Is this the death of FM radio on our phones?

LG Stylus 2
LG Stylus 2

The smartphone has munched up so many devices into one converged behemoth - and a portable FM radio was one of the first to join the party. However, that technology might be about to get phased out.

LG has confirmed its forthcoming Stylus 2 is the first phone to boast new DAB+ technology - far superior to FM tech - and give phones a slew of new and more premium ways to listen to music and talk for free.

DAB+ offers more channels than traditional FM and means you won't be using your data to stream online content, with DAB-like apps such as BBC iPlayer Radio in the UK requiring a connection to function.

An elongated death rattle

But don't despair if you love the hiss: FM Radio isn't dead yet. It's still available on a slew of phones such as the Sony Xperia Z5 series, the LG G5 and the Huawei Mate 8.

But there's certainly a trend toward the technology being taken out of handsets. Apple has never included an FM radio in an iPhone and Samsung hasn't included it in its Galaxy S line since the Galaxy S3 in 2012, with other brands seeing less of a need for it in their flagship handsets.

None of these phones have seen fit to introduce DAB+ technology to replace it yet though, so unless you're going to get the (possibly limited release) LG Stylus 2 then you'll be stuck streaming through apps for now.

James Peckham

James is the Editor-in-Chief at Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.

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