We’re going to find out – and soon.
LG Electronics and Sprint have just released a new phone, the Fusic, that not only streams channels from Music Choice (if you pay the freight) and downloads music (like many other phones do), but it is the first phone to include an iPod-style FM transmitter.
To make that clear, it doesn’t mean you can listen to radio on your phone, it means you can listen to whatever you stream on your phone on your radio.
This will unquestionably be the first of many mobile devices that mask whatever’s on the radio in favor of whatever’s on the phone.
And in case you’re thinking “yes, but folks have to buy a Music Choice subscription,” remember that in the world of mobile phones consumers are very accustomed to paying for useful supplemental services. And the ability to broadcast your own personal station to the radio in your car just increased the value of the Music Choice service.
That said, I am certain consumers are much more likely to broadcast their own mp3’s than the content of any third party streaming service. But still, anything that replaces what’s on the radio is a radio substitute – especially if you use a radio to hear it.
Ironically, this phone just increased the value of the good old-fashioned car radio.
As long as you can play what you want on it.