iPhone 2.0 gains radio, kinda

 Lack of an FM radio is a small but regular criticism of the iPhone, though the tuners included on competing handsets are often poor quality with unreliable reception. But at least on developer is thinking different, with Rogue Amoeba developing a version of RadioShift to the iPhone and iPod touch.

RadioShift is a popular software application which lets users browse, play, record and time-shift online radio stations, with 50,000 accessible by default.

RadioShift for the iPhone and iPod touch will allow users to review an online radio guide and tune into selected shows. The desktop version of the application lets users record shows for later listening and supports multiple streaming formats.

While the software remains in development it’s a promising move to open up access to digital radio through Apple’s devices, particularly as the number of stations offering internet streamed broadcasts supplemental to their traditional broadcasting models continues to increase.

News that the developers are involved in assembling the application first appeared here in early-April. Company developer Mike Ash did offer a warning that his application may never see the light of day, however: “Every iPhone application must be approved by Apple. Whether Apple will approve any given application is an enormous risk, since it’s impossible to know until you’ve already sunk a great deal of work into it.”