"The Hidden FM Radio Inside Your Pocket, And Why You Can't Use It"

"Aside from the huge benefit he sees for the radio industry, Smulyan says users could avoid expensive data charges and save battery life if they listen to the FM chip for free.

"Listening to streaming drains your battery three to five times faster than listening to the exact same content on the FM chip," he says.

It's a critical resource in an emergency, he argues, when there is no Internet or cell system.

"When the power grid is out, the only lifeline for the American public is having an FM tuner," he says.

He adds that it's a question of giving the public a choice. "Every time you buy a phone, you've paid for that radio," Smulyan says.

Smulyan's lobbying has prompted the Indiana Senate to urge mobile carriers to activate the FM chip."
http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2015/04/16/400178385/the-hidden-fm-radio-inside-your-pocket-and-why-you-cant-use-it?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20150417