FCC chairman Ajit Pai released a forceful plea on Thursday for Apple to enable FM chips in its iPhones -- an action that would theoretically provide "vital life-saving information" to Americans in Puerto Rico and other storm-damaged areas.
Wireless networks and nearly the entire power grid covering P.R. were knocked offline in the wake of Hurricane Maria, and the New York Times reported that it could be up to six months before power is fully restored on the island. In his statement, Pai called activating FM chips a matter of public safety and he applauded the companies that have already done so.
"Apple is the one major phone manufacturer that has resisted doing so," Pai noted. "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."
But as Apple pointed out in a subsequent statement, none of its recent iterations of the iPhone are even equipped to pick up FM signals. Its most recent models, the 7 and 8, do not contain the chip, and TechCrunch reports that earlier models that had the chips actually lacked the needed antenna hardware to pick up the signals.
"Apple cares deeply about the safety of our users, especially during times of crisis and that’s why we have engineered modern safety solutions into our products," the company said. "Users can dial emergency services and access Medical ID card information directly from the Lock Screen, and we enable government emergency notifications, ranging from Weather Advisories to AMBER alerts. 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."
