Have you noticed an app called ANT Radio Service secretly tucked away in your phone? Have you ever wondered what it does and whether you even need it?
It’s a common occurrence. People see the app and think it’s just an unnecessary system app. Some think it’s vital for the proper functioning of their Android phone. Others think it’s an FM or AM radio app that no one uses anymore.
But the truth is a bit more complicated than that. Read on to find out more about ANT Radio Service, what it does, whether you need it, and if you can delete it.
What is ANT Radio Service?
Many people have ANT Radio Service pre-installed on their Android phones but don’t know what it is or what it does. Most just assume it’s another radio app that lets you tune into FM and AM radio stations. However, ANT Radio Service is used for any type of wireless radio transmission.
So what is ANT Radio Service? To be clear, ANT Radio Service is a wireless protocol that lets your Android phone connect to the Internet of Things (IoT). This means that your phone can be hooked up to your smart fan, lights, air conditioner, TV, etc.
You probably don’t see the difference between ANT Radio Service and other wireless protocols like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. But, although ANT Radio Service can be used for all types of wireless communication, it’s generally used to connect to sports and fitness devices.
These include smartwatches, trackers, and various monitors. ANT Radio Service is what essentially allows these devices to communicate with your phone and vice versa.
Pros of ANT Radio Service
- It’s accessible to anyone regardless of the smartphone model.
- It monitors real-time data such as your heartbeat and other vitals.
- ANT Radio Service supports connections between fitness devices and smartphones.
- Since it comes pre-installed on most Android phones, it doesn’t require installation.
Cons of ANT Radio Service
- When using ANT Radio Service, your battery will drain much faster.
- The ANT Radio Service might not work on upgraded versions of Android, such as Android 9.
- Your phone’s antenna will be busy and will be interrupted when using the ANT Radio Service.
Do I need ANT Radio Service?
So now you know what is ANT Radio Service. But is it needed? What’s so special about it that sets it aside from Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other protocols?
Well, for starters, ANT Radio Service is mainly used for sports and fitness gadgets like smartwatches. Hence, it’s much better than any other protocol since it was specifically designed for this.
However, if you do not need to connect to smart sports and fitness equipment, you don’t need ANT Radio Service. Your phone will function normally without it. And it won’t interfere with the operation of other apps and radio signals.
How do I get ANT Radio Service?
There are a few ways you can get ANT Radio Service on your smartphone
Method 1: Pre-install
It’s more than likely that your smartphone already has ANT Radio Service pre-installed. In that case, all you need to do is find it. If you can find it on your home screen or apps list, try looking at your apps list through the settings.
- Go to Settings on your Android phone.
- Search for “Apps” and scroll down until you find ANT Radio Service.
Also, check your list of disabled apps. Perhaps you disabled it some time back because you didn’t think you needed it.
This is the most likely scenario as ANT Radio Service comes pre-installed on most Androids by default. However, if you don’t have it pre-installed, you’ll still be prompted to install it when you use an app that requires it. So you don’t have to worry about knowing when you need ANT Radio Service.
Alternatively, the fitness device may already include an ANT Radio Service installer. In that case, you don’t need to do anything. The device will automatically install the service on your phone and will get it paired up in no time.
But if ANT Radio Service is completely missing from your smartphone, then you can easily download it from the Google Play Store.
Method 2: Google Play Store
If you can’t find the app on your phone, go to Google Play Store. First, search for ANT Radio Service and check to see if it is already downloaded. If not, download it from there.
This method is the easiest way to not only check if you already have the service but to download it as well.
Using ANT Radio Service
How do you use the ANT Radio Service? And how do you transfer your data from ANT-enabled devices to your Android smartphone? Here’s a step-by-step guide on using ANT Radio Service
- If you have an Android 3.0 phone or above, then your smartphone is compatible with a USB host.
- Use an ANT USB stick with a USB OTG cable.
- Now, install the radio service on your phone (or if it comes pre-installed, skip this step).
- You should also install any ANT+ plugins as well as the ANT USB Service. It’s more than likely that these apps are also present on your phone and you don’t need to install them.
- For Androids that don’t support USB host capabilities, you may make use of the ANT+ accessory.
- From the Google Play Store, download any Selfloop ANT Service. This provision helps your device connect to the Android protocol that it needs.
- In case your device doesn’t have support for ANF-FS, then you’ll be needing a USB A to USB micro data cable. This cable will be used during the installation process.
Can I delete it?
So you now know what is ANT Radio Service is and have decided that you don’t need it, but you can’t find the delete app option on your phone. Can you delete ANT Radio Service?
This differs from smartphone to smartphone. But generally, no, you cannot delete ANT Radio Service. This is because it’s a system app and cannot be deleted.
Instead, what you can do is disable it, either temporarily or permanently. To do this:
- Go to your phone’s Settings.
- Then, open the App Management menu.
- From there, find ANT Radio Service and tap on it.
- Tap on “Disable.”
- This should disable the app. If you can’t find the option, you can always tap on “Force Stop.” This will prevent the app from running in the background when you don’t need it. But it will work like normal when you’re using it in any way.
If your phone didn’t come with ANT Radio Service pre-installed and you installed it from the Play Store, then you can easily uninstall it. Just go to the app’s page on the Google Play Store and tap on “Uninstall.”
What Devices and Apps Use ANT?
What popular apps does ANT Radio Service work with? There are many fitness apps, and some of them might even be pre-installed on your phones. These include:
- Garmin Fit
- My Tracks
- Samsung S Health
- Sporty Pal
- Run GPS Trainer UV
- IpBike IpWatts, IpSmartHR, and IpPeloton
- Map My FITNESS/WALK+/HIKE/DOG WALK/RUN/RIDE
- Sports Tracker by STL
What Is ANT+?
You may have heard the term ANT+ quite often. But what does it mean? ANT+ is a wireless technology that enables your wireless devices to communicate with each other. In simpler terms, ANT+ is what ensures that you get the right data at the right time.
ANT+ is short for interoperability, signifying that ANT+ products can work with each other even if they’re from different brands. And yes, this also means high upgradability. You can easily switch to better devices or add new features to your existing devices with ease.
In a nutshell, with ANT+ technology, you can “mix and match” different products and ensure that they will work with each other. For instance, you could pair up a smartwatch with a monitor or a tablet and not have to worry about compatibility issues. The only compatibility you need is compatibility with ANT+.
Still confused? Here’s a video guide to better learn about ANT+
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ANT radio service necessary?
ANT Radio Service comes pre-installed on almost every Android smart device nowadays. It’s a network protocol that allows your fitness devices to communicate with your smart device. In other words, it bridges the gap between your fitness trackers and your phone.
However, it’s unnecessary as many fitness devices can pair up with your phone through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. There’s also NFC pairing. However, ANT Radio Service provides quick pairing and real-time communication. And it’s not subject to the stability of your Wi-Fi.
If you’re not using any fitness devices, it’s safe and recommended to uninstall or disable ANT Radio Service.
Do I need an ant Radio for Android?
You only need ANT Radio Service if you’re using any fitness tracker that requires or uses it. In most cases, you won’t even need the service even if you have any fitness tracker since most can be paired using other methods.
But you should consider the pros and cons of using ANT Radio Service for Android. On the bright side, it’s extremely fast and doesn’t require an internet connection. But on the negative side, it drains a lot of your battery and may not work with upgraded versions of Android.
Conclusion
ANT Radio Service is a protocol that allows your fitness devices to talk with your phone. This service is extremely fast. It provides real-time communication between your smartphone and your fitness trackers.
We hope that you enjoyed the article and now know more about ANT Radio Service. If you have any more questions, feel free to comment below, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!
In a nutshell, ANT Radio Service is used to help your fitness trackers communicate with your Android phone.
