FCC Urges Apple to Enable FM Chip in iPhone: 'Lives Depend on It'
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Posted September 28, 2017 at 5:31pm by iClarified · 12985 views
The FCC is calling out Apple for refusing to activate the FM radio capabilities in the iPhone in light of the recent devastation caused by Hurricanes Maria, Irma, and Harvey.
Chairman Ajit Pai released the following statement today:
“In recent years, I have repeatedly called on the wireless industry to activate the FM chips that are already installed in almost all smartphones sold in the United States. And I’ve specifically pointed out the public safety benefits of doing so. In fact, in my first public speech after I became Chairman, I observed that ‘[y]ou could make a case for activating chips on public safety grounds alone.’ When wireless networks go down during a natural disaster, smartphones with activated FM chips can allow Americans to get vital access to life-saving information. I applaud those companies that have done the right thing by activating the FM chips in their phones.
“Apple is the one major phone manufacturer that has resisted doing so. But I hope the company will reconsider its position, given the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. That’s why I am asking Apple to activate the FM chips that are in its iPhones. It is time for Apple to step up to the plate and put the safety of the American people first. As the Sun Sentinel of South Florida put it, ‘Do the right thing, Mr. Cook. Flip the switch. Lives depend on it.’”
Do think Apple should activate the FM chip found in the iPhone?
Let us know in the comments!
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I don’t think there is a major issue for apple to do not activate FM, this action will step up apple shares in the market. However, it’ll will cover all the American people and make America safe again.
More news rom Puerto Rico. The FM stations are all down. The FCC shutdown the repeaters stations for the sole working AM station in March.
so ...
Apple can't magically add hardware that doesn't exist, and where iPhones have FM capable chips, they don't have the amplifier or antenna needed to enable FM reception.
The FCC honcho wants FM radios enabled on phones during the emergency! Where no FM stations are working.
The FCC administratively handcuffed the range of the sole remaining AM station back in March.
So ... The FCC is missing it's reality gap filler.
what a absolute worthless CHIP. THEY DO IT FOR FAKE ADVERTISING. PROPBALY COULD GET A LAWSUIT, FOR CLAIMING SOMETHING THAT IS WORTHLESS AND DOES NOT WORK WHAT GOOD ID CLAIMING FM CHIP THEN..
I'm not any sort of expert on the FM chip that's "already in there" but I'm guessing it's the (usually Qualcomm?) radio that uses FM superband frequencies to talk to the cell towers? My guess is that it's a highly specialized transponder chip and with each iteration they add a few new frequencies as the carriers upgrade and change how their towers broadcast and recieve. I'd love to hear from an electrical engineer (like they'd come to this generally very childish forum, lol) about just how trivial or non-trivial it would be to make these chips recieve normal lower frequency FM broadcasts. I simply doubt the implication that it's just something Apple can "turn on".
Apple used to have FM radio capable devices and wrote apps for them. And they sold, later, an FM radio enabled headset. Well, they offered for sale would be more like it.
They didn't sell. So current hardware isn't FM-able so nothing to turn on.
Its almost unbelievable how ignorant some of you are, but then again look who's running our country. You need to have rational thoughts in-order to process information in its totality. You can't just yell "turn on fm" after reading a politically driven article, that doesn't contain any objective technical information. A rational mind would pause and then research the topic before getting irate (ruining your day/others for absolutely no reason). My understanding is that they don't have power (how are they charging their mobile phones?). As many logical thinkers have reiterated, a battery operated radio is the most effective form of receiving information, period! Don't buy an iPhone please, so as to reduce pre-order processing time :)
Calling bullshit on this PR crap. If it's true or not, of course the government is up to something and that's NOT the well being of us all. Trying harder to spy on us? MFs -_-
There are no FM chips in Apple iPhone 7and above. So no way for Apple to "turn a switch". For iPhone 6 and below, while they may have FM chips, research indicates that they aren't actually connected to anything and not able to be "switched on" either. Both facts that the FCC already knows. Don't fall for the BS and be lead down false paths by government trying to distract from their own shortcomings. Stay woke peeps!! Stay woke!!
If it’s true that you can just activate the hardware and do a software update to utilize, then i believe Apple should do. At a recent f1 event I wished I had a radio so I can listen without bringing a separate device. Also i believe radio is low power I don’t think that will be the issue. Have you guys heard of an app called Fire Chat? It’s suppose to use the Bluetooth to create a data free chat. Of course the limitation would be the Bluetooth range but as long as people are within each other range then it can extend even farther. I haven’t used it in awhile so I’m not sure if it’s plausible. I believe the idea was to use this in stadiums and concerts where the local cell tower is overloaded and you needed an emergency way to communicate with your party. Would be cool also if Facebook steps up and makes a temporary internet connection by deploying some kind of balloon. I believe they were working on that.