World's first digital radio smartphone launches in the UK with Radioplayer
By James Cridland for media.info
Posted 29 April 2016, 12.08pm bst
O2, the mobile phone company, have launched the LG Stylus 2, claimed by the company as the world's first smartphone to support DAB+ radio.
On a monthly tariff, pricing starts at £19 per month (AUD$35, US$28). You can also buy it outright for £219.99 (AUD$420, US$320).
When I tested it in both London and Brisbane, this phone offered great reception of DAB+ Digital Radio. I noted that it delivered a near-flawless reception on bus journeys; however, some trains have a metalised coating which blocks DAB signals, making it not so good for some train commuters.
The installed Radioplayer app probably helps here. Looking identical to the currently-existing Radioplayer app for Android, it automatically switches listeners to DAB if there is a strong enough signal; and if the signal disappears, it switches to the internet stream once more. Here's a YouTube video showing the service-following working.
O2 has a market size of 20.9%, and is the second largest operator in the UK. Three, which wants to merge with O2, has a further 10% of the market.
The phone is called the LG Stylus DAB+ in Australia, where it also launched this week. The included app there, from Commercial Radio Australia, does no switching between IP and DAB, and instead enhances the slideshow experience on Australian DAB+ radio.
As a point of accuracy, this isn't the first mobile phone to support DAB; that was the Virgin Lobster in 2006. However, this is the first phone to support DAB+, and also it's hard to claim with a straight face that the Windows CE platform that the Virgin Lobster used was a 'smartphone'. But still.
The LG Stylus DAB+ is a much better name than the Stylus 2, in my humble opinion.
Disclosure: the author helps data-wrangle broadcast parameters for Radioplayer to achieve the switching between DAB and IP
Press release
O2 exclusively launches the LG Stylus 2, the world’s first smartphone with DAB, bringing truly mobile DAB/DAB+ radio to the UK
- LG Stylus 2 - the world's first smartphone with a DAB/DAB+ tuner built in - now on sale on O2 Refresh, O2's groundbreaking Pay Monthly tariff
- Built-in Radioplayer app seamlessly switches between DAB and Internet streaming to make sure listeners have the best radio listening experience
- LG Stylus 2 features powerful processor, 5.7in screen and 8 megapixel camera - for just £24 per month with no upfront payment
O2 today announces that the absolute best way to listen to DAB radio on the go, the LG Stylus 2, is on sale now, exclusively from O2. The world’s first smartphone to feature a DAB/DAB+ tuner, the Stylus 2 makes listening to the hundreds of digital radio stations available in the UK easier than ever while on the move. To buy the LG Stylus 2 now, visit o2.co.uk/shop.
Available on O2's groundbreaking O2 Refresh Pay Monthly tariff for as little as £24 per month with no upfront payment, the LG Stylus 2 works with the built-in Radioplayer app to seamlessly connect to the UK's great range of radio stations through both DAB+ signal and Internet streaming, giving customers brilliant listening experiences, whatever signal they're connected to.
Heralding the launch, Ford Ennals, CEO, Digital Radio UK, said, "The UK’s radio broadcasters are delighted to see O2 and LG launch the Stylus 2, the world’s first smartphone with DAB. The LG Stylus 2’s built in DAB functionality represents a real breakthrough, enabling people for the first time to listen to all their favourite digital stations on their phone with robust and reliable reception on DAB while delivering battery life and data cost advantages to listeners. We are looking forward to working with O2 in the coming weeks to support the UK launch of the LG Stylus 2.”
The LG Stylus 2 comes with a brand new 'hybrid' version of Radioplayer, the Play Store's highest rated radio app, built-in. As well as allowing customers to stream hundreds of radio stations via the Internet, Radioplayer also uses LG Stylus 2's internal DAB+ tuner to connect directly to DAB+ broadcasts, using significantly less power than normal streaming. This means anyone with a DAB signal can access the best radio stations the UK has to offer without using up their data allowance or their battery.
"Across the industry we've been experimenting with hybrid radio for a couple of years and it's great to see LG and O2 bring it to the mass market," said Michael Hill, MD of UK Radioplayer Ltd. "We're very proud of our app and think O2 and LG customers will love being able to listen to the UK's best radio stations, whether that's via DAB/DAB+, Internet streaming or seamlessly switching between both."
O2 is selling the LG Stylus 2 on its range of groundbreaking O2 Refresh tariffs, meaning Stylus 2 customers can enjoy unprecedented control over both their listening habits and their monthly bills. Available on a range of tariffs offering between 500MB and 30GB data as well as up to unlimited minutes and texts, customers can choose to upgrade whenever they like by simply paying off what's left of their phone. And once they've paid off their phone, their bills will automatically drop - potentially saving up to £18 a month compared to traditional tariffs.
"We love bringing new technology to our customers and helping them get the most out of it, and we think our customers will love the LG Stylus 2 with its built in DAB tuner," said Magnus McDonald, Head of Devices for O2 in the UK. "And, with our O2 Refresh tariffs, customers will have as much control over their tariff as they do their radio consumption."
As well as being the world's first smartphone with a built in DAB/DAB+ tuner, the LG Stylus 2 features a 5.7-inch HD screen, a 3,000mAh removable battery and runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow. And with a 13 megapixel camera on the back and an 8 megapixel on the front, it'll capture some great photos which can then be stored on the 16GB internal memory or a removable memory card.
“We’re excited to be working with O2 to bring the LG Stylus 2 to the UK,” said Andy Coughlin, Head of Mobile – UK and Ireland at LG. “With its innovative built in DAB/DAB+ tuner, large 5.7-inch screen and 1 watt speaker, the LG Stylus 2 is the perfect device to enjoy rich, multimedia content, all accessible via the premium nano coated pen tip.”
LG Stylus 2 Key Specifications:
- Display: 5.7-inch HD In-Cell Touch (1280 x 720)
- Chipset: 1.2GHz Quad-Core
- Camera: Rear 13MP / Front 8MP
- Memory: 1.5GB LPDDR3 RAM / 16GB ROM / MicroSD
- Battery: 3,000mAh (removable)
- Operating System: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
- Size: 155 x 79.6 x 7.4mm
- Weight: 145g
- Network: LTE / HSPA+ / GSM
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g, n / Bluetooth 4.1 / USB 2.0
- Colours: Brown
LG Stylus is available now at o2.co.uk/shop or O2 stores nationwide.