So no FM Radio? Now what?

[inteller]

TuneIn radio and iheartradio can both play local stations live. Spare me the bit about needing data, it works. FM tuners have always been full of lame...i've never seen a good implementation...Zune devices did the best job but even that was bizarre.

 

[Laura Knotek]

TuneIn radio and iheartradio can both play local stations live. Spare me the bit about needing data, it works. FM tuners have always been full of lame...i've never seen a good implementation...Zune devices did the best job but even that was bizarre.

I have no idea about Zune devices. Nobody I knew had one. I had a Sandisk MP3 player, but everybody else had iPods.

 

[CJ Thunder]

Three reasons why WP8 should keep radio (it is too late one way or the other but so people here stop ****ting on others opinions)

Emergencies - In San Diego a year ago the whole city's power went out. No cell phones, no internet, nothing. Fires, Earthquakes, Tsunamis, etc. anywhere else...

At the gym- most tvs at the gym play off a radio station so you can move around and still watch/listen.

Not fully developed world - radio reaches further than any wifi and cell signal.

 

[socialcarpet]

I use the FM radio a lot... Not as Much as I would like but, I do use it... I do hope it's in the final release of WP8, I would be disapointed if it didn't come with it.

It's handy for Sports fans, as I use it for a lot of sports talk radio when I am outside doing things, from cutting the grass to riding a bike...

Analog FM radio on the cell phone requires hardware as well as software I believe.

If the hardware isn't included, software won't help that.

Luckily, as has been said, you can stream anything you want from the Internet, free of static and without needing your headphones plugged in as an antenna.

I don't see a lot of manufacturers including FM radio hardware on smartphones moving forward. Some inexpensive feature phones and cheaper smartphones in developing countries will probably still have them for a while though.

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

TuneIn radio and iheartradio can both play local stations live. Spare me the bit about needing data, it works. FM tuners have always been full of lame...i've never seen a good implementation...Zune devices did the best job but even that was bizarre.

Leyburn, I almost got stranded there... because it's in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales, no signal on Three there, although I roam onto Orange, but no data allowed. TuneIn and iHeartRadio are both out of the equation as a result. Meaning my only option would be FM radio.

 

[DavidinCT]

Analog FM radio on the cell phone requires hardware as well as software I believe.

If the hardware isn't included, software won't help that.

Luckily, as has been said, you can stream anything you want from the Internet, free of static and without needing your headphones plugged in as an antenna.

I don't see a lot of manufacturers including FM radio hardware on smartphones moving forward. Some inexpensive feature phones and cheaper smartphones in developing countries will probably still have them for a while though.

No, not everything is streamed on line....Like sports...unless you want to pay for a package that will stream it.

Local major sports, for example, the Boston Red Sox games are brodcased on WEEI (a station I listen to every day) but, when games are playing they a not allowed because of MLB to broadcast them over the internet. With a radio, I can listen to them, without paying for a MLB package (something like $40 per season)

I thought a FM radio was a standard in WP7 and 8....maybe I am wrong tho...maybe they are not showing up because of beta software. It WAS a standard of Windows Phone 7 though...

 

[sinime]

They need to add an AM tuner.

Seriously though, I hope it's just a matter of it being disabled without head phones, but it's not a deal breaker for me. I have only used the FM tuner a handful of times between my Zune and WP7.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

 

[muvig]

Nokia developers page are for you if you want 100% right specs. It's specification list made by Nokia for developers for each device. SoC might have FM transceiver but it's not on the specification list.

Device Details -- Nokia Lumia 920

I doubt there will be FM radio. FM radio support on smartphone is dying. Nokia has actually kept it going on Symbian phones but masses don't seem to want it.

It is possible that like on N9 either 3rd party or/and Nokia made software for FM radio, but again somehow i doubt this scenario to happen on Windows Phone platform compared to the open MeeGo on N9.



Does any of the other Windows Phone 8 devices have FM radio? if non of them have it then it's quite clear there wont be one on Lumia 920 as they are all more or less identical on the SoC level., same OS.

What masses are you referring to? those who really use it do not go on these forums but only chose handsets with features they use. i know this becoz thats whats i would do. here in Africa Fm radio is a must on a phone, becoz we listen a lot to our local radio stations. internet bandwidth is very expensive (our 1US/10MB)
don't assume things basing on one or two countries as this may misleads you. the reason why it is being talked about is that users needs it. why not just enable it since the hardware is there.

 

[algs26]

Just checked. Even with no headphones, radio still shows up in the choices. Even with Zune pass (or whatever they're naming it these days) and Nokia music, it's still useful for the gym, etc.

 

[palandri]

Just checked. Even with no headphones, radio still shows up in the choices. Even with Zune pass (or whatever they're naming it these days) and Nokia music, it's still useful for the gym, etc.

What is the device on the left?

 

[algs26]

What is the device on the left?

It's a Zune HD stuck inside a case. I seriously cannot get it out.

 

[rdubmu]

iHeart does the job for me. I get to listen to sports radio kjr, and kiss fm 106.1 in Seattle. I love clear channel stations, now it is pretty much the only ones I listen too.

Sent from my PI86100 using Board Express

 

[Blackwood504]

It's a Zune HD stuck inside a case. I seriously cannot get it out.

My Zune hd was in that same case until the case broke a month ago lol.

 

[wamsille]

FM Radio is nice to have when you don't want to use data/WiFi to stream the same local station on a delay. Audio is crisper on actual FM than it is using Tune-In or a similar app. Lately I've just been loading my Lumia with music off of Zune Pass and going that route. Paired with decent earbuds this is an enjoyable experience. However, the radio does come in handy so I can't fault anyone for including it. It would be a shame not to have it.

 

[eyeinthesky]

Can some one please answer the two questions asked in the original post?

1. Can a firmware upgrade enable the FM receiver functionality?

2. Can a third party app access the hardware chip and allow a user to access FM radio channels?

 

[SSK the Gr8]

disappointing. I use radio too.
And many of you'll are assuming that just because in your country fm is not used it is the same everywhere. In some places fm is still popular.

 

[turbulent]

wtf........... I didnt know I had a radio option on my samsung lolol!!!

 

[Bicpug]

FM Radio

Hi,

Is there any news yet about any of the wp8 phones supporting FM radio? Data limits here are atrocious and its a primary use for me.

Thanks

 

[CSJr1]

I don't know about its inclusiveness in WP8 or not. While not a major feature, I can attest to the usefullness of this feature. Like others mentioned it comes in handy if you are out of cell range. It gives you freedom from cell data when you want that freedom. It is a differentiator; A small source of bravado of what WP offers that others don't

When a child blows through his data allotment by streaming music and videos, a parent can easily cut him off and tell him/her that they can only use the radio now. (Not that I have any first hand experience with this scenario

So if it is gone, I will be a little dissapointed, but I expect I will get over it.

I suspect that if this feature is not there, the carriers had some part of denying it because they can profit more on streaming service.

Carriers 1, Consumers 0

 

[Bicpug]

So the people who buy phones for payg get reamed for no reason.