The built-in FM radio tuner is now considered a basic feature. It allows the user to listen to most of the live-broadcasted FM radio stations. Almost all phones with FM radio tuner require a wired headset to be connected to the unit as it’s used as an antenna.
Most FM radio tuners can receive basic radio station info over RDS. The use of FM radio does not interfere with the network carrier and it’s free.
Nokia enhance their FM radio interfaces with the Visual Radio enhancement that adds visuals and text as an additional info layer to normal radio broadcasts.
A presentation of graphics and text, synchronized to the audio programming, gets downloaded to the phone over a data connection; the FM transmission chain is unaffected by the addition of Visual Radio.
Here's the type of content that Visual Radio can offer:
- Information on the song and artist currently playing on air
- View images related to presenters or news stories
- A weather map during the weather broadcast
- News, weather and traffic alerts while songs are playing
- Listen in to a talk show and see what has been discussed so far
- Join in audience votes, Big Brother style
- Participate in on-air competitions
You can only use the Visual Radio enhancement via a cellular data connection, as using it over Wi-Fi is not an option.