Emmis Communications Striving to Make Analog FM and HD Radio for Smartphones

[dgstorm]

A company called Emmis Communications is working hard to bring technology they call NextRadio to our smartphones. This new tech would would facilitate some "old tech" usage on our smartphones, namely good quality analog FM and HD radio. Here's a quote with some additional detail,

The company is talking to handset makers, carriers, operating system developers and chipmakers. “We’re at different levels of progress with each of those organizations. We’re trying to get an FM chip standardized and build an app on top of that,” said [CTO Paul] Brenner.

Brenner and Emmis Chairman/CEO Jeff Smulyan are working in tandem on the issue of persuading carriers to either embed FM chips or activate existing chips in their devices, with Smulyan handling the regulatory and broadcast industry support portion and Brenner staying on the business and technology path. “We’re trying to exploit what they’ve already put in the phone,” says Brenner, referring to devices that already contain an FM chip.

Emmis is calling NextRadio a hybrid radio smartphone app, meaning FM analog, plus Internet capability. However its pitch to carriers is consumers can use the app to listen to over-the-air radio without incurring data charges for streaming.

With the NextRadio app and its TagStation cloud services, Emmis says stations will have the necessary platform to synchronize on-air audio with Internet-ready data to manage and deliver an interactive artist and advertising experience.

The company's goal is to get this project to mass market sometime next year. What do you guys think? Is this something that you would enjoy on your smartphones?

Thanks for the tip, Str8Aro!

Source: RadioWorld

 

[xxwabbit]

I envy my friend with his driodX2. He gets to hook up to the tv's at the local YMCA while working out. Still love my og maxx better tho. dancedroid

 

[jroc]

YES!!!!


I am among the few that love, want, miss the FM Radio I had in my Droid X. That one feature had me seriously looking at the Bionic over the RAZR. I would greatly appreciate it.

I would seriously love to beta test this.

 

[swc2001]

Yes!!! I use to have the Bionic and loved it. I upgraded to the Razr and found that I couldnt do FM anymore. I was sooo upset.

 

[PereDroid]

Like it on my HTC. Nice to go to a Browns game and listen to the radio guys without having to Use I Heart Radio or whatever.
Also would like to check out HD Radio...

 

[FunN4Lo]

I love the FM on my Bionic. It will make me keep it until something else has it.

Incidentally one of the radio stations in my market has a PSA wanting everyone to sign a petition to require FM in all handsets. Their take is during a disaster like the northeast is currently experiencing, most everyone would have access to info when the power goes out. Very few people have portable radios anymore. Fewer can find batteries for those radios during extended outages, but nearly everyone has a phone and a car charger

 

[jroc]

I love the FM on my Bionic. It will make me keep it until something else has it.

Incidentally one of the radio stations in my market has a PSA wanting everyone to sign a petition to require FM in all handsets. Their take is during a disaster like the northeast is currently experiencing, most everyone would have access to info when the power goes out. Very few people have portable radios anymore. Fewer can find batteries for those radios during extended outages, but nearly everyone has a phone and a car charger

This is an extremely good point for FM Radio...wow.

 

[acousticshade]

Does anyone know which current phones have fm radio capabilities? Sounds like the Droid X and Bionic have one. I thought the Rezound had one also, but never tried to find an app for it. Does the S3, Note 2 or new HTC phablet have one?

 

[akhenax]

This list should help:
[APP] Spirit FM: Broadcom,Texas Instruments,Samsung Silicon Labs & Qualcomm FM chips - xda-developers