TO A SMALL SCREEN: MetroPCS Communications Inc. became the first cellphone company to announce plans for a phone that can tune in to live, local TV broadcasts. The capability will be part of a Samsung smartphone coming this year.
DO PEOPLE WANT IT?: For years, TV stations have been unsuccessful in getting cellphone companies interested in such phones. Qualcomm shut down a broadcast network for phones last year because of low consumer interest.
COMPANY’S HOPE: MetroPCS says its phone will be different in that it will get local stations, with weather and traffic reports. The company also says its customers are usually young and consume a lot of digital media.
