Tapping into FM signals requires less energy than using an internet connection and can prove invaluable in an emergency.Īlthough you might not even realize you own a radio, there's probably one in your pocket most of the time. If you want your battery to last longer, use the radio to listen to music instead of streaming it.

Use the Radio to Save Your Battery: Whether you're in an emergency situation or are just using your phone casually, battery life is important.

Pay attention to severe weather warnings, and keep a mobile charger on hand if you're out and about. This way you can use it as an emergency radio even if the power goes out.

Keep Your Phone Charged Before Potential Emergencies: If you suspect an emergency situation could occur soon, make sure to fully charge your phone.

Use these two tips for your radio-activated device: Unfortunately, there's no Bluetooth support at this time. Simply tap the hamburger menu ( ≡) in the top-left and tap Output to Speaker.

You can choose to direct the sound to your phone's speakers as well.

If you aren't using a speaker, you don't have to listen through the headphones you connected. That means you can use your headphones, wired earbuds, or a wired speaker. Practically anything that plugs into your device and has a wire will work. If the app detects an activated FM chip, the next thing you'll need is an antenna. As an alternative, you can explore how to transmit to radio from your phone. If it can't find a supported chip, the download wasn't a total waste.

So if you don't want to check NextRadio's list, download the app to see if your phone is compatible. Unfortunately, Apple removed NextRadio from its app store in December 2018. Once you've determined if your phone supports NextRadio, you'll have to use Google Play. Related: Ways to Listen to Old Time Radio Shows Online for Free Because doing so would discourage people from using streaming services, which makes money for everyone involved. Critics argue that the real reason is the financial incentive for not activating them. Some companies say they don't see an FM radio as a big selling point or something consumers would actually want. We don't know for sure why some companies won't activate the chips, but there are several theories kicking around: In terms of carriers, many major ones allow for the opportunity already. And it's simpler to deactivate the radio chip than to use completely different modems for phones sold in different areas.Īlthough manufacturers can decide to universally activate the chip, it's on owners to unlock the FM radio on their smartphone. They most likely include this capability because using a smartphone to access the radio is common in the developing world. The ability to access the radio comes from the Qualcomm LTE modem in smartphones. It might seem strange that smartphone manufacturers would include an FM receiver and not tell their users about it.

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