The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
1–10 of 112 posts
Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#2This 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
#3This 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.
> 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.
It seems like they're citing manufacturers as well as carriers. Since many major carriers order variants of phone models specific to their network, it's not out of the question that either could be responsible for the lockout, even if it is at the hardware level.
Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#4This 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.
Is there a reason not to have that trace? And does it only prevent listening via the headset jack, but not on the phone's speakers?
Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#5This 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.
How convenient for the phone manufacturers and wireless carriers.
Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#6This 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.
Is there a reason not to have that trace? And does it only prevent listening via the headset jack, but not on the phone's speakers?
The connection isn't needed for audio -- it's needed because the headphones / line out cable acts as the FM antenna.
Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#7Even 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 a Bluetooth one.)
Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#8Even 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
#9But Jot Carpenter, vice president of government affairs for CTIA-The Wireless Association, resists the move to turn 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...
I wonder if the people whose job it is to make these sorts of patronizing arguments privately feel embarrassed when doing so.
Re: The hidden FM radio in your pocket and why you can't use it
#10This 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, forcing phone manufacturers to include a radio won't save the radio industry. Radio audiences are declining for the same reason broadcast TV audiences are: it's a one-size fits all product on a strict schedule that's overflowing with ads. It was in decline well before the smart phone.
https://recodetech.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/arbitron-1980...
