Some years ago, there was no mobile phone that did not have an FM radio. It was one of those practically essential functions. However, with time and with the arrival of all kinds of applications and new services, the radio has been in the background, and therefore there are more and more smartphones without radio.
But first, let’s talk a little about this function that seems doomed to disappear. Many of the smartphones that we have known during this year have arrived without this application that was once basic, but there are still a few in the resistance. If you are a lover of FM radio, we bring you a list of all the mobiles that have come out this 2019 and have a radio.
Is FM radio still used on mobiles?
Although for many users (probably the majority) it is irrelevant whether or not a mobile has an FM radio, the truth is that there is a good part of them who take it into account when buying a new one. It is evident that, with the Internet connection and the dozens of radio applications that exist, traditional radio is no longer essential, but that does not mean that most “purists” still prefer to continue listening to their favorite stations as in the old days.
In addition to the personal preferences of each one, we must also highlight the fact that the radio of a lifetime does not need an Internet connection, and therefore, does not need mobile coverage or WiFi connection. Where Internet radio apps cannot work because there is no coverage, there may be an FM radio signal.
Why are there smartphones without FM radio?
Although we have already talked at length in another article about why there are more and more smartphones without radio, it is worth remembering again how we got to this situation.
Pilot experts did a study a few years ago, which said that the vast majority (97%) of smartphones sold in the United States did incorporate an FM radio chip. So why couldn’t it be used in the vast majority of them?
According to the same study, 34% of these smartphones could use FM radio, but 66% blocked it. The phones did have the necessary chip to capture the FM, but the manufacturers had decided not to make it functional.
Although there is no official data in this regard or enough information to confirm a conspiracy, many believe that manufacturers are at the mercy of operators, whose part of their business lies in their customers connecting as much as possible to the Internet. Thus, it is no secret that FM radio goes against the economic ends of the telephone companies.
What are the advantages of a mobile having FM radio?
Data saving and battery saving. Those two are the main advantages of a mobile having an FM radio. Although data rates are becoming more extensive –and more expensive–, it never hurts to reduce consumption as much as possible so as not to spend them ahead of time.
More important is, if possible, the battery consumption, which is much higher with a streaming application that requires a constant Internet connection than using the FM radio chip built into the phone.
It could be said that, while FM radio is free, listening to it through streaming apps is costing you money in some way – consuming your data rate. For this reason, a few years ago, movements such as Free Radio on muy phone arose, which advocated that all users could enjoy free radio with their mobile.
As a disadvantage of FM radio concerning applications, we have the fact that to enjoy the first, the use of headphones is mandatory since they act as an antenna to receive the radio signal. There are indeed mobiles with a built-in antenna, but this is not usual when we talk about smartphones.
And now, yes, we go with the promised list.
2019 phones that have FM radio
Samsung
- Samsung Galaxy A80
- Samsung Galaxy A70
- Samsung Galaxy A50
- Samsung Galaxy A40
- Samsung Galaxy A30
- Samsung Galaxy A20e
- Samsung Galaxy A10
- Samsung Galaxy M20
Nokia
- Nokia 4.2
- Nokia 3.2
- Nokia 3.1 Plus
- Nokia 1 Plus
LG
- LG G8 ThinQ
Sony
- Sony Xperia 10 Plus
- Sony Xperia 10
- Sony Xperia L3
Motorola
- Moto G7 Plus
- Moto G7
- Moto G7 Power
- Moto G7 Play
Xiaomi
- Redmi Note 7
- Redmi 7
- Redmi go
Firms such as HTC, OnePlus, or Google do not appear on this list since they stopped providing their FM radio terminals. However, and as you have seen, there is still an extensive list of smartphones with which you can enjoy the radio.
2018 phones that have FM radio
Samsung
– Galaxy A8 and A8 + – Galaxy J2 Pro (2018) – Galaxy J7 Prime 2– Galaxy J7 Duo – Galaxy A6 and A6 + (2018) – Galaxy J4 – Galaxy J6 and J6 + – Galaxy J8 – Galaxy J3 (2018) – Galaxy J7 ( 2018) – Galaxy J2 Core – Galaxy J4 + – Galaxy A7 (2018) – Galaxy A9 (2018)
Huawei
– Huawei Y3 (2018) – Huawei Y5 (2018) – Huawei Y6 (2018) – Huawei Y7, Y7 Prime and Y7 Pro (2018) – Huawei Y9 (2018) – Honor 7A – Honor 7s – Honor 9N– Honor Note 10 – Honor 8X Max – Huawei Mate RS Porsche Design
– Huawei P Smart + – Huawei Mate 20 – Huawei Mate 20 Lite
Nokia
– Nokia 1 – Nokia 3310 4G – Nokia 8110 4G – Nokia 2.1 – Nokia 3.1 and 3.1 Plus – Nokia 5.1 and 5.1 Plus – Nokia 6.1 and 6.1 Plus
Sony
– Sony Xperia L2 – Sony Xperia XA2 and XA2 Plus – Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra
LG
– LG K8 (2018) – LG K10 (2018) – LG K11 Plus– LG V30S ThinQ– LG G7 ThinQ – LG G7 One– LG G7 Fit– LG Q7 – LG Q8 – LG Q Stylus – LG V35 ThinQ– LG V40 ThinQ – LG Candy
Motorola
– Motorola Moto G6 – Motorola Moto G6 Plus – Motorola Moto G6 Play – Motorola P30 – Motorola Moto E5 – Motorola Moto E5 Plus – Motorola Moto E5 Play – Motorola Moto Z3– Motorola Moto Z3 Play – Motorola One and One Power
OPPO
– Oppo A71 (2018) – Oppo A1 – Oppo A3 and A3s– Oppo A5– Oppo F7– Oppo F7 Youth– Oppo F9– Oppo A7x
Meizu
– Meizu M6s – Meizu M6T – Meizu M8c
Xiaomi
– Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 – Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro – Xiaomi Redmi S2 – Xiaomi Redmi 6 – Xiaomi Redmi 6A – Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro – Pocophone F1
Will FM radio return to the high end?
As you may have seen in the list, there is a significant lack of high-end mobiles with FM radio, and that is that only LG, Huawei, and Motorola seem to be willing to activate the chip in their best phones. We do not know which line the manufacturers will follow from now on, but the situation is unlikely to change in the short term.
Thus, to enjoy a smartphone that free FM radio that we talked about initially, there is no choice but to either go to the mid and low range or choose from the few high degrees to which it can still be used.
Sharlene Meriel is an avid gamer with a knack for technology. He has been writing about the latest technologies for the past 5 years. His contribution in technology journalism has been noteworthy. He is also a day trader with interest in the Forex market.
