Portable TVs have been around since the 70's. I've had smartphones with radios. Why do I not have portable TV on my smartphone. Not access to a streaming site, mind you, but an HDTV tuner built into my smartphone?
Many smartphones have an FM radio chip built into them [2, 3]. However, many phone manufacturers disable the radio or neglect to enable it [2]. The National Campus and Community Radio Association argues that phone manufacturers and wireless carriers have little financial incentive to activate the FM chip because they profit from streaming data [3]. However, the wireless industry is coming around and says anyone who wants a phone with an FM radio can find one [3].
There are FM chips in virtually all smartphones, but carriers and broadcasters have urged handset manufacturers and wireless carriers to universally activate the FM chip [1]. Carriers have little financial incentive to do so because they profit from streaming data, but the wireless industry is coming around and says anyone who wants a phone with FM radio can find one [1]. While some people may not want a phone with FM radio, the main reason Americans don't watch TV on their smartphones is due to a cultural difference [2, 3]. Americans prefer to watch TV on large screens, and many of us have the technology to do so at our leisure [3]. Those of us who are willing to watch on small screens demand better video quality and the ability to watch whenever we want, using time-shifting or on-demand technologies [3].