Apple is facing pressure from the FCC and others to turn on the FM radio included in every iPhone. FCC chairman Ajit Pai has released a statement stating he hopes the company will “reconsider its position” on the matter in the wake of recent natural disasters.
FM radios are present in most phones, yet they’re disabled. During natural disasters, enabling them could give people access to very important weather reports and other useful info.
Not enabling them infringes upon the safety of consumers, so Pai believes it “is time for Apple to step up to the plate and put the safety of the American people first.”
Apple isn’t the only company making this choice, but it is the most important. 94% of smartphones that don’t have an activated FM radio are iPhones.
