FCC Urges Apple to Protect Safety of Americans by Activating FM Radio Chip in iPhones [Updated]

[flat five]

Perhaps you've never experienced a major natural or manmade disaster, but many of us have. It's not uncommon to lose cell service, if not right away, then after a few days when the tower generators run dry.

yes.. i lived in Florida for 25 years.
taken more than one direct hit.. (and one of them-- exactly direct.. was in the eye.. (side note-- which is awesome by-the-way))
many more indirect hits.. long standing power outages.. bad water.. etc.
-
also.. manmade.. major blackout in NYC / northeast.
let's see.. there was also NYC sept11 2001. (Manhattan)

but reality is, i've likely been directly in more of these types of emergency scenarios than those who are arguing against me. (not that this is necessarily a strong point--- just sayin tho)

Believe us when we say that being able to get news becomes very important, and over the air radio/TV is about all you have.

part one-- ok, i believe you..
part two-- yeah, i know.. and it sucks.. needs to be better.. and can be with improved cell service (or alternative networks)

You want to know what has happened, what is coming next. Where gas or food or water can be gotten. Where to go for help. What services are still available and when they might be coming back.

thanks for the tips.
but as outlined above, i've been there.. multiple times.
[doublepost=1506645090][/doublepost]

So wait...you're saying that there aren't any cell towers but in fact they do have one working radio station (not to mention what could be set up at sea)? My point exactly.

spotty cell service.. one radio station. (ie- nothing, cell nor radio, which covered the island)

(but actual reason for commenting is to say you probably shouldn't go out to sea during a hurricane to broadcast FM back to shore)
; )

 

[triptolemus]

It's not technically impossible. Apple just chooses to not make phones with headphone jacks anymore. It might be impossible on existing phones with no jack, but going forward? No. Again its a choice on Apple's part, not some insurmountable technical issue.

Yeah, it is a choice on Apple's part. And so what? Or should the government start mandating Apple (and JUST Apple, according to Ajit Pai's statement) include FM radio in the iPhone? Maybe the government should mandate FM radio be in my toaster too. Putting FM radio into iPhone solves literally next to nothing. It is a political move by the head of the FCC, who has proven himself consumer-averse and technically inept.

But hey, if you want the government to starting regulating feature sets in consumer products, I'm sure you won't mind when the government comes around and tells you how to run your affairs.

 

[flat five]

Why would that happen? Your phone would remain as it is, you'd just have an option to use it to listen to radio should you choose to use it (during an emergency or not). Kind of like there's the Podcast app on your phone which you can choose to use to listen to podcasts or never use at all--it doesn't change anything about what the phone can do or can't do or how you can use it.

ok.. just so we're clear.. i'm in this thread talking about what the thread is about..
ie

Pai said he hopes Apple will "reconsider its position" following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, which have devastated parts of the United States, including Florida and Texas, and Caribbean islands like Barbuda, Dominica, and Puerto Rico.

Powerful storms can leave thousands or millions of people without power or cellular service for weeks or even months, and over-the-air FM radio can provide vital access to weather alerts and other life-saving information.

Pai added that "it is time for Apple to step up to the plate and put the safety of the American people first."​

this isn't about whether or not a casual user should or shouldn't be able to listen to hot97 via FM signal at their picnic..

it's about a U.S Government official saying "it is time for Apple to step up to the plate and put the safety of the American people first."

to which i'm responding--- "No! this is not an acceptable solution.. it's not really a solution at all"
you see?

 

[triptolemus]

Some on here also seem to think that you're automatically going to be close to your house or car in the event of an emergency. Ask those in NYC during 9/11 or those that have gone through earthquakes and tornados if you always have an FM radio handy. Some disasters are not like hurricanes that you have a week to prepare.

You realize you have the option of carrying a portable am/fm radio with you in the exact same manner as you carry your phone?

Problem solved: https://www.amazon.com/Eton-Compact...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=11TCXPB91XSHWC1BGSR9

Now, would you carry that around? Why not? Because it's next to useless, that's why.

 

[flat five]

Except it won't be magically converted over to an FM radio. My smart phone is still a smart phone even if I use a pair of wired headphones to get FM signal.

I don't think you know what you're talkng about.

and i don't think you're understanding what i'm saying.. because what i'm saying does not deserve a response as your first two sentences.. do you really think i don't know that?

seriously, do you really not understand what i'm getting at here?

like, paraphrase back to me what i'm saying.. just to see if we're even close to being on a conversation level or completely missing each other when talking.

 

[Michael Goff]

and i don't think you're understanding what i'm saying.. because what i'm saying does not deserve a response as your first two sentences.. do you really think i don't know that?

seriously, do you really not understand what i'm getting at here?

like, paraphrase back to me what i'm saying.. just to see if we're even close to being on a conversation level or completely missing each other when talking.

I'm assuming you think that using the FM radio will somehow not allow you to use regular smartphone features. Otherwise, it's like saying you don't want something extra for no good reason.

 

[flat five]

Apparently flat five wrote the official Apple response.

except i'm not even talking about Apple at all here..
but still, funny so i gave it a like : )
[doublepost=1506646204][/doublepost]

I'm assuming you think that using the FM radio will somehow not allow you to use regular smartphone features.

well, i'm definitely not saying nor thinking that.
and there's no need for me to repeat what i said that past few pages.. if you're actually interested in conversing then you'll go back and re-read it while knowing 'ok, this ff dude does understand if FM radio were enabled on his 6s, that his phone would act exactly the same as it currently does.'

 

[jeremiah256]

I can't believe there are people here actually upset over the idea to provide people with additional communication during an emergency. The more ways you have, the better. But no, let's throw all our eggs into one cell tower basket.

Seriously, what argument is there to giving people more options here? Geez. Maybe if you were stranded somewhere with no cell service you naysayers would understand. One way communication is better than nothing at all.

Speaking only for myself, I'm not upset about additional communication avenues during an emergency. What I'm throwing the BS flag on is that Chairman Pai is taking a stand on one of the least helpful means of assisting people during an emergency and attempting to make it seem like he's doing good for the public.

He's attempting to avoid the government responsibility in general, and his in particular, when it comes to managing service providers when it comes to emergency communications. The current Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system is voluntary for the providers. They are lobbying, hard, not to expand their systems to include the ability to better target those in danger (if you're near, but not in a tornado zone, the provider's tower shouldn't send out that alert, scaring people needlessly), ability for users to sign up for multi-language support, ability to expand on the ability (fought by providers) to dial 911 even without a SIM and allow wireless access to links so that additional information (closest shelter, for example, or local phone numbers for aid) can be obtained, etc. He's avoiding the real life-saving measures and going for minimum measures to throw off the public.

Except for when it isn't. Also, there is definitely the potential situation where those cell towers are running at first, but later stop working because their batteries have been depleted. There are way too many cell towers for crews to run around to addressing this issue, particularly if roads are impassable. And the distance covered by cell towers is quite small. Meanwhile, radio covers a wide wide area and you don't have to run all over town trying to power individual cells.

Again, if your phone can receive radio, great. It's is a differentiator and a choice you should consider if you truly believe it's a game changer. And if Apple decides going forward to hardwire up the chip so that their iPhones can be used for FM, again, wonderful. Hugs for all. But, if Pai truly gave a crap, and wasn't just trying to pass the buck after attracting attention from Congress on his agency's response to the disasters we're going though, there are other, much more substantial changes he could push.

 

[winston1236]

I immediately discredit anything Ajit has to say so whatever he is for I'm mostly likely against.

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

(but actual reason for commenting is to say you probably shouldn't go out to sea during a hurricane to broadcast FM back to shore)

Wow. You just don't get this at all do you? I wasn't suggesting that a radio station broadcast offshore during a hurricane, but rather as part of the relief effort afterwards if all the cell towers and existing radio towers are destroyed just like all the other boats arriving to the island to help.

Maybe the government should mandate FM radio be in my toaster too.

Do you carry your toaster around with you everywhere you go? Does your toaster fit in your pocket?

Putting FM radio into iPhone solves literally next to nothing.

Next to nothing is not nothing though. I don't know why anyone would reject potential lifesaving help. Seems rather shortsighted to me.

 

[Tech198]

This is assuming we all listen to the radio over watching the news.

 

[Swift]

I honestly never even knew the iPhone had FM radio capabilities. It would be cool to be able to listen to FM radio with the iPhone. "Competition with Apple Music" seems like a flimsy reason to leave it deactivated, though.

It doesn't. It had a commodity chip that could have, but Apple never connected it or built an antenna for it. And that chip no longer exists in the iPhone 7 or 8. It's not "flipping a switch." Maybe the commissioner should look after the dismal record his agency has responding to the near-total lack of communications in Puerto Rico.

 

[ke-iron]

Is this guy serious? Apple has never advertised the iPhone or used the iPhone as a radio, and the only reason we know some iPhones had FM capabilities was because we do tear downs etc. Most people who bought an iPhone bought it to be used as advertised and intended, they didn’t buy it because they thought they might be able to use the radio some day. He will have people believe Apple is to blame here, for a feature they didn’t sell to you. That man needs to step down for such a moronic statement.

 

[Swift]

An FM tuner chip is useless unless it can be connected to a suitable antenna. There is no headphone jack, and there may be no RF signal path from the Lightning jack, making any FM tuner circuit on the chip useless.

And on the 7 and 8, non-existent because they no longer use the same chip. Maybe he could have phoned up Apple instead of this grandstanding.

 

[Tech198]

Wait a second... I'm Australian... why should i be interested in this ? Could that mean only U.S iPhone can enable this? and leave all other non-U.S people happy, as it only affects the U.S.

 

[triptolemus]

Do you carry your toaster around with you everywhere you go? Does your toaster fit in your pocket?

It is impossible to have an adult conversation with you when you simply cherry-pick lines from posts. You conveniently ignored the portable am/fm radio linked in my post.

You're not making any real points, just a bunch of noise. I'm done.

 

[C DM]

ok.. just so we're clear.. i'm in this thread talking about what the thread is about..
ie

Pai said he hopes Apple will "reconsider its position" following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, which have devastated parts of the United States, including Florida and Texas, and Caribbean islands like Barbuda, Dominica, and Puerto Rico.

Powerful storms can leave thousands or millions of people without power or cellular service for weeks or even months, and over-the-air FM radio can provide vital access to weather alerts and other life-saving information.

Pai added that "it is time for Apple to step up to the plate and put the safety of the American people first."​

this isn't about whether or not a casual user should or shouldn't be able to listen to hot97 via FM signal at their picnic..

it's about a U.S Government official saying "it is time for Apple to step up to the plate and put the safety of the American people first."

to which i'm responding--- "No! this is not an acceptable solution.. it's not really a solution at all"
you see?

This has nothing to do with wording or solution, but in response to a few posts that were made as far as the phone simply being able to support radio:

here is a key point (bold) that i think you're not considering what's being said:


i'm not saying anything against that or nothing like "FM radio stations / capabilities need to go away.. they are worthless"..
ok? are we clear on that bit now?

i'm saying this ---
if i'm using an iPhone during an emergency then i want to use the freaking iPhone.
do you understand?

i don't want my smart phone to convert to an FM radio during event of emergency.. i want it to remain a smart phone..

if i want to use an FM radio during crisis then i'll do that too.. just like you can.. nobody is trying to take that ability away from you in this thread.. but some of your responses seem like that's what you're reading people as saying.

i thought it might be obvious what i meant but to spell it out more clearly---

i don't want my smart phone to EFFECTIVELY convert to an FM radio during event of emergency.. i want it to remain a smart phone..​

you see what i meant?

 

[Williesleg]

An FM tuner chip is useless unless it can be connected to a suitable antenna. There is no headphone jack, and there may be no RF signal path from the Lightning jack, making any FM tuner circuit on the chip useless.

Actually you don't need a good antenna to receive FM. You do need a tuned antenna to transmit though.
Why is Apple lying about their chipset?

 

[JamesPDX]

So, how is this of any great utility than the Emergency Broadcasts and Amber Alerts, etc that we already get on our phones? I smell "Patriot-Act-Grade" Freedom: A backdoor has probably been found into iOS and Android via the FM band.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202743
https://www.imore.com/amber-alerts-your-iphone-what-they-are-and-how-manage-them

It just seems like misdirection from more pressing issues: http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/27/us/puerto-rico-aid-problem/index.html

 

[ke-iron]

Actually you don't need a good antenna to receive FM. You do need a tuned antenna to transmit though.
Why is Apple lying about their chipset?

You really think Apple is lying? They have nothing to lose, they wouldn’t lie

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

It is impossible to have an adult conversation with you when you simply cherry-pick lines from posts.

If the conversation isn't adult enough for you, maybe you shouldn't be dragging silly irrelevant things like toasters into the conversation. Don't complain when someone points out the fallacy of such an argument. Don't like your own words? Don't write them.

 

[BorderingOn]

True, but I had long argued with BAKOM util they agreed that my smartphone is a work device. I'm not sure that my arguments would fly if it had a radio.

An iPhone IS a radio transceiver! A FM radio is a receiver only.

 

[Strelok]

Unless you've had to deal with a hurricane other disaster, please stop posting. If you really have to prep for a hurricane, having an extra FM transmitter/radio lying around is more beneficial than relying on your smartphone. I would rather preserve my smartphone for when the cell towers come back up, which is usually pretty quick if you don't live on an island or 3rd world country.

 

[Tech198]

An iPhone IS a radio transceiver! A FM radio is a receiver only.

wireless RF ya.

 

[kdarling]

it's about a U.S Government official saying "it is time for Apple to step up to the plate and put the safety of the American people first."
to which i'm responding--- "No! this is not an acceptable solution.. it's not really a solution at all". you see?

But, if Pai truly gave a crap, and wasn't just trying to pass the buck after attracting attention from Congress on his agency's response to the disasters we're going though, there are other, much more substantial changes he could push.

Okay, gentlemen, what alternative changes do you propose, that would be anywhere near as easy to implement cheaply and widely?

This is assuming we all listen to the radio over watching the news.

Cell phone modems already come with FM radio support. They do not come with broadcast digital TV support.

So, how is this of any great utility than the Emergency Broadcasts and Amber Alerts, etc that we already get on our phones?

Uh, the whole point is for everyone with a smartphone to have a way to receive emergency news and alerts if the cell system is down. What you mentioned requires a working cell system.

I smell "Patriot-Act-Grade" Freedom: A backdoor has probably been found into iOS and Android via the FM band.

No.