Do you use your phone's FM Radio?

[TheProuddad]

I have learned that the S7 and S7 Edge come with a built-in FM radio, allowing you to listen to a conventional over-the-airwaves FM radio without using any of your data. The caveat here is that some carriers block this feature, others allow it.

Does Verizon allow you to use the FM Radio feature on your phone?
Does Sprint allow you to use the FM Radio feature on your phone?

 

[SpookDroid]

T-Mobile had it, but I barely used it. You need to have headphones connected (they act as an antenna), so using BT headphones is out of the question.

 

[younggreenanne]

Sprint allows me to use it with the wired headphones; HowEVERRRR, because Sprint also gives me unlimited data on my plan...
I use the TuneIn Radio app exclusively. I can stream all of my local stations, and I use it all day, every day with my Bluetooth speaker. You can listen to radio stations all over the world with endless format choices. I typically listen to my favorite commercial-free provider, SomaFM.
Radio stations have perfect reception via TuneIn, whereas using the FM radio puts you at the mercy of antenna strength and terrestrial obstructions.
Just my four cents' worth.

 

[ABOSWORTH007]

I'm on AT&T and I downloaded Next FM I think and it works but the fact that I have to have headphones plugged in to act as the antenna kind of sucks so I really don't use it.

 

[TheProuddad]

I use TuneIn as well. But the point of a traditional FM radio is that if something like a serious storm, fire or earthquake knocks out cell site power, you're SOL with TuneIn or any other data-based app. You can listen to emergency information over the airwaves that you wouldn't hear, otherwise.

Additionally, radio over the airwaves doesn't use up data.

So how about Verizon users? Are you able to use the S7's FM Radio?

 

[CaribMas]

This sounds like a great option. Thanks for the info.

 

[keepnitreel]

I've used FM radio on the S7edge Verizon version.

 

[ded1945]

Works on Sprint.

 

[tadpoles]

No. I really have no use for FM. Maybe during the apocalypse.

 

[hhmm]

I think it is not necessary
you can listen to all world radio stations over internet :]

 

[shaleem]

Never used the FM radio. Never felt the need.

 

[morrisdl]

Learn something new everyday...never knew that it had FM tuner. Thanks!

 

[anon(5719825)]

I tried the FM radio once. It works but I really have no use for it.

 

[Bichon-Fan]

So how about Verizon users? Are you able to use the S7's FM Radio?

When the phone first came out, the answer was no, but a software update enabled that functionality, and now it works fine.

 

[TheProuddad]

You can't listen to the radio if your internet is down or if you're not on a WiFi network while conserving data.
More importantly, if there's an emergency (ie. weather, earthquake, power outage, etc.), traditional radio saves your butt.
That's one of the principal reasons for including an FM radio in your phone.

 

[Ken in CA]

I also have an S7 Edge on AT&T. Where or how do I activate the FM radio?

 

[pjwk81]

It's not on the European one. I used it quite regularly on my old phone though.

 

[jmunchies1]

Yes. I use it to listen to local sports which aren't streamed unless you pay for those packages.

 

[Regulator]

Yes. I use it to listen to local sports which aren't streamed unless you pay for those packages.

That is mainly what I used it for. I would use iHeart or TuneIn for pretty much everything else but listen to baseball and football games on the FM receiver on my HTC One. I also liked using it at the Drive-In theater because I could connect to my Beats Pill and sit in our lawn chairs outside the vehicle.

 

[tcdude]

Do we get radio in Canada and if so what radio app do we need to download?