US GS3 - No FM Radio

**rage151** · 06-23-2012, 08:57 PM

So I stumbled across someone in another forum saying that the US GS3 doesn't have an FM radio app, but the oversea's models do. Sure enough, I googled it and while there is nothing official out there, it is mentioned in a few other places. And not listed in an important place - the VZW features page of the GS3.

Not a huge deal, but I thought it had one until today. I also listen to a local morning show while at work using my Thunderbolt's FM radio. Guess I'll just have to get a stand-alone radio at Walmart or something.

My guess is that it wasn't included to "steer" customers into using some type of paid music app... Then again, maybe Samsung pitched it to the US carriers without FM to cut cost and improve $$$.

**liteon163** · 06-23-2012, 09:11 PM

You could use Tune In Radio to listen to local broadcasts.

Sent from my LG Spectrum using Tapatalk 2.

**KSmithInNY** · 06-23-2012, 09:12 PM

Definitely annoying. Had the same issue on a different device. The 1,000 other variants got FM and sprint users didnt.

This convo would be good in the general GS3 area though because it's not just VzW users that got hit with this one

**VicVinegar** · 06-23-2012, 09:18 PM

With the various radio apps, I can't see it being much of an issue. My old Omnia with a FM radio couldn't pick anything up at my desk at work anyway.

**KSmithInNY** · 06-23-2012, 09:22 PM

The problem with streaming apps is, were talking about a company who is currently trying to reduce allotted data for their users. Kind of seems ****-ish anti-consumer to remove FM which doesnt use any data, forcing people to stream which uses data. Also, FM has a significantly lower power draw than streaming so people who listen for long period but cant always charge may greatly benefit from FM.

**48dodge** · 06-23-2012, 09:24 PM

Never used it in my incredible. Always use iheartradio when i want a local station

**KSmithInNY** · 06-23-2012, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by 48dodge

Never used it in my incredible. Always use iheartradio when i want a local station

Same here, I've never even used the FM radio on my current phone and have had it a year. The problem is the next 50 people who come here complaining because they do use FM, don't really give a flip about what me and you prefer lol.

**Burchamj** · 06-23-2012, 09:47 PM

Never any love for the AM...

**rage151** · 06-23-2012, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by KSmithInNY

The problem with streaming apps is, were talking about a company who is currently trying to reduce allotted data for their users. Kind of seems ****-ish anti-consumer to remove FM which doesnt use any data, forcing people to stream which uses data. Also, FM has a significantly lower power draw than streaming so people who listen for long period but cant always charge may greatly benefit from FM.

Exactly! Not a consumer friendly move.

Originally Posted by Burchamj

Never any love for the AM...

haha! or Ham radios...

**johnatthebar** · 06-23-2012, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by rage151

Exactly! Not a consumer friendly move.

haha! or Ham radios...

That's what the Echolink app is for :-)

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**NIKSTORM** · 06-23-2012, 11:10 PM

I'm sure also that your local morning show us streaming thier program on the website. I'm sure you won't have a problem finding it to still listen to.

I never even tried it out on my Dinc ... Now I'm going to.

Off topic but have you guys tried pod casts? I like talk radio and I love pod casts now.

**KSmithInNY** · 06-23-2012, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by NIKSTORM

I'm sure also that your local morning show us streaming thier program on the website. I'm sure you won't have a problem finding it to still listen to.

I never even tried it out on my Dinc ... Now I'm going to.

Off topic but have you guys tried pod casts? I like talk radio and I love pod casts now.

If you enjoy podcasts and want to try different clients, stitcher is free in the play store and very cool.

**PeteJE** · 06-23-2012, 11:30 PM

1. Hold on to unlimited data.

2. Stream that stuff.

3. Profit.

**KSmithInNY** · 06-24-2012, 12:47 AM

Originally Posted by PeteJE

1. Hold on to unlimited data.

2. Stream that stuff.

3. ?

4. Profit.

Fixed lamo. underwear gnomes.

**Cruiserdude** · 06-24-2012, 01:50 AM

My guess is that they did it on the international version since they already had the external i/o channels between the cpu and radio, so adding an FM unit in there was nothing. Possibly the radio unit already has FM support built in. For the US versions, there is no separate radio, as its all built in to the SoC. Most likely, the S4 does not contain FM, and with no other need for external i/o to radios, they didn't feel it was worth adding.

That's all purely speculation on my part, but if FM is not included I would imagine that's why. FM is a great extra to have, but only some people use it, and even fewer will truly miss it out of total devices sold. So no reason to add cost and complexity for such a minor thing, is my guess.

But still, it woulda been nice to have for sports radio. It's annoying to always have to dig around for which app will give me the info I want, or how to stream audio. Would be much easier just to tune in to the local station that has it on.

**48dodge** · 06-24-2012, 07:33 AM

To be fair I probably would have used it if I didn't need to plug in the headphones as an antenna.

**jroc** · 06-24-2012, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by KSmithInNY

Same here, I've never even used the FM radio on my current phone and have had it a year. The problem is the next 50 people who come here complaining because they do use FM, don't really give a flip about what me and you prefer lol.

And on that note...lol:

An fm radio is on my wish list. I forgot about it when I got the RAZR. And I miss it. The tune in app doesn't get all my local stations anymore. The website used to, but that doesn't either.

I swear if a future phone I want doesn't have one... I don't what I'm gonna do.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Android Central Forums

**NIKSTORM** · 06-24-2012, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by KSmithInNY

If you enjoy podcasts and want to try different clients, stitcher is free in the play store and very cool.

Thanks ... I have been going between stitcher and Google play

**FlatTopFoley** · 06-24-2012, 08:00 AM

I liked that it was available to use on my Thunderbolt, but never used it because it uses the headphones as a antenna. Headphones that I never carry around with me. Most of the time I just use iHeartRadio. Works great considering all the local DC stations are clear channel owned anyway.

**steven252000** · 06-24-2012, 12:51 PM

What is it with the US version? I mean we are already being made fun of by International users about our lack of the quad core and how theirs is better and faster. Then I keep hearing little things here and there that the Int.version has that ours doesn't. The FM radio being the latest. I also heard that our version does not have the video preview feature either. Why so many little neat features absent from our US version? Is there anything other than LTE that ours does that theirs (International) does not? I know these are little things but still they add up.

**markhallyo** · 06-24-2012, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by steven252000

What is it with the US version? I mean we are already being made fun of by International users about our lack of the quad core and how theirs is better and faster. Then I keep hearing little things here and there that the Int.version has that ours doesn't. The FM radio being the latest. I also heard that our version does not have the video preview feature either. Why so many little neat features absent from our US version? Is there anything other than LTE that ours does that theirs (International) does not? I know these are little things but still they add up.

Where did you hear we don't have the popup feature? And there are plenty of videos showing the S4 just edging out the Exynos benchmark-wise, and that's honestly what the majority of people worry about on this site. The US versions also get 2GB of ram compared to 1GB, we have LTE capabilities, and the S4 and Exynos are performing almost identically. I don't see how anyone overseas can argue we are getting a worse phone? The only thing they have going for them that we don't is they already have the phone

**bergg** · 09-16-2012, 11:44 AM

I had a Droid X from Motorola. I could put FM Radio app on it. Worked great. I can install many streaming radio apps.

THE PROBLEM IS: When I want to listen to Tiger baseball, or Lions or MI State Univ football etc. they DO NOT allow stations stream the content.

THEREFORE: I can get all the local college and major league spors on any FM radio turned to the local FM station carrying the game.

BUT: The station can NOT stream the game. So when I go to a local FM station that streams (with any streaming app), it says "We can not stream this game due to copyright laws" The teams want you to pay to hear the game on a pay to listen site.

That is why I need a local FM receiver in my Galaxy S3, I and many other fans who moved from Motorola to Samsung will be very pleased
when some make an FM radio app for Galaxy S3. I would glady PAY for this app.

Bob, wish I had an FM app, Bergg. Grand Rapids MI

**firetruck41** · 09-17-2012, 03:14 AM

Originally Posted by bergg

I had a Droid X from Motorola. I could put FM Radio app on it. Worked great. I can install many streaming radio apps.

THE PROBLEM IS: When I want to listen to Tiger baseball, or Lions or MI State Univ football etc. they DO NOT allow stations stream the content.

THEREFORE: I can get all the local college and major league spors on any FM radio turned to the local FM station carrying the game.

BUT: The station can NOT stream the game. So when I go to a local FM station that streams (with any streaming app), it says "We can not stream this game due to copyright laws" The teams want you to pay to hear the game on a pay to listen site.

That is why I need a local FM receiver in my Galaxy S3, I and many other fans who moved from Motorola to Samsung will be very pleased
when some make an FM radio app for Galaxy S3. I would glady PAY for this app.

Bob, wish I had an FM app, Bergg. Grand Rapids MI

The DROID X has an fm tuner (hardware), not just an app (software). I don't think the US SGS3 has the hardware/tuner, since we have a different processor and cell/data radios. In other words, there is no app that will create new hardware. There will not be a way to receive actual fm radio waves.

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**piizzadude** · 09-17-2012, 03:30 AM

What he said

Sent from my thumbs with no brain censorship

**paintdrinkingpete** · 09-17-2012, 03:40 PM

I was surprised by this too -- used the FM Radio to listen to morning show on my occasional bus ride to work (my commute method depends on what office I'm working in on any particular day). This particular route crosses over a few data "dead zones", so trying to stream anything is almost more annoying than having to be on a bus in the first place.

The sports broadcasts is another one. For example, whenever I go to Caps games, they actually broadcast the radio play-by-play in the arena, so if I don't have anyone to talk to during the game, I'd pop in one of my earbuds and get the play-by-play during the game (which can help when you're watching hockey from the upper deck). Sure, I could actually stream the game (NHL allows this for free, unlike other sports), but of course the stream doesn't matchup with live play, so it's worthless.
*Of course, the stinkin' lockout makes this point moot regardless

It would be nice to have, I was surprised it wasn't there, but I assumed that for whatever reason the tuner couldn't be fit into the form factor with the existing radios and hardware...? who knows? I'll live without it though, certainly not going back to the Thunderbolt!