This is not about FM music or AM radio at all! Here’s what you need to know about the ANT radio service.
If you’ve ever come across a process called ANT Radio Service on your Android device, you might be wondering what it is. After all, you may think, “I don’t listen to the radio. Do I need this?
Here’s the thing: ANT Radio Service has NOTHING to do with AM or FM radio at all. You do not use ANT Radio Service to tune into radio services on your Android device. But again, based on the name, you can be forgiven for assuming this is what ANT radio service could be for.
Actually, ANT Radio Service is designed to allow connections between your Android phone and Internet of Things (IOT) devices. This is what you need to know.
ANT radio service – not about FM radio at all
What is ANT Radio Service is mentioned in the name itself and in the “Radio” part? But here radio does not mean AM and FM radio stations. Instead, radio means wireless radio signal. Wireless radio signals feed more than AM and FM stations. They also allow the transmission of data.
And that data transmission is exactly what ANT Radio Service is for. You see, ANT Radio Service is basically another wireless protocol for your smartphone and Internet of Things connected devices. In this way, it is not much different than NFC, Bluetooth: or Wi-Fi. But the ANT radio service, in general, is mainly used for the connection of one type of Internet of Things device: sports and fitness devices.
These are devices like fitness trackers, smartwatches, and heart rate monitors. The ANT radio service is what allows these devices to communicate and share data between themselves and your Android smartphone.
There are TONS of devices that require an ANT connection, and you can see them all here.
Related: What is Radio
ANT Radio Service: How do I get it?
Most likely, ANT Radio Service is pre-installed on your Android device. However, if not, you will likely be prompted to install it if you connect a device that requires ANT radio service.
Alternatively, if that device has an app, it can include an ANT radio service installer, in which case you will not need to install the ANT radio service separately.
And of course, you can install ANT Radio Service directly on your phone (even if you don’t need it) by downloading it from the Google Play Store.
ANT radio service: Do I need it?
You only need ANT radio service if the device you are connecting to your Android phone requires it. Otherwise, you do not need to have ANT radio service on your smartphone.
ANT radio service: Can I remove it?
If you are wondering if you can safely remove ANT Radio Service, the answer is YES. However, if you remove the ANT radio service, connected devices that require it will no longer communicate with your smartphone.
But don’t worry, if that happens, you can just download ANT Radio Service again.
ANT Radio Service: What else do I need to know?
That’s all! But if you want to dive into the more technical details about the ANT radio service, you should check out the official website here. And in case you were wondering, this is their official description of the ANT radio service:
“ANT radio service is a system service that was pre-installed by your device manufacturer or added as part of an Android update by your carrier and the smartphone manufacturer * to allow the built-in ANT communication hardware that is already present on your mobile device. It is similar to the system components that enable other forms of wireless connectivity on your phone (i.e. WiFi, NFC) and will not run or use system resources unless you start an application that requires ANT wireless communication.
“This system service, along with ANT + plug-ins, allows other applications of your choice to communicate with ANT + compatible products (system services cannot be removed or started directly). These other apps allow you to do things like collect, transfer, and view your sport, health, and fitness data in real time on your mobile device. Please note: the compatible products that can be used with your mobile device will depend on the third-party Android application you select. “
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