The FM Radio In Your Pocket, And Why You Can't Use It

[Eleazar]

The Hidden FM Radio Inside Your Pocket, And Why You Can't Use It
APRIL 16, 2015 7:39 PM ET


You may not know it but most of today's smartphones have FM radios inside of them. But the FM chip is not activated on two-thirds of devices. That's because mobile makers have the FM capability switched off.

The National Association of Broadcasters has been asking mobile makers to change this. But the mobile industry, which profits from selling data to smartphone users, says that with the consumer's move toward mobile streaming apps, the demand for radio simply isn't there.

Full disclosure: NPR, along with the NAB, has been part of a lobbying effort to require this free radio feature to be enabled. In 2013 they teamed up to create a free app that allows for free FM listening on smartphones.

NPR's Robert Siegel spoke with Jeff Smulyan, the point man on this issue for the NAB.

Smulyan is CEO of Emmis Communications, an Indiana-based corporation that owns radio stations across the U.S.

Most smartphone models come with a built-in FM feature. Samsung, Apple and LG are among those who have not switched on the chip, but HTC and Motorola chips haven't been blocked, Smulyan says. Sprint has turned on the FM chip for phones on its network.

The smartphone has fueled a change in media consumption habits and it's a growing challenge to radio as the go-to audio source for news. To get local broadcasts, Americans increasingly download podcasts or stream from news apps where they can skip or pause our segments. As popular as this form of consumption is, these apps all suck up costly data.

Aside from the huge benefit he sees for the radio industry, Smulyan says users could avoid expensive data charges and save battery life if they listen to the FM chip for free.

"Listening to streaming drains your battery three to five times faster than listening to the exact same content on the FM chip," he says.

It's a critical resource in an emergency, he argues, when there is no Internet or cell system.

"When the power grid is out, the only lifeline for the American public is having an FM tuner," he says.

He adds that it's a question of giving the public a choice. "Every time you buy a phone, you've paid for that radio," Smulyan says.

Smulyan's lobbying has prompted the Indiana Senate to urge mobile carriers to activate the FM chip.

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate has also argued that radio is critical in a crisis. "As more and more people use their smartphones as streaming devices to get news, get radio, get a lot of things like that over their networks, I don't think people realize how vulnerable they get," he says in a video for FreeRadioOnMyPhone.org, a collection of radio organizations that includes NPR.

He points to Superstorm Sandy and the North American derecho storm, both in 2012, in which the carrier overload blocked many users from getting any information via cellular devices.

But Jot Carpenter, vice president of government affairs for CTIA-The Wireless Association, resists the move to turn on the FM chip.

At a NAB convention in Las Vegas this week, Carpenter said there would have to be demand by smartphone consumers for mobile carriers to consider switching on the FM chip.

"What Americans really want is the ability to stream, download and customize music playlists to meet their personal preferences," Carpenter said, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "and that's not what the traditional FM radio offers."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2015/04/16/400178385/the-hidden-fm-radio-inside-your-pocket-and-why-you-cant-use-it?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news

[InChiefsHeaven]

What they need is an AM\FM chip. AM radio goes further, in an emergency it might be better than FM.

I disagree that it should be enabled because you bought it. No, you bought a smartphone. If you didn't know it had FM radio capability, you obviously didn't buy it for that.

Having said that, it would be a nice feature.

[Eleazar]

I disagree that it should be enabled because you bought it. No, you bought a smartphone. If you didn't know it had FM radio capability, you obviously didn't buy it for that.

I own the phone and the chip inside, some would argue that I should be able to use the chip if I want to.

[mdchiefsfan]

I think freedom to choose is what we should be striving for. Even if you didn't know it was in there, the manufacturer certainly did, and certainly charged you for it.

I bought a car, and didn't know it had a button on the fob to open the trunk; does that mean my fob should lose some of its functionality?

[Sully]

I'd prefer AM to listen to the Royals while mowing.

[InChiefsHeaven]

I own the phone and the chip inside, some would argue that I should be able to use the chip if I want to.

I guess that makes sense, there should be a way to activate it. But why even put the damn thing in there if it's not going to be used...I guess it's the service provider not wanting it but the manufacturer puts it in there...

...so the more I think about it, it is kinda bullshit. Don't know if there should be another regulation over it, but it should be available. As you said, you do own it, so why can't you use it...

[Bugeater]

I'd prefer AM to listen to the Royals while mowing.
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01436/walkman1_1436143i.jpg

[prhom]

I'll bet there's someone at the NSA who knows how to turn it on without getting a law passed!

[BigMeatballDave]

Terrestrial radio?

Meh. I haven't listened to it regularly since I had an HD stereo in a vehicle 6 years ago.

[Bwana]

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01436/walkman1_1436143i.jpg

:LOL:

I was cleaning out my garage about a year ago and found one of those from back in the day. I ended up giving it a toss along with a bunch of other crap that was in the dust ball.

[HonestChieffan]

"What Americans really want is the ability to stream, download and customize music playlists to meet their personal preferences," Carpenter said, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "and that's not what the traditional FM radio offers."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2015/04/16/400178385/the-hidden-fm-radio-inside-your-pocket-and-why-you-cant-use-it?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news

If this asswad is correct turning on the chip will have no effect because Americans won't use it. This fucker has no idea what "Americans want".

[mdchiefsfan]

If this asswad is correct turning on the chip will have no effect because Americans won't use it. This ****er has no idea what "Americans want".

Gotta love having words out in your mouth, huh?

[srvy]

I discovered this on my LG G2 when I tried to use tune in radio. Said sorry your carrier has disconnected your FM band please go to are site and send them a message that you want to listen to free fm radio.

Guess I wont tune in to 101 the fox and hear Bullet Bob Seager sing Against the Wind 100 times.

[Eleazar]

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01436/walkman1_1436143i.jpg

No radio on that, dewd ;)

[Reerun_KC]

I discovered this on my LG G2 when I tried to use tune in radio. Said sorry your carrier has disconnected your FM band please go to are site and send them a message that you want to listen to free fm radio.

Guess I wont tune in to 101 the fox and hear Bullet Bob Seager sing Against the Wind 100 times.

That's okay, there are 10000000 so called classic rock stations across America that play the same damn songs each and every day...

One just cant get enough of Tom Sawyer....

[Chiefshrink]

I own the phone and the chip inside, some would argue that I should be able to use the chip if I want to.

I think freedom to choose is what we should be striving for. Even if you didn't know it was in there, the manufacturer certainly did, and certainly charged you for it.

I bought a car, and didn't know it had a button on the fob to open the trunk; does that mean my fob should lose some of its functionality?

BINGO !!:thumb:

[Eleazar]

If this asswad is correct turning on the chip will have no effect because Americans won't use it. This ****er has no idea what "Americans want".

The phone companies want people to stream music and run over on their capped data plans, obviously.

[Chiefshrink]

The phone companies want people to stream music and run over on their capped data plans, obviously.

BINGO !!!

[Reerun_KC]

The phone companies want people to stream music and run over on their capped data plans, obviously.

Phone companies suck ballz....

we are on an unlimited data plan and have kept the same plan for the past 9 years with ATT...

they practically beg me to change it each time we go into the store cause they can "save me money"

I am like sorry you lying little bastards, keeping the same plan, suck it dickholes.

[cmh6476]

so I just downloaded tunein radio for free and am now streaming 96.5 the buzz on my Blackberry. Blackberry users unite$#!!!

now I can get royals broadcasts from my phone :rockon:

[Fish]

so I just downloaded tunein radio for free and am now streaming 96.5 the buzz on my Blackberry. Blackberry users unite$#!!!

now I can get royals broadcasts from my phone :rockon:

No, actually you can't. There are copyright restrictions that prevent TuneIn radio from broadcasting MLB, NFL, and other sports events. If you're streaming 610 in TuneIn, and a Royals game comes on, the broadcast switches to a recorded talk show. They can't broadcast those. The only way to get MLB on a smartphone is to pay for MLB radio.

[cmh6476]

:(

[loochy]

No, actually you can't. There are copyright restrictions that prevent TuneIn radio from broadcasting MLB, NFL, and other sports events. If you're streaming 610 in TuneIn, and a Royals game comes on, the broadcast switches to a recorded talk show. They can't broadcast those. The only way to get MLB on a smartphone is to pay for MLB radio.

you can often find a stream

i do that for chiefs games

[Coochie liquor]

Good. Fm radio sucks. If you wanna hear the same 40 songs per genre, then Fm radio is for you!

[loochy]

Good. Fm radio sucks. If you wanna hear the same 40 songs per genre, then Fm radio is for you!

if you want to listen to sports talk radio all day without wasting your data plan, FM radio is for you!

[displacedinMN]

I had an HTC ONE with the fm radio. Loved it. All should have it.

They just want to destroy free radio

[Eleazar]

No, actually you can't. There are copyright restrictions that prevent TuneIn radio from broadcasting MLB, NFL, and other sports events. If you're streaming 610 in TuneIn, and a Royals game comes on, the broadcast switches to a recorded talk show. They can't broadcast those. The only way to get MLB on a smartphone is to pay for MLB radio.

It used to be you could find online streams most of the time if you looked for far-flung affiliate stations' online streams, not sure if it still works.

[Eleazar]

Phone companies suck ballz....

we are on an unlimited data plan and have kept the same plan for the past 9 years with ATT...

they practically beg me to change it each time we go into the store cause they can "save me money"

I am like sorry you lying little bastards, keeping the same plan, suck it dickholes.

The dork working at the store wants to make a commission, of course...

I am grandfathered in to an unlimited plan and I will never change plans... unless they take it away, then I will change carriers.

[Reerun_KC]

The dork working at the store wants to make a commission, of course...

I am grandfathered in to an unlimited plan and I will never change plans... unless they take it away, then I will change carriers.

Yes this...

[Brock]

There won't even be a radio in new cars in a few years.

[Reerun_KC]

There won't even be a radio in new cars in a few years.

there will be a media player, but Cd player? probably not...

I haven't used a CD in probably 8 years. I don't even own a CD anymore... Garage sale those things...

[cosmo20002]

Most smartphone models come with a built-in FM feature. Samsung, Apple and LG are among those who have not switched on the chip, but HTC and Motorola chips haven't been blocked, Smulyan says. Sprint has turned on the FM chip for phones on its network.


Wait a sec...so the feature is there but not switched on...so does that mean the user can turn it on?

Or have some been blocked as implied above? That means the user can't turn it on even if they want to? Then why is it in there in the first place?

I don't think the article is written clearly.

[srvy]

if you want to listen to sports talk radio all day without wasting your data plan, FM radio is for you!

Bingo

Thats what I want it for. Sure I can download podcasts and fill up my on board data because we can no longer have micro SD cards on a phone we must use the cloud. I have also found that anything on the cloud like stored music eats battery life fast.

[jd1020]

What they need is an AM\FM chip. AM radio goes further, in an emergency it might be better than FM.

I disagree that it should be enabled because you bought it. No, you bought a smartphone. If you didn't know it had FM radio capability, you obviously didn't buy it for that.

Having said that, it would be a nice feature.

My last smartphone had FM radio enabled. I know they all have the capability because I've known that the chip they are built with comes native with the capability. I've also known that the large carriers like AT&T and Verizon have been grounding the port so it doesn't work. Why they do it is bullshit and so is their reasoning, "Nobody uses FM radio so we remove that capability." I used it... a lot. I used it when I was mowing the lawn, riding a bike, exercising, etc... I used it because it didn't use up any of my data when I was too far away from a wifi network. The companies simply dont want to allow it so they can sell bigger and more expensive data plans because apps like TuneIn stream music and eat away at your data.

[Fish]

Wait a sec...so the feature is there but not switched on...so does that mean the user can turn it on?

Or have some been blocked as implied above? That means the user can't turn it on even if they want to? Then why is it in there in the first place?

I don't think the article is written clearly.

On some phones, you can root/jailbreak, and access the FM radio. There's even a root-required app called Spirit radio that provides a GUI for it. But it doesn't work for all phone models. And on most, they don't have an antenna for the FM radio. The app uses a headphone cord as the antenna. But that makes it so you have to use headphones, and the reception is really sensitive to getting moved. Doesn't really work well....

[jd1020]

Wait a sec...so the feature is there but not switched on...so does that mean the user can turn it on?

Or have some been blocked as implied above? That means the user can't turn it on even if they want to? Then why is it in there in the first place?

I don't think the article is written clearly.

The second one. The user can't switch it on. All phones have the capability. I have an LG G2. The international model (d802) comes with FM Radio. The AT&T model (d800) comes without because AT&T has grounded the port in the phone. No user can turn it on. People who make ROMs for phones like on xda-forums cant turn it on because its not software, it's hardware.

HTC, Windows phones, and I think the Moto G are the only phones I know of that havent been disabled.

[Eleazar]

Wait a sec...so the feature is there but not switched on...so does that mean the user can turn it on?

Or have some been blocked as implied above? That means the user can't turn it on even if they want to? Then why is it in there in the first place?

I don't think the article is written clearly.

Not without circumventing the manufacturer/carrier's settings, which causes other problems.

[Predarat]

No static at all.

[Beef Supreme]

Is that an FM radio in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

[Reerun_KC]

On some phones, you can root/jailbreak, and access the FM radio. There's even a root-required app called Spirit radio that provides a GUI for it. But it doesn't work for all phone models. And on most, they don't have an antenna for the FM radio. The app uses a headphone cord as the antenna. But that makes it so you have to use headphones, and the reception is really sensitive to getting moved. Doesn't really work well....

I have my phone rooted, might give this app a try...

[Reerun_KC]

The second one. The user can't switch it on. All phones have the capability. I have an LG G2. The international model (d802) comes with FM Radio. The AT&T model (d800) comes without because AT&T has grounded the port in the phone. No user can turn it on. People who make ROMs for phones like on xda-forums cant turn it on because its not software, it's hardware.

HTC, Windows phones, and I think the Moto G are the only phones I know of that havent been disabled.

I have the LG optimus pro... Probably wont work for me then...

[jd1020]

I have the LG optimus pro... Probably wont work for me than...

You can use apps to get FM Radio. It's just going to cost you data because it's streaming the music to your phone. AFAIK, Spirit Radio doesn't work with phones that dont already have a stock FM radio app.

[Reerun_KC]

You can use apps to get FM Radio. It's just going to cost you data because it's streaming the music to your phone.
Have those apps.

tunein
610
810
others


Just wanted to see if I could get the FM receiver to work on my rooted LG phone.

[Fish]

I have my phone rooted, might give this app a try...

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mikersmicros.fm_unlock&hl=en

[Reerun_KC]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mikersmicros.fm_unlock&hl=en

thanks Fish!

[TimBone]

I just figured it was atmospheric effects that kept it from working.

[patteeu]

No, actually you can't. There are copyright restrictions that prevent TuneIn radio from broadcasting MLB, NFL, and other sports events. If you're streaming 610 in TuneIn, and a Royals game comes on, the broadcast switches to a recorded talk show. They can't broadcast those. The only way to get MLB on a smartphone is to pay for MLB radio.

That's generally true, although every once in a while a game will be available via TuneIn. Last Sunday night when the Royals were playing the national game of the week on ESPN, TuneIn had a "station" carrying them, for example, but it wasn't available through the normal local affiliate.

Edit: I see others have said the same thing.

[DanT]

I had an HTC ONE with the fm radio. Loved it. All should have it.

They just want to destroy free radio

Until I read this thread, I did not realize I could get FM radio on my HTC One M8. I enjoy my XM radio subscriptions, but I also like having access to FM when I'm away from my office, car or home. It's good to know I can get FM radio through my phone!:thumb:

[aturnis]

If this asswad is correct turning on the chip will have no effect because Americans won't use it. This fucker has no idea what "Americans want".
He doesn't care what Americans want. He'd rather tell them what to want.

This is just a bullshit way for your wireless provider to get you to use more data, so you'll have to purchase higher data limits for your plan.

Follow the money Lebowski.

[Hoopsdoc]

Thanks Obama!

:D

[Saccopoo]

I use the FM radio on my phone all the time.

[Saccopoo]

Until I read this thread, I did not realize I could get FM radio on my HTC One M8. I enjoy my XM radio subscriptions, but I also like having access to FM when I'm away from my office, car or home. It's good to know I can get FM radio through my phone!:thumb:

Dude...

I have the same phone. That was right there on the front page of your phone apps.