The trend has been grinding along for 11 years, and in 2026 mobile devices have overtaken built-in AM/FM radio as the primary device choice for in-car listening — for the 13-34 slice of the population. This from Edison Research, the latest finding released from Edison’s epic and ongoing Share of Ear research project.As seen in the chart below, the takeover looks like a hard-fought arm wrestling match, with mobile devices gaining the advantage for the first time in the 12 year results chart.
“What once was a 47-point gap in favor of time spent listening on the radio receiver is now a three-point gap in the opposite direction.” Edison Research
It’s important to emphasize that this study measures device use only, not listening content.Edison points out: “Of course, some of that mobile device listening is to streams of radio stations.”