FM Chip

[Mark Bolton]

Anyone have any information with regards to this? I have been doing quite a bit of research but as with a lot of things on the internet its often times hard to filter the signal from the noise. I have been trying to figure out if this chip actually exists in US smart phones and what its actual capacity is. I have read from several places that its in every phone, then its only in some phones, then its not in many phones. Then that its capacity is not one that will turn your phone into an FM tuner but rather is there as a compliment to location services, on and on.

I wish I knew someone in the cell phone hardware industry but though you all may have some input.

[Mike Henderson]

Never heard of it, but that probably doesn't mean much. Do you have a link that discusses it?

Mike

[Dan Hintz]

It exists in some phones (for example, the Blackberry Q10 has one, and RIM updated their OS to enable it earlier this year). Here's a list of phones that supports the NextRadio app:
http://nextradioapp.com/supported-devices/

[Mark Bolton]

Never heard of it, but that probably doesn't mean much. Do you have a link that discusses it?

Mike

Mike, You may have googled by now but there are several campaigns out to promote US carriers enabling an on board FM chip in smart phones that allow the phone to receive over the air FM broadcast. Basically turning your phone into an FM radio using your ear buds as the antenna. I have been doing a bunch of research for a board I am on and finding the data of what phones, how many phones, have this chip has been a bit of a challenge. I have found all sorts of varied information that the chip is in all phones, some phones, is there but doesnt have the capacity many think (that it is a compliment for location only). Anyway, just dong my due diligence.

[Mark Bolton]

It exists in some phones (for example, the Blackberry Q10 has one, and RIM updated their OS to enable it earlier this year). Here's a list of phones that supports the NextRadio app:
http://nextradioapp.com/supported-devices/

Thanks alot Dan, just the kind of information I was looking for. Odd that the Iphone is not on the list (I dont have iphone but interesting).

[Dan Hintz]

Thanks alot Dan, just the kind of information I was looking for. Odd that the Iphone is not on the list (I dont have iphone but interesting).

Just remember, that list is strictly of phones the NextRadio app supports, not necessarily an all-inclusive list of phones that have an FM chip in them. Apple, for one, is notorious about guarding their hardware from the software level... they may have a chip installed but are not providing direct access to it yet.

[Steve Baumgartner]

Just remember, that list is strictly of phones the NextRadio app supports, not necessarily an all-inclusive list of phones that have an FM chip in them. Apple, for one, is notorious about guarding their hardware from the software level... they may have a chip installed but are not providing direct access to it yet.

All of what you read on the internet is true, of course, but in one article I saw a claim that Apple explicitly disables the FM section in the iPhone. That is, the hardware is there but there is no way for an app to access it.

[Lee Schierer]

Getting fm stations on your phone if it has the chip also depends on your service provider allowing access to it. Verizon does not.

[Jim Rimmer]

Getting fm stations on your phone if it has the chip also depends on your service provider allowing access to it. Verizon does not.

I would guess that this and Apple disabling the chip is related to how to mnake money from it. When thye figure out how to profit, it will be available.

[Mark Bolton]

I would guess that this and Apple disabling the chip is related to how to mnake money from it. When thye figure out how to profit, it will be available.

Thats the general consensus for anyone promoting its activation here in the US. From what I have been told the chip being activated is mandatory in Europe however carriers here are for whatever reasons not allowing the chip to be widely activated. Im not sure if this is a carrier issue or not because it seems that most providers have at least some devices on their network that are activated but perhaps that is some hardware/software issue where these devices are cant be, or are harder to, disable.

The general notion is that carriers are fighting the activation of the chip because they want to sell data. I can surely see that especially where the wireless industry is one of the major opponents. That being said, Im not sure how many people would even take advantage of it and in very informal polls of people I run into the most common response I get is "why the heck would I want to listen to the radio on my phone"?

My feeling is the main traction for ever getting the chip activated across the board will have to be something with regards to public safety/disaster preparedness and so on.

[Bert Kemp]

My republic wireless phone has built in FM, like you said I use the earbuds for the antenna.

[Curt Harms]

FM seems pretty common on unlocked no-contract Android phones on Ebay. Here's one example

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CUBOT-P9-5-0-Android-4-2-3G-Dual-Core-Smartphone-GSM-WCDMA-WIFI-Bluetooth-GPS-FM-/321276433675?pt=Cell_Phones&var=&hash=item4acd91550b

In the U.S. I expect the carriers are saying "We ain't gonna provide nuthin' that doesn't put $ in our pockets". From what I gather, it's more common in the rest of the world to buy your own phone and buy voice & data services separately.

[Mark Bolton]

My republic wireless phone has built in FM, like you said I use the earbuds for the antenna.

How does it work? Good reception? Just tune via the app?

[Bert Kemp]

When I turn it on it scans all available stations and locks them on a preset. then I just tap the station I want to hear. Yes it works good, sound good to.


How does it work? Good reception? Just tune via the app?

[Bill Cunningham]

Hmmm I've had a FM radio app on every phone I've owned! I had no idea some phones can't use one. I just went to the google playstore an installed a free one that seems to work great. Are these illegal in the US? I'm in Canada..

[Brian Elfert]

Hmmm I've had a FM radio app on every phone I've owned! I had no idea some phones can't use one. I just went to the google playstore an installed a free one that seems to work great. Are these illegal in the US? I'm in Canada..

Is your app actually receiving FM over the airwaves, or streaming FM stations over the Internet?