PodSubs / Podcasting News / Edison: mobile devices overtake AM/FM receivers for in-car listening among ages 13–34 News briefEdison: mobile devices overtake AM/FM receivers for in-car listening among ages 13–34Edison Research finds 46% of daily in-car audio time among Americans ages 13–34 now flows through mobile devices, versus 43% through AM/FM receivers — a historic reversal from a 47-point AM/FM-receiver lead in the past, which Edison attributes to smartphone growth. By New Music Weekly · Published October 5, 2026 at 12:51 AM UTC · Announcement date 2026-09-30 Edison Research reports a milestone in automotive audio: among Americans ages 13–34, 46% of daily in-car audio time now goes through mobile devices, versus 43% through AM/FM receivers. Edison notes this is a historic reversal from a 47-point lead for the AM/FM receiver in the past, attributing the shift to the growth of smartphones as the default audio device in the car.The finding is about the device, not the content: a listener streaming an AM/FM station's app through their phone counts on the mobile side of this ledger. Still, the reversal matters for podcasters because the phone is podcasting's native device — every minute of in-car audio that migrates from the receiver to the phone is a minute spent inside an interface where podcasts compete on equal footing with radio, and where podcast apps can surface new episodes automatically.Announcement date: September 30, 2026 (one day outside this run's preferred 48-hour window; included as a significant data point). Figures per Edison Research as reported by trade coverage.SourcesNew Music Weekly Report a correction · Have podcast news? Submit it free for review