FM radio for iPhone!, FM radio for iPhone!

It is not possible to add FM to an iPhone with a software update. While the chip supports FM, there is no connection to the chip for an FM antenna, no tuner, no connection for audio output. And no place in the phone to put an FM antenna even if the hardware were redesigned. Unlike cellular, BlueTooth or WiFi, which use microwave frequencies and thus have a wavelength short enough to work with an antenna of a couple of inches, FM is a VHF technology that requires a 30 inch antenna for decent reception. Portable FM receivers and even the iPod nano use the headphone wire for the FM antenna. As the iPhone is frequently used with BlueTooth headphones most people would be disappointed that they couldn't use their expensive device for FM with a BlueTooth headset, when they could buy an FM radio for $5.

I would really hate to see an FM radio added. Small portable radios as this would be tend to perform poorly due to limited antenna functionality.

Over the past few years, I have been trying to stay away from radio as much as possible. The endless commercials and limited playlists (Iron Man again???) have turned me away more and more each year.

All my radio shows are available as podcasts minus commercials and for live commercial free radio, I have XM in my cars and iPhone.

Commercial terrestrial radio is dying... please let it be soon!

I'm with you on that. If they add FM, I'll never use it. Radio & TV have more commercials than content. I can't stand either, at least not "live". Their business model appears to be "add more commercials to get our revenue up". They are perfectly named "Commercial Broadcasting"; the name couldn't fit them better. And around my way the radio stations are bland and boring. Bland & Boring + Incessant Commercials = Power OFF.

Hehe, I see this topic got a bit hotter 🙂 I am glad you guys take part and put your opinion.

As an Aplpe customer, it is interesting to me what other Apple user think, so thank you.

I did try to look at the Apple's idea submissin policy, and there is no where to be found a direct link nor email, that is solely dedicated to suggestions. Anyways, I did trust Steve and his ideas, and i hope the successors will not mess it up, and keep their minds and vision clear!

Back to the FM, as I said, there is no hardware redesing of any kind needed, and it is in fact only software update, that has to include the respective drivers for the FM module, to be able to process the FM signal and pass it to the already available amplifiers and to the audio output.

FM on-chip is included in the iPhone since iPhone 4, for those who did not know (its digital, not analogue - "modualr747"). I know in US, the FM reception is not good at all (lived there for years), but in EU and rest of world, FM is not going away soon, and its is also used for the GPS RDS traffic updates, so FM band will stay for at least another 20 years.

From Apple's prespective, and I think they only see it from US part of the ocean, FM is a low quality service, due to it antenna requirements and available coverage, and will cause negative marketing results. Anyhow, wish you all nice week, and keep the comments coming.

Here is a link of the iPhone tear down, and you can see the chip includes the FM build-in already:

http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iPhone-4-Teardown/3130/3

And here is a link, to see how a FM receivere looks like these days:

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10344

Regards

RE iPod Nano: True, ita has FM receiver, but the chip is different and dedicated only to FM. Due to its design (Nano's) and power source, not a powerful enough amplifier and filters can be added to it (these days) to improve the FM reception, hence..the bad quality you have expereinced. FM was never the primary use of iPods anyways.

kossta wrote:

I did try to look at the Apple's idea submissin policy, and there is no where to be found a direct link nor email, that is solely dedicated to suggestions.

Yes, there is a link dedicated to suggestions:

http://www.apple.com/feedback

kossta wrote:

Back to the FM, as I said, there is no hardware redesing of any kind needed, and it is in fact only software update, that has to include the respective drivers for the FM module, to be able to process the FM signal and pass it to the already available amplifiers and to the audio output.

So you have worked out a way to connect the FM antenna terminal on the chip to the headphone jack so the headphone cord can be used as the required FM antenna using only software?

How many hardware engineers does it take to change a light bulb? Don't worry, I'm sure the programmers can fix it.

FM on-chip is included in the iPhone since iPhone 4, for those who did not know (its digital, not analogue - "modualr747").

Ridiculous! FM was developed in the 1930s and has always been analogue (digital audio and radio wasn't even a mathematical fantasy). Don't confuse this with "Digital FM", AKA HD Radio, which is something entirely different. The chip in the phone doesn't change the nature of FM radio - it's analogue from broadcast antenna to earbud.

RE iPod Nano: True, ita has FM receiver, but the chip is different and dedicated only to FM. Due to its design (Nano's) and power source, not a powerful enough amplifier and filters can be added to it (these days) to improve the FM reception, hence..the bad quality you have expereinced.

More nonsense. The reception issues have nothing to do with the "power source" and "filters" are not the issue either (not that there is any extra room inside an iPhone for extra circuits). You obviously know nothing about RF engineering. As far as the "dedicated FM chip" in the Nano, if anything it would function better than a multipurpose chip... There is absolutely no reason to expect an FM receiving iPhone to work any better than the Nano. There have been various smartphones with the same chip that offer FM, and they all are crap.

Asking for a radio on the iPhone is no different than asking for a toaster, fridge, etc. These are devices that need to be purchased separately, so I would go buy a radio.

How many hardware engineers does it take to change a light bulb? Don't worry, I'm sure the programmers can fix it.

It's all black box magic to people like kossta, where wishful thinking and entitlement rule over science and knowledge.

stevejobsfan0123 wrote:

Asking for a radio on the iPhone is no different than asking for a toaster, fridge, etc.

Really? PCWorld didn't think so back in 2009.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/173632/an_iphone_with_fm_radio_yes_please.html

I think the reason it never materialized is, as modular747 points out, it didn't work very well.

Matt

Just use iHeart radio!!

I don't know how bad FM radio is in the USA... But I can tell you that if iPhone 5 does FM I will get it in a heartbeat!!! In the mean time my only option is to by extra FM tuner devices to allow me to listen to gym FM broadcast or in the bus in the morning (I don't have a data plan as it brings up bills to at least 100$ per month... Data in Canada is f'n ripoff).

I will sell my iphone and buy a Samsung with FM radio.

Big gap on the Iphone

Somehow I have this weird feeling that the gym to which I go to doesn't broadcast the TV's audio on the Internet... Mind you this is of course just a guess. ;-)

And to add to their article, I think if Apple's attempt to get FM radio stations to support song tagging, a feature of the iPod Nano, then we would already have FM radio on the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and the new line of Macs as this would have lead to more purchases through the iTunes Store. But is was another Apple failed bit to change the world paradigm, like the first iPhone, etc. so it has pretty well been abandoned. And alas, I agree with modular747, I don't think we will ever see it.

And the toaster bit? Worst analogy I have ever seen on ASC. People argued the same thing about smartphones before they emerged. Want to surf the internet or run programs? Get a laptop.