All Up In Your Cell Phone

Haha.

There's something that needs to be discussed here. For all practical purposes, the idea of a cell phone that can accomplish "everything" is in need of attention. With the iPhone causing a massive industry buzz (every child that has no idea what it does is pining for one), the "almighty" cell phone seems to be the next technological focal point of the tech device industry. But while decent service that doesn't cut out is starting to become a secondary consideration, the phone's extras have become the selling point. Consumers are no longer interested in being able to talk to their friends and fam without having it cut out; they want to be able to download the hot new jam by the Black Eyed Peas to their phone, snap a photo of the Black Eyed Peas at their banging live show with their cell's built-in camera, and/or watch the sweet new Fergie video while on a train uptown (note: this blog no way endorses the Black Eyed Peas). Cell phone purchasers want it all, and with the latest release by Motorola - the SLVR 9 (pause for ooh's) - may just have their dreams come true.

But what's so different about the phone that makes it relevant to this weblog? Ah, yes, the inclusion of FM radio on the device. In addition to Bluetooth, MP3 ringtones, a camera and a video recorder, Motorola promises to give you the option of carrying around your own personal radio receiver/player on which you can listen to that DJ Drama show that's finally coming back on the air. I know you're thinking, "So, what? What's the big deal with a harmless FM receiver in a cell phone?" Let me break it down, if I may. The idea of a cell phone is to be able to call people on-the-go. Sure, having an MP3 ringtone is a plus for anyone (I cherish my Clipse ringtone, thank you), as is having an MP3 player built into your phone. But for consumers, what exactly is the point of an FM receiver in the phone?

For most of us that feel obligated to purchase every new device that graces an advertisement, the idea of having an MP3 player in a cell phone is good enough for entertainment. You can listen to anything while on your morning commute (if you don't drive, mind you), and not have to hit any buttons once you get off of your train or bus and are almost at work. With an FM Radio receiver built into a phone, this becomes a matter of convenience. As we all hate whipping out our iPods to switch from the Fergie solo track to the group number, pulling out your cell phone to switch on your FM radio is going to be an inconvenience. Not to mention, if you are listening to your cell phone's radio channel and you get a call, how are you to distinguish whether or not it's part of the show? You don't. That's the beauty of a radio receiver in your phone. And I know, I'm making claims that are kind of lame, and putting in a radio receiver doesn't necessarily inconvenience anyone. But let's look ahead into the future, and see where the radio capabilities could potentially go.

Let's say that the FM inclusion is a hit. I seriously doubt it, since no one really seems to be jumping out of their skin for their free FM/AM capabilities these days, but what if it was? Cell phone companies are finely tuned into what their customers want in a product, as they spend tens, even hundreds of dollars (a lot, right?) on focus groups and market research. What if the cell phone company decided to turn it into a pay-for-play service? It doesn't really seem like a long-shot to predict that companies will do anything - even sleazy tricks like this - to suck money out of your wallets. What's going to stop them from doing it? It's their product, and they can charge you for whatever feature they want. Well, then that just attaches a little piece of negative stigma to the gigantic one that's already attached to FM radio, now doesn't it? As a consumer, I would immediately give up FM radio if it meant that I had to pay less per month. And as a consumer who is sucked into buying products like the rest of the masses, I can representatively say that the rest of you would, too.

Motorola, among other cell companies, will eventually catch on that satellite radio is getting bigger and bigger everyday. Consumers want exclusive broadcasting, not the ho-hum type of programming on FM/AM radio stations. The conglomerates will eventually push out FM radio and make satellite radio the norm for their products, additionally contributing to your forgetting about free radio's existence. This makes the cell phone more than just a device with some features thrown in; it makes your handheld something that will inevitably rule your life. You won't have to buy any extra products to get the features of every hot piece 'o technology. That's not such a punishment, but inevitably, it will have a terrible effect on free services. Major corporations are only interested in profit, and if that means making you forget about FM and AM radio in order to satisfy both their own company and the satellite radio company that they signed a deal with, then they're going to do it. It sounds like a far-fetched idea, but with a burgeoning industry for radio and the way that people listen to it, it's going to happen.

I suppose I'm being overdramatic. This post is, after all, about the new cell phone from Motorola, and you must be thinking that I'm a total drama king for even suggesting that the FM radio industry will be erased because of it. But just think about what is happening in the world of technology. FM radio is already losing their steam, and the FCC is coming down harder on them everyday. Satellite radio is aggrandizing at the same rate that FM radio is deflating, and cell phone companies don't have to be geniuses to figure out that people will pay for radio. So I suppose I must be the cautionary measure here: before you run out to the store to buy this smoking piece of merchandise, all I ask is please - think of the FM.