Even if the chip supports FM, does the phone have an FM antenna? I seem to remember that my old pre-MP3 devices used the headphone cable as the antenna. Would it be easy to have good reception in a smartphone without using a headphone cable? Given how I use my smartphone using Bluetooth speakers for music and seldom headphones, I doubt that the FM chip would work for me. (And if I did often use headsets, I would get…
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The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
11–20 of 112 posts
Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#12Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#13Even if the chip supports FM, does the phone have an FM antenna? I seem to remember that my old pre-MP3 devices used the headphone cable as the antenna. Would it be easy to have good reception in a smartphone without using a headphone cable? Given how I use my smartphone using Bluetooth speakers for music and seldom headphones, I doubt that the FM chip would work for me. (And if I did often use headsets, I would get…
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Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#14This article is misleading. While it is true that almost every smartphone has an FM radio on the SoC, it's not true that it's always up to the carriers to enable the radio. Many unsupported phones are lacking the trace between the FM input to the headset jack, meaning this issue can't be fixed in a software update.
Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#15This is poor journalism, particularly coming from NPR. The NAB (including NPR) are lobbying to force all phones to include an FM radio. Since they can't say, "we want this to increase our ad revenue," they're using the tried and true, "it's a must for national security" approach. They've previously tried to get language added to Homeland Security bills that would force phone manufacturers to include radios. Besides,…
Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#16Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#17Even if the chip supports FM, does the phone have an FM antenna? I seem to remember that my old pre-MP3 devices used the headphone cable as the antenna. Would it be easy to have good reception in a smartphone without using a headphone cable? Given how I use my smartphone using Bluetooth speakers for music and seldom headphones, I doubt that the FM chip would work for me. (And if I did often use headsets, I would get…
[deleted]
Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#18This is poor journalism, particularly coming from NPR. The NAB (including NPR) are lobbying to force all phones to include an FM radio. Since they can't say, "we want this to increase our ad revenue," they're using the tried and true, "it's a must for national security" approach. They've previously tried to get language added to Homeland Security bills that would force phone manufacturers to include radios. Besides,…
And regardless of NPR's motives, their "it's needed for emergencies" argument is a pretty good one.
Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#19This is poor journalism, particularly coming from NPR. The NAB (including NPR) are lobbying to force all phones to include an FM radio. Since they can't say, "we want this to increase our ad revenue," they're using the tried and true, "it's a must for national security" approach. They've previously tried to get language added to Homeland Security bills that would force phone manufacturers to include radios. Besides,…
I used to listen to FM radio all the time. I personally think podcasts are way better and would not be surprised if most consumers agree.
Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#20This article is misleading. While it is true that almost every smartphone has an FM radio on the SoC, it's not true that it's always up to the carriers to enable the radio. Many unsupported phones are lacking the trace between the FM input to the headset jack, meaning this issue can't be fixed in a software update.
"This article is misleading." ^Yes this is NPR's classic bias against corporations.