Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

FCC Chief Tells Apple To Turn on iPhone's FM Radio Chip (cnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the fair-concern dept.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai pushed Apple on Friday to activate the FM radio chips in the iPhone. From a report: In the wake of three major hurricanes that have wiped out communications for millions of people over the past month, Pai issued a statement urging Apple, one of the largest makers of cellphones in the US, to "reconsider its position, given the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria." FM radios that are already included in every phone could be used to access "life-saving information" during disasters, he said. For years the majority of smartphones sold in the US have included FM radios, but most of them have been turned off so that you couldn't use the function. Why? Mobile customers would be a lot less likely to subscribe to streaming music services if they could just listen to traditional, free broadcast radio. This incentive is especially true for Apple, which has a streaming music service. Apple said in a statement: "iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models do not have FM radio chips in them nor do they have antennas designed to support FM signals, so it is not possible to enable FM reception in these products."

3 of 235 comments (clear)

  1. Nothing to do with streaming services by Guspaz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    iPhones were shipping with the FM support disabled long before Apple Music or Spotify existed.

  2. Re:Turn it on, will not work by TexasDiaz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    When Apple removed the audio jack in the iPhone 7, they removed the ability to plug in an antenna to the device - in Android devices, you have to plug wired headphones into the audio jack to act as the antenna for the radio. But why would the FCC chairman blow smoke out his bunghole without speaking directly to them first? Is it some unwritten requirement that they have to publicly shame themselves rather than putting on their big-boy pants and actually directly talking to someone? It seems like if you're the head of the FCC you can find a technical contact at Apple to speak to before being an ass about it.

  3. The Cluelessness of the FCC Chair is Amazing! by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 4, Insightful

    In order to get FCC Approval, Apple has to submit not only samples of their "production-ready" Phones; but full documentation, including SCHEMATICS and SPECIFICATIONS...

    TO THE FUCKING FCC!!!

    But now, that same Clue-Free MORON has the temerity to attempt to make Apple look like "Bad Guys" that have simply REFUSED to "turn on" that which does not exist!

    And he Bloody-Well SHOULD have known that, BEFORE he even made his "Demand"!!!

    FFS! Our Tax Dollars at Work...