Getting your player ready...
WASHINGTON — A long-running dispute between radio broadcasters and the recording industry over music royalties has taken an unexpected turn with a proposed settlement that threatens to drag the mobile-phone industry into the ring.
The compromise under discussion by radio broadcasters, recording labels and recording artists could include a federal mandate that all new cellphones come with a built-in FM radio chip. While a deal is far from final, the prospect that the government could dictate a key design decision for such a ubiquitous consumer device has alarmed electronics manufacturers and wireless providers.
