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What's the downside of turning this on? From the article it just seems like it would mean more capabilities, more consumer choice. Is the only "downside" that i

by bfg 11y ago

What's the downside of turning this on? From the article it just seems like it would mean more capabilities, more consumer choice. Is the only "downside" that it allows you to bypass cell networks when getting content?

marpstar 11y ago
If you can get FM radio on your phone, you'll buy fewer iTunes.
nine_k 11y ago
You'll pay less for data traffic; this directly affects your mobile bill. You'll listen to the radio ads instead of the streaming services' ads; mobile carriers may have special ad-revenue arrangements with such services.
- wongarsu 11y ago
  That explains why Apple disables it, but why would Samsung and LG care? To my knowledge they neither sell data traffic nor streaming services?
  - nine_k 11y ago
    Don't they have huge arrangements for their devices with mobile carriers worldwide?
jjtheblunt 11y ago
Running any circuits within the constrained space of a cellphone risks (i.e., definitely does) cause RF interference with the antenna(s) listening to cell towers , which is a huge engineering challenge.
cbhl 11y ago
It only works if there are headphones attached, which confuses users. Plus, Google or another company has to pay an engineer to write an app for it, and test it against the hardware in the phones, etc. etc. Usually this functionality is a byproduct of some random other chip on the phone that is multifunction, usually Bluetooth. So people who don't use Bluetooth get confused/upset/paranoid/tin foil hat when their FM Radio app tells them that Bluetooth needs to be enabled to use it. Many users who really want FM can already do it today, but it involves rooting their phone and installing something like Cyanogenmod.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- seba_dos1 11y ago
  >which confuses users So users are why we can't have nice things. Also, on Nokia N900 they simply didn't do an app at all. Lots of them were quickly written by community and everyone was happy.
r00fus 11y ago
Maybe because the quality sucks? I mean, if you had TV on your phone but could only get 3 channels and they all had static, who would the customer blame that it doesn't work?

by bfg 11y ago

marpstar 11y ago

If you can get FM radio on your phone, you'll buy fewer iTunes.

nine_k 11y ago

You'll pay less for data traffic; this directly affects your mobile bill. You'll listen to the radio ads instead of the streaming services' ads; mobile carriers may have special ad-revenue arrangements with such services.

wongarsu 11y ago
That explains why Apple disables it, but why would Samsung and LG care? To my knowledge they neither sell data traffic nor streaming services?
- nine_k 11y ago
  Don't they have huge arrangements for their devices with mobile carriers worldwide?

jjtheblunt 11y ago

Running any circuits within the constrained space of a cellphone risks (i.e., definitely does) cause RF interference with the antenna(s) listening to cell towers , which is a huge engineering challenge.

cbhl 11y ago

It only works if there are headphones attached, which confuses users. Plus, Google or another company has to pay an engineer to write an app for it, and test it against the hardware in the phones, etc. etc. Usually this functionality is a byproduct of some random other chip on the phone that is multifunction, usually Bluetooth. So people who don't use Bluetooth get confused/upset/paranoid/tin foil hat when their FM Radio app tells them that Bluetooth needs to be enabled to use it. Many users who really want FM can already do it today, but it involves rooting their phone and installing something like Cyanogenmod.

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
seba_dos1 11y ago
>which confuses users So users are why we can't have nice things. Also, on Nokia N900 they simply didn't do an app at all. Lots of them were quickly written by community and everyone was happy.

r00fus 11y ago

Maybe because the quality sucks? I mean, if you had TV on your phone but could only get 3 channels and they all had static, who would the customer blame that it doesn't work?