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National Association of Broadcasters Again Urges Apple to Add FM Radio to iPhones
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yeah, cause that's ALL your going to use your cell phone for in an emergency. They make perfectly good, inexpensive crank powered radios for JUST this reason. Adding FM radio to a cell phone for emergencies is a stupid idea.
Damm why doesn't my fridge have a radio built in ? Its so short sighted of them, and while I am at it why doesn't my radio make toast ?
If I wanted a radio, I would buy a radio, not a phone.
Here in Europe, FM is on its way out anyway. It's DAB+ or nothing.
Cars have DAB+ receivers, not FM.
I bet you can buy a tiny FM receiver if you really want.
Cars have DAB+ receivers, not FM.
I bet you can buy a tiny FM receiver if you really want.
"as evidence that Apple's devices already have some of the hardware required for FM radio support."
Well, yeah. They have a battery, too. That's 'some of the hardware required'.
Some of the hardware required might as well be none of the hardware required. It would still require more hardware ... and in a device as packed as an iPhone it's not as easy as 'just add more stuff and turn it on'.
Well, yeah. They have a battery, too. That's 'some of the hardware required'.
Some of the hardware required might as well be none of the hardware required. It would still require more hardware ... and in a device as packed as an iPhone it's not as easy as 'just add more stuff and turn it on'.
Just think of the CHILDREN!!!! Forget what Congross Twit said that!
I agree I have a small Sony radio which lasted a week on 2 AAA battery during Sandy. I am definitely getting the emergency radio with the wind up power option for my emergency kit.
It's not just adding an FM radio, it's FM + AM + emergency bands. That means an app + a UI + power drain.
As everyone should be able to tell, Apple is having enough problems with their UI without adding a radio. Once you have radio then you have favorites, then an API, then it's a big hairball.
Plus with the iPhone's battery life what good is a radio? It'll just suck more power. Instead, spend $5 and get a radio with AA batteries.
As everyone should be able to tell, Apple is having enough problems with their UI without adding a radio. Once you have radio then you have favorites, then an API, then it's a big hairball.
Plus with the iPhone's battery life what good is a radio? It'll just suck more power. Instead, spend $5 and get a radio with AA batteries.
A good antenna is needed for FM, that's for sure. And Apple is not building a radio, but a modern, digital device.
I still think they should figure out a way, because FM can be *very* useful! It's already well-established, so why not make that a differentiating selling feature?
I still think they should figure out a way, because FM can be *very* useful! It's already well-established, so why not make that a differentiating selling feature?
Isn't that what HD radio was suppose to be! LOL. HD Radio is what happens when a tight knit group of corporations control everything from the content to the distribution!They should give us DAB radio here
I was looking for a switchover schedule recently, but I only found that besides Norway this year, Sweden and Switzerland will do it between 2020 and 2024.
The waste of the silicon comes from the chip maker for not offering another chip without the FM option. That is understandable as redesign and imaging these chips could cost 100's of thousand and up before create a single one for testing.
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Yeah that is already happening.
The tech industry has flourished largely because it isn’t regulated. Your bank is. How innovative are they?
I don't really understand why anyone would oppose integrating a basic FM radio functionality in cell phones. Puerto Rico was without cellular coverage for over a week after the hurricane. As a result, major parts of the population were completely in the dark for an extended period of time. Local radio stations continued to work and the authorities used them to coordinate food distribution and locate missing persons. There is little doubt that lives could have been saved if everyone had an FM radio in their pocket.
Cellular networks are more complex and thus more vulnerable, and often become congested to the point where they are useless in large scale emergency situations.
Cellular networks are more complex and thus more vulnerable, and often become congested to the point where they are useless in large scale emergency situations.
nope, that’s not obvious at all. it can’t be “enabled” as you claim because the hardware for antennas isn’t there as clearly stated by apple. designing an fm antenna into the phone would take up space for a feature few need to use. we already have FM radios everywhere. and in my hurricane prone state, we have a wind up radio for emergencies as everyone does since the power goes out for days at a time during fierce storms.
so how come you’re not whining for Amazon to put enable FM radios in their Echo devices?
That is radio! I can get every one of my local terrestrial stations using one of those apps.
Facepalm
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Except when you are on the road and a disaster happen.. you have no way to know what's going on.
What about antenna design do you not understand? You can use pretty much anything to receive FM, heck even a nail will do. You do need a tuned antenna to transmit though, otherwise the signal gets reflected back into the circuitry.
No antenna is just not true.
I happen to agree with this thought. I use, almost exclusively, Amazon Unlimited, and my decision is based upon cost and endless variety. If one already has Amazon Prime, then adding Amazon Unlimited Music, is less expensive than most.
The issue that troubles me is governmental involvement. We are already regulated to a maximum standard, so why must Apple or any smartphone manufacturer be forced to include FM radio? To the best of my knowledge, there is no federal regulation requiring such. A regulation of this nature would require statutory language promulgated by Congress.
Here is a quote from The Verge: "In the past, Pai has made it clear that he doesn’t want the FCC to mandate that phone manufacturers enable FM radios, in part because it goes against free-market policies." If it goes against free-market policies, and statutory law is lacking, then smartphone manufacturers need not comply and there are no consequences.
Can I also finally have FAX ability? Sheesh.
Facepalm
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Except when you are on the road and a disaster happen.. you have no way to know what's going on.
Cars have had radios for a while now... including FM!
While I can certainly appreciate the various perspectives on the point in question:
As for power, that's the bigger issue. We also have an emergency RADIO with extra batteries. No difference. I have an extra battery for my iPhone that is capable of charging my 8+ several times.
The underlying FCC ask - that cell phone makers include broader emergency capabilities - is perfectly reasonable. Should this be mandated? I would say no, but that really depends on the responses from Apple, Samsung, Google, etc. It *is* the governments job to provide emergency services to the populace. How about the makers work WITH the FCC to solve the problem!
Is there a better suggestion? I don't have any idea, but FM (and even AM) radio seems like a very straightforward and simple approach.
Cheers!
PS: To 'poke the bear' a bit more, I would think that Apple's new policy of not actually disabling WiFi and Bluetooth is a bigger threat to battery life in an emergency!
- My family *does* listen to FM radio. Several stations to be exact. Music, news and sometimes sports. It's FREE.
- We even listen to FM stations via iHeartRadio when over-the-air is either not available or inconvenient
- I also have a nice music library with iTunes AND pay for an Amazon Music Premium subscription
- They are not the same AND are not mutually exclusive
As for power, that's the bigger issue. We also have an emergency RADIO with extra batteries. No difference. I have an extra battery for my iPhone that is capable of charging my 8+ several times.
The underlying FCC ask - that cell phone makers include broader emergency capabilities - is perfectly reasonable. Should this be mandated? I would say no, but that really depends on the responses from Apple, Samsung, Google, etc. It *is* the governments job to provide emergency services to the populace. How about the makers work WITH the FCC to solve the problem!
Is there a better suggestion? I don't have any idea, but FM (and even AM) radio seems like a very straightforward and simple approach.
Cheers!
PS: To 'poke the bear' a bit more, I would think that Apple's new policy of not actually disabling WiFi and Bluetooth is a bigger threat to battery life in an emergency!
I am probably one of about seven people in the history of the universe who have listened to FM on a Nano. It's a poor experience. Sh!tty battery life, poor reception, terrible rx range. This is a marketing ploy by NAB, pure and simple.
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The cretins at NAB have obviously never even tried to listen to broadcast FM on a Nano.