UN agency backs enabling smartphones as FM radios

[IdleMonitor]

“Citizens of the world would benefit” if all mobile devices could be enabled as FM radios, the International Telecommunication Union announced earlier this year.

Nearly all smartphones have a chip that makes them capable of working as FM radios,*but only about a quarter have one that’s activated or easily activated.

UN agency backs enabling smartphones as FM radios - National | Globalnews.ca

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[Jay911]

Makers of all the apps that stream radio stations (real ones, not made-up Internet streams) onto your smartphone for a fee are frantically waving their arms "NOOOOOOOO" at that concept.

 

[ElroyJetson]

We are ultimately heading toward total information fusion. The smartphone will evolve into an extremely "all purpose" device with every kind of information service available on it via superbroadband networking.

I predict the day will come when ALL radiated RF for consumer applications will be part of such a superbroadband network. Ultimately the only radio service will be superbroadband, covering most of the RF spectrum, with only certain frequency ranges set aside for other applications.

I mean, think about it: 200 years from now would you expect today's types of radio systems to exist which are NOT broadband or superbroadband?

I would no more expect "antique" radio systems to be in common use 200 years from now than I would expect to see horse-drawn carriages on the public highways today.

 

[SCPD]

Keep your internet radio,I'm not paying for broadband service to listen to FM.
Thanks,radio is here to stay and is not going anywhere.Digital FM that doesnt
sound like garbage would be a nice add but they're afraid people will record it,so
American FM is stuck with horrible sounding HD radio.If everyone has to subscribe
to listen to "radio" will they have enough internet head-end to support such a thing?
Remember how many people are in the USA.....Theory will say NO.
Its also costs and some people just dont have the green.FM radio in cellphones are a great idea,oh wait they have been in cellphones for years,but disabled by companies that are greedy and have to profit from everything and anything....

 

[n0loh]

Besides the FM frequencies of 88 to 108 MHz, can a smart phone receive other frequencies? I have a Motorola Moto G Android phone and it does receive FM Broadcast, but would be cool to find out if there's a way to have it receive other bands as well.

 

[SCPD]

Yes,with a Micro-USB SDR dongle and SDR software from the Google play store or Apple APP store,then yes.

 

[celestis]

I wouldn't mind buying a smartphone that could receive FM and the upcoming ATSC 3.0 TV standard

If I could afford Verizon's unlimited I'd definitely take them up on it but alas...

 

[KB7MIB]

Your smartphone may already be capable of receiving FM broadcast radio, at least.


Free Radio on My Phone

John
Peoria, AZ

 

[SCPD]

So if one per say bought the phones they own and own these devices one could file lawsuit to have a carrier unlock the fm chip. If you own the device unless I missed something. They could charge a fee for it or deny anyone paying into a smartphone but if owned I could see legal actions down road pop up if the demand and class action took place.

 

[JasonTracy]

From what most disassembles have shown, the iPhones with LTE radios have the FM radio in them, but no antenna attached.

A mandate or lawsuit to enable to the radio would be almost pointless.

I agree that Apple should attach an antenna, but they're almost counting atoms in finding spare room or ways to shed weight. I don't see them doing it any time soon.

Does anyone know if the FM radio is SDR? Can it get the NOAA radio if it had a proper antenna?

 

[Your_account]

hmm he most phones us the headset for radio antenna.