Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
why no FM radio for iphone?
- Thread starter ThereGoesJB
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
There are new forms of radio - DAB, for example - which offer multiple benefits over FM, and still don't require data.
An FM receiver still needs power!
And it matters because the longer we cling onto dying technology, the longer it takes to get a newer, better standard. Think about VHS. I don't know about the US, but in the UK we have now turned off analogue TV signals, and I think the only thing stopping us turning off analogue radio signals are car stereos.
At least we have something to fall back on in emergencies.
People that want to listen to their MLB teams broadcasts without having to pay for an MLB app.
There's that as well. Sports and news and talk. More on AM but some on FM as well.
You're much more likely to get a stronger and consistent FM signal whilst out and about than you are a mobile internet connection. Besides, FM is much higher quality than mp3s and the like. Music stored on the phone in a decent format is of course the winner, but many people like to listen to FM radio (*although I'm not one of them).
----------
DAB offers zero benefit over FM other than the much increased number of stations available. The sound quality of DAB is incredibly poor.
Whatever that might be, if it's something that is already there why shouldn't it be enabled so that if someone wanted to use it they could (and those who don't simply wouldn't and nothing at all would change for them).
I remember many years ago when the iPhone first got a radio chip that (among its other features) would receive FM broadcasts. I remember my iPhone had it (I think it was the 3GS), and there were rumors Apple was going to release an App to enable it. I remember reading that Apple had built the App and it worked, but that Steve Jobs personally decided against releasing it. Maybe it was a battery issue or some quality issue that Steve didn't like... ?
Streaming makes it mostly irrelevant for me now, although I suppose there are times when I have no cell-reception it might be nice.
Streaming makes it mostly irrelevant for me now, although I suppose there are times when I have no cell-reception it might be nice.
I disagree ... I put my FM radio on the dash board to get line of sight reception real well. If cellular signals get to the iPhone they can carry FM on the same path way to my thinking. Of course I am not an MSEE or some other brainiac, but it seems very workable to me in metropolitan areas where one is always close to the FM transmitter ... it is out in the boon docks that reception needs an antenna.
The problem with FM it's already more or less as good as you can make it for broadcasting audio.
In one 0.2MHz channel, you get one fairly clear stereo analog FM radio signal, and several digital subchannels. That's an insanely efficient use of spectrum!
Every single car on the road has at least an analog FM receiver. That's a HUGE market in most urban areas. I still listen to FM broadcast radio from time to time because we do have a few decent stations, though I do tend to switch stations when ads come on.
I'm not sure why digital FM radios haven't become more popular. The tech is cheap now and there's really no reason not to implement it anymore, especially in new vehicles.
Norway has announced it will shut off FM radio in 2017, so...
See the article:
http://radio.no/2015/04/norway-to-switch-off-fm-in-2017/
See the article:
http://radio.no/2015/04/norway-to-switch-off-fm-in-2017/
Last edited:
Yup ... there are Police, and Fire Dept Apps that you can use SCANNERS ... and listen in to radio transmissions that way ... so the iPhone can do the job. Just put in an FM app ... and voila .. you got game. Then Verizon or one of the other carriers starts to advertise they have it ... and get customers with more better service.
I want one ...
I want one ...
Yup ... there are Police, and Fire Dept Apps that you can use SCANNERS ... and listen in to radio transmissions that way ... so the iPhone can do the job. Just put in an FM app ... and voila .. you got game. Then Verizon or one of the other carriers starts to advertise they have it ... and get customers with more better service.
I want one ...
When you use those scanner apps you are listening to a stream that someone else is providing on the internet. They have an antenna and radio that receives the comms connected to a computer that formats the audio and provides it to the internet. Your phone is not performing a radio function. It is just another internet computer.
DAB is not used nor legal in the US. The US has the proprietary HD Radio (aka IBOC), but it is not widely used and it is very unreliable.
All of you poopooing the idea of it not being activated are missing the point. Of course it would be useful for some but there's no money in it for US carriers so of course it's not active. IF the carriers could make money off it or apple for that matter it would be active.
Seems like no one has mentioned that just about all smartphones that have the FM function built in only work when there is a headphone / earphones attached and reason for that is because the wire acts as a antenna.....I have never tested but I suspect using a auxiliary cable would solve this need while in the car but it would require one to use earphones/headphones while listening to FM radio all the other times....
Lastly as Norway has started to pave the way for shutting down FM radio, I'm sure more countries will do the same as time goes on.
Utilizing the FM radio frequency for Cellular services is the future as it travels further than any of the cellular frequencies available today as well as offering greatest object penetration (Buildings, forests, walls etc)
Lastly as Norway has started to pave the way for shutting down FM radio, I'm sure more countries will do the same as time goes on.
Utilizing the FM radio frequency for Cellular services is the future as it travels further than any of the cellular frequencies available today as well as offering greatest object penetration (Buildings, forests, walls etc)
Last edited:
Nope you are wrong dude .. and messed up in the science of it.
FM is line of sight .. and walls do stop the signal pretty well .. cell signal goes through walls slightly better. As you know when you talk on the cell phone inside your house but your FM radio do not work inside your house without an antenna.
I am sure you have done some scientific testing on that your self if you have any sight on the matter.
Also .. there are FM lightening jack attachments that you can plug into the iPhone right now .. some real nice ones that are very small .. they use the battery power of your iPhone to make it work.
Here is one .. that is the pits .. but it does the job ...
http://www.geekymart.com/fm-receiver-attachment-design-for-iphone-ipad-ipod-series
Some one could make an AMP Audio like power case that has FM circuits in it as well as speakers .. with a lightening jack ..
and Apple people will buy that right now .. I will.
If it has a Mirco USB port in it ... nope nope nope those are crap for the iPhone or iPod, etc.
Alan
How is the sound quality of DAB poor? Unless you have a weak signal, it will be on par or better than FM.
And it's already started in Europe - Norway have announced they're turning off FM. http://www.neowin.net/news/video-killed-the-radio-star---but-norway039s-killing-fm-radio-in-2017
Nope you are wrong dude .. and messed up in the science of it.
FM is line of sight .. and walls do stop the signal pretty well .. cell signal goes through walls slightly better. As you know when you talk on the cell phone inside your house but your FM radio do not work inside your house without an antenna.
I am sure you have done some scientific testing on that your self if you have any sight on the matter.
Also .. there are FM lightening jack attachments that you can plug into the iPhone right now .. some real nice ones that are very small .. they use the battery power of your iPhone to make it work.
Here is one .. that is the pits .. but it does the job ...
http://www.geekymart.com/fm-receiver-attachment-design-for-iphone-ipad-ipod-series
Some one could make an AMP Audio like power case that has FM circuits in it as well as speakers .. with a lightening jack ..
and Apple people will buy that right now .. I will.
If it has a Mirco USB port in it ... nope nope nope those are crap for the iPhone or iPod, etc.
Alan
I don't see the point in the attachment because one could just simply get a standalone small FM radio....example Apple iPod Nano....the square one that has the FM built in....has its own battery and uses the cord as a antenna....and its also a secondary device but a way better one than what is available on the market today as a "Add-on" to a iPhone.
As for FM requiring line of sight yes I understand that perfectly well, its also because Cell Signal is 2-Way, while FM radio's are broadcasted 1-Way, so the tower or the device does not work hard to hold onto / connect with that signal.
Lastly, I was speaking about the frequency of FM, cellular service operating at that frequency will result in broader coverage area per tower and greater signal penetration for buildings / forests due to its ability to travel further than currently available frequencies that are used for Cellular service (Voice + Data).
Lowest currently serving Cellular service = 700MHz, Soon 600MHz will be active once the auction happens.
IF and when FM is shut down the spectrum will be auctioned off to cell service providers to use for cellular services instead as it will be the MOST efficient frequency for cellular service(s) etc.
I am not a expert in the field but thats a basic explanation and this thread is about enabling the internal FM radio transmitter.
Back to topic, I see Sprint advertising their FM radio ability but they have no mention of iPhone....iPhone's FM radio is not enabled ANYWHERE (Incl. Europe)
The whole point of this thread is to inquire why the FM radio is not enabled in iPhones. The biggest advantage from where I sit is the ability to use it during utility outages for news and information when cell and wi-fi are not available. Apple certainly has an app for FM Tuner as you can use it in a Nano today.