Samsung S5 FM Radio

Beau

Hey,

Just have bought the S5 only to discover it doesn't have a built in radio! So annoying!!

I have a package that pretty much has unlimited data but the reality of 3g coverage in Ireland means it'd be pretty frustrating disrupted listening.

Is there anyway around it? Any download available?

Tom Dunne

Beau wrote: »

Is there anyway around it? Any download available?

When you say anyway around it, what do you mean? An FM radio is a piece of hardware, you can't exactly download new hardware to your phone.

The only option is the various radio station apps or the TuneIn app.

_Whimsical_

I think the lack of fm radio in newer phones is really disappointing. I can see why they might be dropped in cheaper models but in premium models you'd expect to be getting all the bells and whistles! Free access to radio is pretty important to lots of people and it's practical too for times you're out of range etc.I say bad move Samsung!

It seems that most 4G phones don't have FM radios. It was something I had on an old Symbian-based Nokia phone and I missed it.

thomasj

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

I think the lack of fm radio in newer phones is really disappointing. I can see why they might be dropped in cheaper models but in premium models you'd expect to be getting all the bells and whistles! Free access to radio is pretty important to lots of people and it's practical too for times you're out of range etc.I say bad move Samsung!

It's actually the other way around, most of the cheaper Samsung phones even the newer ones have it.

I bought one of the 100 euro Samsung phones to use as a mp3 player. It's brilliant. I store my radio on it and any radio recordings Spotify and downloaded music on the micro SD card.

Its dual core and battery is small enough but as it's only a mp3 player I can turn it off when not using it, it doesn't use network connections except WiFi when downloading songs offline etc and because they are the only apps I use on it the dual core processor is grand.

Its also grand to use let's say in the gym because it is only a 4 inch phone and is quiet light so does the job.

_Whimsical_

thomasj wrote: »

It's actually the other way around, most of the cheaper Samsung phones even the newer ones have it.

I bought one of the 100 euro Samsung phones to use as a mp3 player. It's brilliant. I store my radio on it and any radio recordings Spotify and downloaded music on the micro SD card.

Its dual core and battery is small enough but as it's only a mp3 player I can turn it off when not using it, it doesn't use network connections except WiFi when downloading songs offline etc and because they are the only apps I use on it the dual core processor is grand.

Its also grand to use let's say in the gym because it is only a 4 inch phone and is quiet light so does the job.

Yeah it's a strange one, maybe it interferes with 4g and that's why it's dropped? Or they presume if you can afford a fancy schmancy expensive phone you won't mind paying for an equally fancy data package.
Either way I am unhappy with this development, and I don't have latest or greatest models either but I buy them second hand when they've a yr or more down the track!

KillerShamrock

It's just really Samsung don't have it, s5, note 3 and note 4 all their top end models. The m8, z3 and my G3 have it!!!.

Samsungs problem is they follow Apple too much iphone doesn't have it so Samsung think no one wants it and don't include it........ It's my main gripe with Samsung at the moment is they seem to like to follow in Apple's footsteps too much for their own good.

My advise sell your s5 and get one of the above

Q&A

At the price point that the s5 comes in on most operators tariffs you usually are talking about unlimited data so Samsung see it as unnecessary hardware. It was the same logic with the s4. Not being on an unlimited data plan the lack of a radio didn't suit.

As a result I ended up going for the s4 mini - smaller form factor albeit lower spec however it had both an FM radio and 4g. The same goes for the s5 mini, a bigger phone then the s4 mini but with the low tech we all like.

sentient_6

Samsung are also making an assumption as to 3G/4G availability for the people purchasing the phone. Which doesn't fit for everybody in Ireland obviously. And especially if you'd like to use it on the move in the car for instance.