«Let's breakdown a fairly recent RCW Wireless news account:
"A recent study from TNS Global Telecoms found that 43% of all mobile users listen to some form of music on their phones, and 73% of smartphones double as music players. And while the use of MP3 players on phones is up 78% in the last year, mobile radio uptake has seen a whopping 140% increase".
The high use of mobile devices for listening to music is not surprising, but mobile radio listening is. The reason may be that this study was worldwide in scope including countries where radio has not yet committed consolidated suicide.
"TNS — which polled an astounding 16,000 consumers in 29 countries for the study — also found that 45% of users list AM/FM as one of the top three factors in purchasing a mobile phone".
I'll make you a money bet that if you polled U.S. consumers only, you would find AM/FM's effect on purchasing a mobile phone almost negligible.
Ask anyone.
Who do you know that requires AM/FM access on a mobile device? The next generation will tell you that they have moved on beyond radio. It's simply not important to them.
"Meanwhile, a recent study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 17% of U.S. mobile users play music on their phones, nearly matching the 19% who use mobile e-mail or surf the wireless Web".
Note the lower use of mobile phones for listening to music. Keep in mind many of these folks listen to MP3s not streaming radio. (...) «The cell phone may be everywhere but consumers don't necessarily want it to do everything.» (Jerry Del Colliano, Cell Phones Are Not Transistor Radios Inside Music Media, 30/04/08)