one app that is 4 mb large. When later I checked data usage it said play store used almost 100 mb of data which is impossible with my usage but it happened. 
I always have auto updating turned off in all app settings, and since my mobile data plan is limited to 1gb this becomes a problem. 
Biggest problem now is that I have no way to get to google support because there's no mail to contact them. They only have a preset groups of q's and a's and if you have a specific question you're stuck. 
Please help me with this, what might have happened here and if there is a way to contact them? 
Thanks in advance.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Typically applications that are 4MB and larger, like the Sims Free Play game for example, download small then download a add-on pack that can be 100MB+


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## Natsuke (Apr 15, 2011)

The app I downloaded is called Elder scrolls game guide, and while I installed it I haven't yet run it. I had that app before and I never had this situation.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

That application most likely downloaded additional files after you installed it.


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

when you browse the store, it counts towards your play store data. Every page you look at, every popup, every graphic you click on to get a closer look counts. It is similar to temporary internet files you get when you browse websites on your computer. 

go to your data usage, scroll down to google play store and see how much was downloaded in the background.


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## Natsuke (Apr 15, 2011)

I did that, and it says foreground download was about 97mb and background less then 1mb. Which was confusing.


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## Natsuke (Apr 15, 2011)

Sorry, checked it now its 94 mb foreground and 4 mb background, which is close to previous post.


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

forgot to mention, what was it before you download the file? did you check. you also have to remember, it is cumulative from all past dealings with the play store since the last reset usually monthly. IMO, you do not have any problems, just normal usage. If you have wifi available, use it whenever you can. that is the only way to limit your data usage.


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## Natsuke (Apr 15, 2011)

Thats the thing, that morning and day before i had only less then 50mb of data usage and after I finished with play store and checked it was at 150mb almost.


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## Natsuke (Apr 15, 2011)

Problem I see here is that somehow play store spent 100mb of data for 1 app of 4mb and rest just browsing (not even videos etc). I wouldn't be alarmed if I haven't used android phones and play store last 4 years, and this is quite out of ordinary (as in never ever it happened so drastically not even when I used to download several apps). Its really strange, and would be great if we could see what for play store uses data exactly.


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

there should be a graph for google play in your data usage screen. does it show it all in one day or over a period of time.


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## Natsuke (Apr 15, 2011)

It shows it during single day- during 11. October - for mentioned 100mb.


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## Natsuke (Apr 15, 2011)

Sorry for bumping old thread, but i monitored google play data consumption yesterday while on data plan and same thing happened again - high data usage from browsing for 2 hours on Google play and downloading only Dodol launcher and 2 of its themes (about 15-20mb max for all together). 
It says google play app used 185 MB of foreground data. and less then 1 mb for background data. Mind-boggling. 
I made a screen shot of that data usage. 
As i said im not new to android and google and this is indeed strange behaviour. What for would google play app by itself use that much data? 
So when we combine all from my 2 times of monitoring this behaviour, we come to 270 mb of foreground data downloaded for max 3 hours of browsing and 30 mb of actually downloaded content.


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## Natsuke (Apr 15, 2011)

Here's the screen shot of days usage.


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

I browse yesterday and used 226 megs and only downloaded papyrus. I don't think it is anything to be concerned about. what I said in my first post still goes.


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## Natsuke (Apr 15, 2011)

So thats normal for play store to use so much data? Meh, thats a problem for me as I have only 1gb data plan and if I'm not careful I can get additional expenses if I overspend it. Guess no google play anymore unless at home where I have flat rate from my ISP. 
Anyway, even if it's normal, it's still very bad. Im browsing Firefox on my phone for much longer during a month and it doesn't spend even 10% of what play store spends. Needless to say that images on Firefox are much larger and loads more items then play store (using always desktop version of websites). 
Thanks for help and also for taking time to check it on Your phone ☺


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

Natsuke said:


> So thats normal for play store to use so much data? Meh, thats a problem for me as I have only 1gb data plan and if I'm not careful I can get additional expenses if I overspend it. Guess no google play anymore unless at home where I have flat rate from my ISP.
> Anyway, even if it's normal, it's still very bad. Im browsing Firefox on my phone for much longer during a month and it doesn't spend even 10% of what play store spends. Needless to say that images on Firefox are much larger and loads more items then play store (using always desktop version of websites).
> Thanks for help and also for taking time to check it on Your phone ☺


go back to the play store, click the top left corner so it will get into your apps, click on my apps, and make sure you are in the installed sections. it will show a list of apps you have installed on that specific device. It will be divided into three sections. the top will be what needs to be updated, then it shows the most recent updates and then it will show up to date apps. If there are any recent updates you can almost assumed those happened while you were at the play store. 

Lately there has been a lot of updates because of the new lollipop version of android. Though your phone does not have lollipop, the app makers are fixing their apps to work with it. Anyway, that is where you also could have been using data without knowing.

It is tough to have a one gig plan without regular access to wifi. If I did not have wifi, I doubt I could stay under three.


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

just wanted to mention you can always browse the play store using a desktop. You can even install to your device from it


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## Natsuke (Apr 15, 2011)

I know about that part, I always turn auto updates off at all times, and always do them manually. There are alot of apps that need update, but im not doing it if update isn't some bigger thing. Its just sometimes I'm at a place i don't have Internet access from desktop so i browse with my mobile, and now I'm scared of doing it so i don't get bigger bills 😀


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