The smartphone has munched up so many devices into one converged behemoth – and a portable FM radio was one of the first to join the party. However, that technology might be about to get phased out.
LG has confirmed its forthcoming Stylus 2 is the first phone to boast new DAB+ technology – far superior to FM tech – and give phones a slew of new and more premium ways to listen to music and talk for free.
DAB+ offers more channels than traditional FM and means you won’t be using your data to stream online content, with DAB-like apps such as BBC iPlayer Radio in the UK requiring a connection to function.
An elongated death rattle
But don’t despair if you love the hiss: FM Radio isn’t dead yet. It’s still available on a slew of phones such as the Sony Xperia Z5 series, the LG G5 and the Huawei Mate 8.
But there’s certainly a trend toward the technology being taken out of handsets. Apple has never included an FM radio in an iPhone and Samsung hasn’t included it in its Galaxy S line since the Galaxy S3 in 2012, with other brands seeing less of a need for it in their flagship handsets.
None of these phones have seen fit to introduce DAB+ technology to replace it yet though, so unless you’re going to get the (possibly limited release) LG Stylus 2 then you’ll be stuck streaming through apps for now.
Source: techradar.com
