Globe editorial calls FM radio "outdated technology"

[Kevin Driscoll]

FM has been standard equipment on mobile phones for years.
Unfortunately, service providers' custom software often does not
provide an interface to the hardware. My sense is that the world-wide
market values FM more highly than in North America. My last two Nokia
handsets have an FM app that uses the headset cord as an antenna.

This article from the India Times says that 65% of the mobile phones
shipped in 2009 had FM radio:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6326442.cms

In fact, it looks like the iPhone already has FM bundled in with a
Broadcom chip also integrates WiFi and Bluetooth:
http://theiphonewiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=BCM4325

To be sure, the NAB/RIAA deal is shady and the regulation is
overreaching but it would be nice to see more North American service
providers enabling FM on the handsets they subsidize.

Kevin


On Sun, Aug 22, 2010 at 9:47 PM, Garrett Wollman <wollman@bimajority.org> wrote:
> <<On Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:09:12 -0400, A Joseph Ross <joe@attorneyross.com> said:
>
>> Well, I don't understand why I should be required to get an FM radio
>> with my next cellphone.  If I want an FM radio, I'll get one.
>
> Chances are pretty good that you already have an FM radio in your next
> cellphone, and the wireless carrier sees more profit in having you
> listen to services that you[1] pay them for than in letting you listen
> to free radio.  It's already well understood that consumers don't want
> to carry around multiple devices -- the standalone digital music
> player market will be dead in few years -- and so broadcasters are
> worried that you will get all of your auditory entertainment from the
> one device you[2] already have, your phone.[3]  There's also a (spurious)
> argument about receiving EAS alerts (there's no reason the carriers
> could not be required to use their own technology to deliver EAS
> messages just as cablecos are).
>
> -GAWollman
>
> [1] Or someone, in any case -- the compensation may be coming from the
> audio provider rather than from you, or in the most likely scenario,
> in both directions, as the cell companies are an oligopoly and
> therefore have both pricing power and control over the platform.
>
> [2] And by "you" here I actually mean "women 25-54".
>
> [3] Particularly given the level of phone integration offered on many
> new cars.
>