Why radio is a yes but tv is a not?

Discussion in 'Tech Discussion' started by magecraft_unleashed, Jun 30, 2020.

  1. magecraft_unleashed

    magecraft_unleashed Well-Known Member

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    I don't understand, why do smartphones come with built-in applications to listen to local radio stations but have no applications to watch free-to-air TV? even though they usually have video-on-demand apps installed such as netflix...
     
  2. elengee

    elengee Daoist Ninefaps

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    more legal issues, copyrights and battles over consumers?
    Just like libraries are cheap, but video games are controlled by a host that artificially keeps prices high.
     
  3. DeirdreH

    DeirdreH Well-Known Member

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    Because an FM receiver is dirt cheap and can use your headphones as an antenna.
     
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  4. slightofhand

    slightofhand Well-Known Member

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    Radio is almost always available and uses very little data. Free to air TV often times requires broadcast licenses, are encoded and often region locked so making a universal Free-to-air would be hassle whereas something like Netflix and Disney+ are straightforward internet services.
     
  5. Needyneedle

    Needyneedle Crimson's Melissa and the Blackjack of Chaos.

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    I could have sworn iPhone does not have any sort of AM or FM tuner built-in, which sucks!
     
  6. Kerbouchard

    Kerbouchard Well-Known Member

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    I believe it was an inclusion mandated by a government regulation at some point years back so phones could be used to listen for radio announcements during emergencies. I remember hearing about it quite a while ago, though, so it might not still be the case (and I'm too lazy to check).
     
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  7. Teadragon

    Teadragon Book Wyrm

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    When I consider the size of antennae used for free over-the-air tv and compare it to a cell phone, ....yeah. Not going to happen. Unless you want a backpack sized phone.
     
  8. canaria23

    canaria23 『  』

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    Early analog/touch screen phone hybrids came with that feature, even comes with its own extendable antenna. Disappeared when smart phones came into existence
     
  9. Faye

    Faye Well-Known Member

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    I can confirm this
    I used to work for phone distributors about 12-15 years ago
    They do come with built in antenna, but the quality is horrible
    I guess with the bad quality, most producer opt to take out that antenna and make more slim design
    even the radio signal receiver also got cut off

    hence the current smartphone design
    I used to love the flip phone design, hey it's cool at that time
     
  10. eray.gns

    eray.gns Well-Known Member

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    The hardware required to listen to radio comes in your phone so it isn't an "application" thing whereas for terrestrial broadcast you need different "hardware" which is probably hard and not worth the R&D to put into a smartphone. In my country there are applications though (each channels' own app) which you can install and watch different TV channels over the internet.
     
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