Can I Get DAB Radio On My Phone? (iPhone and Android)
Site Owner & Radio Enthusiast
You’ve probably seen a friend or close relative listening to radio stations on their phones. The incorporation of analog FM/AM radio on smartphones has made it easy for people to listen to their favorite shows and music on the go. However, if you’re a DAB radio enthusiast, you’ll want to know, can you get DAB radio on your phone?
You can get DAB radio on your phone through third-party apps or live streaming online. For the live streaming option, you’ll have to search the DAB radio station’s name in a browser like Chrome or Firefox to find its website. Then, once you have the website, click on it to start listening.
In the rest of this article, I’ll discuss the different ways to get DAB radio on your Android and iPhone devices. Let’s get started!
How to Get DAB Radio on an Android Phone
Listening to DAB radio on your Android smartphone is easier than you might think. However, it needs a bit of technical knowledge, which I’ll share with you today.
Luckily, some Android smartphones have a built-in DAB/DAB+ tuner.
For such versions, getting DAB radio involves launching the radio app and scanning for available DAB stations. Once you find them, select your favorite to start listening to music and other shows.
LG was the first Android smartphone brand to launch a DAB/DAB+-supported smartphone in 2016–the LG Stylus DAB+.
Therefore, if you own an LG phone, launch the radio app and check if it supports DAB radio.
Does it mean you can’t get DAB radio on your Android phone if it doesn’t have a built-in DAB/DAB+ tuner?
Absolutely not! You can still listen to DAB radio on such a phone using the following options.
Third-Party Apps
You can enjoy DAB radio on your Android phone by downloading and installing third-party apps.
In recent years, app developers have created free and premium DAB radio apps for Android phones.
To find them:
- Launch the Google Play Store.
- Search for “DAB Radio” or “DAB+ Radio.”
- Browse through the apps and download the one you like.
- Install the downloaded app.
- Launch the app and search for your favorite DAB radio stations.
To make your work easier, here are the best third-party apps for DAB radio on Android phones:
● RadioApp
● TuneIn
● DAB-Z
Live Streaming Through a Browser
We live in a world where anything is possible. As such, you can also stream DAB radio on your Android phone using a browser like Chrome or Firefox.
Search for the station’s name in the browser and click on it to start listening. This method eliminates the need to install any app if you have an Internet connection and access to a web browser.
Are you confused between DAB and FM radio? If so, check out this article for a simple comparison.
How to Get DAB Radio on an iPhone
Many controversies have existed around using analog and digital radios on Apple’s iPhone.
The recent accusation was that the iPhone refused to activate radio receivers, making it impossible to receive radio broadcasts.
The worst part is that although earlier versions of the iPhone had FM/AM receivers, the latest models don’t.
Moreover, Apple doesn’t plan to introduce DAB radios on their phones anytime soon.
Does this mean you can’t get DAB radio on your iPhone? Not quite!
The following are ways you can listen to DAB radio on your iPhone.
Third-Party Apps
The App Store has free and paid apps that allow streaming DAB radio on your iPhone. Some popular apps include:
● TuneIn
Live Streaming Through a Browser
You can also listen to DAB radio broadcasts online from your favorite station’s website. All you need is an Internet connection and access to a web browser.
I recommend Safari for the best results since it’s Apple’s built-in browser. However, you can also try other browsers like Chrome and Firefox for streaming DAB radio broadcasts.
A point worth noting is that streaming DAB radio online consumes a lot of data in kilobits per second (Kbps).
In most cases, radio streaming services consume between 64 and 320 Kbps as follows:
● 64 Kbps: 28.8 MB per hour
● 128 Kbps: 57.6 MB per hour
● 256 Kbps: 115.2 MB per hour
● 320 Kbps: 144 MB per hour
Assuming you listen to your DAB radio for one hour daily, you’ll have an additional 1.7 to 3.42 gigabytes (GB) of data on your phone’s bill.
So, ensure you have a data plan to accommodate such usage before streaming DAB radio.
Can You Connect Your Phone to a DAB Radio?
You can connect your Android phone to a DAB radio using a dongle like POPyourPHONE. This dongle plugs into the micro USB port of your phone and acts as an antenna for receiving DAB radio signals.
However, you can only use this approach if your Android phone supports OTG (On-the-Go) connection.
If you’re an iPhone user, you can connect your phone to a DAB radio using iPhone-based DAB dongles. Lingo iMini is an excellent example of an iPhone DAB dongle compatible with 3G, 3GS, and 4GS.
Final Thoughts
The ever-increasing demand for digital audio broadcasting (DAB) has made it possible to access phone radio content.
Whether you have an Android or iPhone, you can use third-party apps or online streaming services to get DAB radio on your phone.
If you’re an Android user, you can connect your phone to a DAB radio using a DAB dongle if the phone supports an OTG adapter.
Now that you know how to listen to DAB radio on your phone, check out how to stop interference on a DAB radio.
