This Metric Proves Why Apple is Still Favored by Carriers (AAPL)

Though it's not really a secret anymore, there's little question why most carriers were clamoring in the past to get their hands on the Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone.

The reason? Data.

According to research firm Actix (and highlighted by CNET), Apple iPhone users in North America and Europe consume gobs more data than the next-best smartphone. The top-three largest consumers of data in 2013 were the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, and iPhone 4. Samsung rounded out the top six with its Galaxy S3, S2, and S4.

In fact, including tablets, Apple and Samsung hung on to all the top spots spanning through 10, where the HTC One X made an appearance. BlackBerry's (Nasdaq: BBRY) 9900 was 13th on Actix's list.

So, while Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android might hold more of the smartphone/tablet market in North America and Europe, carriers are clearly still focused on Apple and its iPhone, which provides the most usage of its most high-margin product. Below is a grab outlining average data consumption in 2013.

Shares of Apple are down 0.4 percent Friday.

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