why no FM radio for iphone?
- Thread starter ThereGoesJB
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Phil A.
Moderator emeritus
Personally, about the only radio station I listen to is BBC Radio 5 Live, or 5 Live Sports Extra. The former is on AM, the latter on DAB so an FM radio would be completely pointless to me. Both are available via the brilliant TuneIn or the equally brilliant BBC iPlayer Radio.
I've had phones with FM radio on before and hardly ever used it - it was clunky and sounded terrible
I've had phones with FM radio on before and hardly ever used it - it was clunky and sounded terrible
sherrie.melton5
macrumors newbie
Android Fm Radio App
I agree with your point that FM is an old technology. I suggest iPhone users to install radio apps like Pandora and Songza to enjoy their favorite music.
I agree with your point that FM is an old technology. I suggest iPhone users to install radio apps like Pandora and Songza to enjoy their favorite music.
12vElectronics
macrumors 68040
Not picking on you, but for some reason people can't seem to understand that radio is NOT for music only. There are a lot of talk/news stations that people enjoy. Pandora and all the other million music streaming apps are music only.
I had a rental car from the airport the other day and decided to listen to FM. Scanned through about 20 channels and everyone was on a commercial. Driving back to the airport it was the same thing.
You guys can keep FM. I'll get my news, sports and talk radio via Internet feeds.
You guys can keep FM. I'll get my news, sports and talk radio via Internet feeds.
APhillyApple
macrumors regular
There are far too many radio apps in the store for them to need this. This is just another "issue" that is solved with software and not resource abusing hardware.
I would love an fm radio on my iPhone. I have shoutcast iheart radio and a couple of other streaming radio apps.
I don't think these apps as good as they are compare to a radio. As an example one of my favorite radio programs is coast to coast. Which starts at midnight. I look up coast to coast shows on shoutcast. But they are all old shows.
As far as I know no streaming radio app will play a current show. Or I think about local radio. Like let's say a local high school football game. I think it would be nice if I could take out my iPhone and be able to get a local station and pick up a local game. I know with some of the streaming apps they have local stations you can look for. But it is not the same as tuning into a radio station which is a couple of miles from me.
I think to me one of the big differences between streaming Internet radio and actual fm, is that fm seems more immediate and live. I don't know maybe I'm wrong or maybe I am using my streaming apps wrong.
I don't think these apps as good as they are compare to a radio. As an example one of my favorite radio programs is coast to coast. Which starts at midnight. I look up coast to coast shows on shoutcast. But they are all old shows.
As far as I know no streaming radio app will play a current show. Or I think about local radio. Like let's say a local high school football game. I think it would be nice if I could take out my iPhone and be able to get a local station and pick up a local game. I know with some of the streaming apps they have local stations you can look for. But it is not the same as tuning into a radio station which is a couple of miles from me.
I think to me one of the big differences between streaming Internet radio and actual fm, is that fm seems more immediate and live. I don't know maybe I'm wrong or maybe I am using my streaming apps wrong.
ThereGoesJB
macrumors regular
this notion that FM radio would cause me to buy less music from itunes is a clear indication that you dont even understand the value of FM radio.
If I want to hear the type of music I can buy on itunes, I'll obviously buy it on itunes. Its the local college stations (playing small bands ive never heard of), it is the local shows I enjoy like NPR or the local sports broadcast.
Yes i could stream their online app. However with carriers needing to limit data, FM seems like a great way to offset streaming data.
FM also sounds great btw, if you have a semi-decent radio and are within the broadcast range there is no reason it should sound like crap. As if we would be holding back the potential of apple ear buds quality...
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It's true there is def a delay, I'll sometimes mute the TV and play the local radio broadcast for patriots games. Has to be FM though, otherwise its delayed by 30 seconds or more.
If I want to hear the type of music I can buy on itunes, I'll obviously buy it on itunes. Its the local college stations (playing small bands ive never heard of), it is the local shows I enjoy like NPR or the local sports broadcast.
Yes i could stream their online app. However with carriers needing to limit data, FM seems like a great way to offset streaming data.
FM also sounds great btw, if you have a semi-decent radio and are within the broadcast range there is no reason it should sound like crap. As if we would be holding back the potential of apple ear buds quality...
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It's true there is def a delay, I'll sometimes mute the TV and play the local radio broadcast for patriots games. Has to be FM though, otherwise its delayed by 30 seconds or more.
Pssshhh... that's their evil plan. The hardware vendors get together with the carriers and says, our gadgets don't have FM, so they have to use streaming and that's more in the pocket for you yes? broughhahahha!
iPods since 2001, same thing, eventually Apple relented --somewhat-- and says OK here is this $50 FM adapter we can sell you (another tethered accessory - fail). So that's history.
joeblow7777
macrumors 604
Really? Because I think that one of the best things about the last few generations of iPod Nanos is simply the fact that they have FM radio. It's one reason why I chose a 5th gen nano over a touch.
12vElectronics
macrumors 68040
And? Some of the best things in life have been around for a long time.
chambone
macrumors 6502a
I don't know about other countries, but over here analog tv broadcasting has ceased years ago - if you want terrestrial tv you'll need a dvb-t receiver. It's not inconceivable that analog radio will suffer the same fate eventually (although that might take a couple of decades more). Point is, FM radio is old tech. I suppose Apple simply doesn't want to have anything to do with dragging out something that has its best days behind it.
ThereGoesJB
macrumors regular
I chime back in when it happens, but its other people reigniting the discussion. Second time this thread went dormant and came back months/year later.OP keeps re-opening the coffin.
Must be loaded with keywords or something
joecartoon22
macrumors member
i would still use fm radio. if you are camping or somewhere without enough reception for streaming, fm would be a great addition. as well, if you are on a limited data plan, it would reduce your data usage
DollaTwentyFive
macrumors 6502a
Nyah. Fm radio was developed in the 30s but it was about 20 years before it became widely adopted. My 1955 Thunderbird has only an AM radio.
kryptticAZ
macrumors 6502a
The TVs at my gym are all hooked up to FM transmitters and if you have an FM receiver, you can listen to whatever TV you want. This is why I want an FM tuner in my iPhone.
Michael CM1
macrumors 603
Honestly this makes about as much sense as "why isn't there a TV tuner built in so I can watch broadcast channels?"
FM radio is really old school tech that doesn't make much sense on an iPhone. At all. I get that it would add the ability to pick up local broadcasts that aren't blacked out via streaming apps. But you're talking about another piece of hardware to incorporate and support, also meaning there's something else that could go wrong and drain some battery.
I would see Apple as more likely to include stations in its iTunes Radio listings and to get them to not black out programming with some 70/30 revenue split for ads. Maybe it would be some subscription service or whatever. But it makes way more sense to go with a connection on the Internet than to rely on being within X miles of a tower. These are *mobile* devices.
FM radio is really old school tech that doesn't make much sense on an iPhone. At all. I get that it would add the ability to pick up local broadcasts that aren't blacked out via streaming apps. But you're talking about another piece of hardware to incorporate and support, also meaning there's something else that could go wrong and drain some battery.
I would see Apple as more likely to include stations in its iTunes Radio listings and to get them to not black out programming with some 70/30 revenue split for ads. Maybe it would be some subscription service or whatever. But it makes way more sense to go with a connection on the Internet than to rely on being within X miles of a tower. These are *mobile* devices.