How dare AT&T charge $70++ for a cellphone bill............

Pandora FTW

Phoenix for the win.

Not until the iphone gets dual SIM slots.

Steve Jobs doesn't want the iPhone/Touch to be the Zune HD's biyatch. Not that Zune HD has that much of a hardware edge.

I thought that Steve Jobs thought that people thought that FM radio was pointless to have in their iPod... and now they're finally including this not-exactly-new tech in their product... and just watch how they'll spin this one! This is gonna be fun!

Well, it IS a great gaming device, so...

*shrugs*

The chip they use is capable of doing it, so if they can charge $5-10 for the update, why not?

Previously you probably either had to pay more for that functionality in a wireless chip and/or it took up more room. Now that it's already in that tiny multifunctional Broadcom chip they were already using, there's no reason not to activate it I suppose...

@Dohnuts

If I bought and paid for the hardware when I bought my iTouch, then why should I have to pay extra to use something that I already paid for? You yourself complained that some games on the Zune HD shows ads when launching, so I would think that you would be against needing to do extra to use what you paid for.

I have an iPhone and I still don't care about MMS or having a radio. I think Apple only added it because of all the Anti-Apple whiners and bitches. These people complain about the iPhone (that they will never buy anyway) not having certain features, but when those features are added, they still complain and say what you guys are saying.

"I thought you guys didn't need a radio. Ha ha."

No, we still don't need it, but it's not like we were the ones complaining about it.

@NohOne

sure you did pay for the hardware but did you pay for the software, ah no.

After all, you might buy a computer with a thumping grahpic chip, but it doesn't do anything unless you buy a game that uses it.

But then again maybe you are moaning because you just steal stuff. If you are such the hacker then code up an app tha uses the radio function yourself n move it on Cydia and stop bitchin about having to "maybe" give respect to someone else who "maybe" wastin their good hours doing it for you...

It's a freakin rumor anyway, I would guess that if it links you to iTunes for purchases it'll be free

Steve is still correct. You DON'T need a radio, and almost no-one will use this. If anything, this, and the Nano camera, are showing how dusty the entire "iPod" concept is at this point. They are really stretching to figure out how to get people to buy new iPods. Everyone has a camera in their phone, who needs one in a Nano? Furthermore, you can tell how desperate Apple was to shoehorn a camera in the Nano by the way they parked the lens right under where your finger wants to be! I know, the sensor wouldn't fit behind the LCD (where it should have been), but since when does Apple make compromises like that to a user interface? The answer is, "When they are desperate!". A Nano camera and iPod/iPhone FM radio are features that sound good for two minutes, but will never get used. I'm sure Steve knows all this, but what else can he do when he sees a whole product category running flat.

BTW. Of course the iPod Touch *should* have a camera because it's a pocket-able computer, and a camera can sell more apps.

On the off chance that you guys didn't catch that, what I said was the ability to charge again for an update would be a good rationale for Apple activating the FM receiver. I WASN'T DEFENDING THAT PRACTICE, I WAS MAKING FUN OF IT. Good God, people are stupid.

I left FM radio decades ago because off too many annoying screaming ads every 2 minutes.

Now everytime I turn on the radio in the car I find myself reaching for the skip, forward or remind buttons, only to be disapointed. I still could care less about FM on the iPods (ads are still there) but its nice that you could now rewind and fast forward.

So Apple finally invented radio so that the remaining lot can immediately jump the bandwagon and parise SJ for (t)his invention.

i lol'ed =)

yeah seriously what a fail, they had to take out the camera and then cant get the radio to work? i know steve jobs has been sick..but i mean he cant do evvvverything

Not happening. The bluetooth/FM/Wi-Fi chip was introduced in the 2G touch, and the bluetooth/FM/FM transmitting/Wi-Fi chip is in the 3G. 2G touch owners would be lucky to see FM, and 1G doesn't have a chance (having a Wi-Fi only wireless chip).

Maybe not, but I'll still take it. The one radio station I do listen to in the morning has an app, but trying to listen over 3g can be fairly frustrating on my walk to school. This would be a nice addition.

Yawn. Welcome to the party, Apple. My N70 has been doing this, and 2MP pix and video and MP3 player years ago (really, like before an iPod 5G years ago). Took you long enough..

Yeah, soupdbun, but this sort of thing is for the rest of the world that doesn't have an N70. Do you really think companies shouldn't add features that other companies already had? I doubt that.

doubt it apple wants u 2 shellout $300 for a $20 object

If they can do it, they will. Any reason to charge for another firmware update.

The iPod touch 2G and iPhone 3G have multifunctional Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/FM receiving chips, and the iPod touch 3G has a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/FM receiving and transmitting chip. Broadcom is just that awesome.

Interesting. I didn't realize that it had the capability. Thanks for the response.

So the 2g might be able to get this if its true, please be true, I actually like listening to the radio, for interviews with my favorite artist when they come 2 town.

...But, this will allow you to then purchase the song from iTunes if you want, on the spot over 3G or WiFi into the device. That's a little different from the Zune making a note of the song's tag.

You are able to do just that with Zune HD. You can add items to your cart and if you have a subscription download them straight from there.

You can do that with a regular Zune too (Not the 3g part though).

Yeah, $9.99... monthly... via itunes...

Kyle I hope you know how much you sound like an idiot.

If apple EVER charged a monthly fee for activating a feature like this maybe i would give you the benefit of the doubt, but they haven't so your just a sad fool.

@kyle

Monthly? You sure that's not ZUNEPASS you're thinking of?

Early adopting Zune owners have the same firmware as the newest HDD model, for free.