The LG Stylus 2, the first smartphone with built-in DAB+ technology, has launched in the UK and Australia. It retails for £219.99 in the UK and A$499 in Australia. The digital radio smartphone debuted at Radiodays Europe. It is also expected to launch this year in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, and Norway.

The UK has close to comprehensive DAB+ coverage, so owners of the Stylus 2 will likely be able to access digital radio anywhere. In Australia, only the metro capitals have DAB+, so there will be sections of the country that are better suited for the phone at this time.

Radio access on smartphones has been a topic of interest for the broadcast industry for years. Much of the lobbying from the industry has focused on enabling FM chips in phones to access terrestrial signals. The launch of the Stylus puts digital radio and DAB+ in the spotlight, and it should be interesting to see how many other manufacturers opt to jump on that trend.