Dear Microsoft, Please bring back my Radio

[brmiller1976]

I'm not making fun... I'm just wondering why one would want FM (low fidelity) in the age of streaming HD. It just seems to me to be like a complaint that a phone lacks a floppy drive, really.

 

[CSJr1]

I'm not making fun... I'm just wondering why one would want FM (low fidelity) in the age of streaming HD. It just seems to me to be like a complaint that a phone lacks a floppy drive, really.

Hi brmiller, this is not a good analogy. Now if the phone had a floppy drive and software was used to disable it..., that would be a good analogy. Consider if your manufacturer made a car that had FM/AM radio, but the dealership disabled it because they wanted you to pay for their Satellite radio service. This is a much better anaology.

As far as streaming.
1. It cant be done everywhere.
2. It can't be done without a sim card/(data service)
3. All stations are not available.
4. Most carriers charge or throttle data.

 

[Squatting Hen]

I actually don't care about the FM radio, but I did use it for the first time on Monday.

I was at the gym and the tv's there are tuned to certain frequencies. I was able to listen, and watch some of the MNF game while there. Not bad.

Otherwise, I have no use for it.

 

[brmiller1976]

Even with capped data, streaming audio is low-bandwidth. You can even stream over EDGE.

And if you're using a smartphone without a SIM card or WiFi, why not just get a cheap PDA with a built-in radio?

Finally, I do think it's similar, as PCs once shipped with floppy drives and now no longer do.

 

[CSJr1]

Even with capped data, streaming audio is low-bandwidth. You can even stream over EDGE.

And if you're using a smartphone without a SIM card or WiFi, why not just get a cheap PDA with a built-in radio?

Finally, I do think it's similar, as PCs once shipped with floppy drives and now no longer do.

Better yet, I can carry my WP7 along with my WP8 just so I can listen to radio stations, but this doesn't make too much sense either.

As far as floppy drives. I was trying to make a point that I am talking about a hardware feature on the current gen phone now that is present but disabled for profit of a carrier. I am not talking about a HW component that is no longer there.

I understand some use it more than others and some none at all, but why force disable it for another option that is not as robust or cost efficient?

 

[brmiller1976]

The marginal cost of the radio hardware and software was likely not worth the marginal benefit from it. If millions of WPs with built-in radios added $1 in cost per phone, but only a few thousand users actually use it, it makes economic sense to eliminate the feature and use the resources on something that would benefit more people.

 

[CSJr1]

The marginal cost of the radio hardware and software was likely not worth the marginal benefit from it. If millions of WPs with built-in radios added $1 in cost per phone, but only a few thousand users actually use it, it makes economic sense to eliminate the feature and use the resources on something that would benefit more people.

I promise I'll let you get the last word, so here is my (hopefully) last response.

The hardware is already there. There is no extra cost to it. As far as software cost to enable it again for WP8, I would bet $10,000 dollars and a pension fund that the miniscle 2-4 manhours needed to turn back on this feature (most $1,000) would be justified for even low end 1% of the customers that apprecieated it.

I hope I am wrong or I hope the feature will come back. But I think Microsoft was strong armed by the carriers to leave this feature out. In their risk analysis, they figured that the carriers would advertise the WP8 product more and Microsoft would get more adopters. So if they lose 1% of WP7 adopters but gain 30% more customers to WP8 because of carrier support, it worked out for them and the carriers get to charge data fees for streaming radio.

I think I understand that I am a minor statistical blimp of corporate greed.

 

[brmiller1976]

"The hardware is already there"

There's an FM crystal in the 8X and 920? Didn't realize that.

 

[CSJr1]

"The hardware is already there"

There's an FM crystal in the 8X and 920? Didn't realize that.

Ok, ok, ok... Forget what I said last time about you getting the final word... This time I really really mean it

Wasn't sure if you were serious about not being aware.
https://developer.qualcomm.com/sites/default/files/snapdragon-s4-product-overview.pdf
Its in the specs of page 1 and 2.

 

[pjs37]

Ok, ok, ok... Forget what I said last time about you getting the final word... This time I really really mean it

Wasn't sure if you were serious about not being aware.
https://developer.qualcomm.com/sites/default/files/snapdragon-s4-product-overview.pdf
Its in the specs of page 1 and 2.

Technically the support for FM connectivity is there which isn't the same as saying there is a FM tuner already on the chipset thus the fine print note of requiring additional components at the bottom. Even if a chipset support something doesn't mean the OEM will put that additional hardware in there in order to save cost or increase battery life etc.

 

[brmiller1976]

If it is the case that all the hardware is there, I'm sure some intrepid developer could code an app to use it pretty easily.

 

[chevans920]

If it is the case that all the hardware is there, I'm sure some intrepid developer could code an app to use it pretty easily.

IF the hardware is there, I agree. Someone will come up with a solution to leverage it. IMHO, that could be nice. It would let me listen to my sports talk stations without using data, while I am at work.

 

[eric12341]

I tried using the FM radio on both my arrive and HD7 in the past and couldn't get reception on any stations that were even remotely useful whereas a flashlight radio (with a real antenna) picked up those stations clear.

 

[eyeinthesky]

IF the hardware is there, I agree. Someone will come up with a solution to leverage it. IMHO, that could be nice. It would let me listen to my sports talk stations without using data, while I am at work.

No one will be able to code for the FM radio. Here is why:

App platform compatibility

I am not sure if, hardware permits, Microsoft/OEM can enable it somehow at the later stage, but it seems that a third party app will not be able to enable the radio.

There goes my plan to buy Nokia Lumia 920. Aaaaarrrrggggggghhhhhhh

 

[CSJr1]

Unfortunately, you are correct. We don't have access to the OS with unlocked boot loader or anything. If this is going to happen, it has to be something that Microsoft pushes back against the carrier on for the benefit of the consumer.

Besides we are not only paying for the phone, we are also paying for the Qualcomm SoC.

 

[ImmortalWarrior]

Who cares. I have radio in my car.

If I happen to be far enough from people or civilization, how would I have gotten that far away without a vehicle. To my recollection, vehicles have had radios in them since the 1920's. If I find myself out where a vehicle would not go, and I long to hear a human voice, I'm sure I can wait until I get back. If I'm far enough away from people on foot that I can't get back, the battery will die in less than 2 days anyways.

You are whining about a niche feature. Most people only care that they have at least 32gigs of local memory for music and podcasts. Personally, I can't stand the radio. That mainsteam music makes me want to drown infants in a burlap sack. Give me some heavy metal (that no north american radio station plays btw, I can only take so much of AC/DC and Alanis Morosette (sp?)) and I couldn't possibly care less that FM radio is gone.

 

[ImmortalWarrior]

Hi brmiller, this is not a good analogy. Now if the phone had a floppy drive and software was used to disable it..., that would be a good analogy. Consider if your manufacturer made a car that had FM/AM radio, but the dealership disabled it because they wanted you to pay for their Satellite radio service. This is a much better anaology.

As far as streaming.
1. It cant be done everywhere.
2. It can't be done without a sim card/(data service)
3. All stations are not available.
4. Most carriers charge or throttle data.

This isn't entirely a correct analogy either. It's more like this:

A car manufacturer offers several options for audio in a vehicle. They offer standard AM/FM with CD, standard AM FM without CD, HD AM/FM with CD, and In dash navigation with all those features. The CPU/Cmd module of the vehicle supports the in dash naviation console but without the software from the screen module connected to it, it doesn't give you those features. They use the same Cmd module for all those options because it is economical and less costly than installing a Cmd module that has less features.

So are they removing a feature from you because you didn't get the advanced navigation system simply because the CPU supports it? No.

The demand for FM radio is likely so small, that they don't see any need to try force all manufacturers to include functionality for it as a standard, even if the snapdragon supports it.

 

[willied]

You are whining about a niche feature. Most people only care that they have at least 32gigs of local memory for music and podcasts. Personally, I can't stand the radio. That mainsteam music makes me want to drown infants in a burlap sack. Give me some heavy metal (that no north american radio station plays btw, I can only take so much of AC/DC and Alanis Morosette (sp?)) and I couldn't possibly care less that FM radio is gone.

I have to agree about what's played on the radio. I cannot stand mainstream radio, and never listen to it anymore. Either they play horrible music, or songs that I've heard a 1000 times before. There are a few good stations (102.1 The Edge in Toronto is a pretty good alt rock station), but where I live they suck. I'd rather listen to my awesome music instead of having to listen to crap and ads on top of that. I do like Alanis Morissette, though. ha

 

[Squachy]

iphone5 apparently has an FM radio transmitter, but IOS 6 doesnt support it.

Guess iphone is not for you either.....

 

[brmiller1976]

Actually, the idea that carriers don't like FM makes sense. It is a competing channel for advertisers and content, after all.