Why Would Anyone Want an FM Tuner in a Cell Phone?
Written Aug. 23, 2010 by Larry Rosin in Technology + Terrestrial Radio with 2 Comments
There has been an awful lot of digital ink spilled in the last several weeks about the issue of radios on cell phones. Part of the proposed NAB agreement with the labels on a performance royalty be to force an FM receiver into every cell phone.
And while forcing FM onto phones seems extreme and borderline anti-competitive, I wanted to weigh in with this thought: It really would be a good thing if more mobile devices also included radio receivers, and I think those receivers would get a lot of use.
What do I base this opinion on? Several factors:
1) Go to Europe and take a look. Lots of people are listening to FM Radio on their phones. I simply don't buy the argument that some are making that "no one" wants or would listen to FM (or AM for that matter) on their phones.
2) The announcement by AT&T that they will no longer be offering unlimited data plans is a potential game-changer. A lot of people will become much more concious of their usage and perhaps think to use their radios more as a result.
3) Assuming it doesn't add unwanted cost or weight to a phone (which I don't think it would, but I'm no engineer), who wouldn't want another option from their phone? How is more extra stuff a bad thing?
I don't buy the argument that since the few phones that have radios haven't sold well, this proves there is no desire or market for radios. Of course the existence of a radio is not the 'make or break' feature for a new phone. This doesn't mean no one wants one.
Much has been made of the fact that this crusade is a distraction, or that putting FM tuners on phones won't "save" radio. But that turns the issue into a straw man, really - the issue isn't whether or not FM tuners on phones will catapult the industry to double-digit growth, it's whether or not it would be good for radio. It would be good for radio.
So again, I don't see how forcing radios onto phones is a good thing. But I do think the radio industry should do all it can to encourage, cajole, or wheedle the phone companies to add radios. Giving people the option can't subtract from radio listening. If we should "be where people are" by offering apps, what is an FM tuner but a really great app itself?
Reader Comments
Your 2¢, in chronological order — add your comment below.
Yes, FM in cellphones would be great.
What's not great is creating new enemies who would lobby against any royalty deal that includes this FM-in-cellphones mandate. Enemies like the coalition of 6 tech industry associations that sent letters to members of Congress today, for example.
To risk a royalty deal with desperately-needed streaming royalty reforms over an FM-in-cellphones requirement seems foolish. At least IMHO.
I had a FM radio in my Nokia cell phone back in 2006. I got it because it had FM radio. Now, being a PD I am likely more of a radio nerd than the average person but I enjoyed every second I had it. It is always fun to listen to it when we were on remote because the announcer didn’t know I had the air feed in my ear the whole time.