FCC calls on Apple to activate FM chips in iPhones for public safety

New york (cnnmoney) - trump's top telecommunications authentic is calling on apple to take a step to reinforce public safety in natural screw ups.

there may be simply one trouble: apple says it cannot.

ajit pai, the chairman of the federal communications fee, urged apple to prompt the fm radio chips protected in its iphones to "permit individuals to get important get entry to to lifestyles-saving information."

whilst cellular carrier is going down, as is presently the case in plenty of puerto rico after storm maria, a cellphone may additionally nonetheless be able to select up the fm sign, if the chip is activated.

"apple is the only most important phone manufacturer that has resisted doing so. but i am hoping the company will rethink its function, given the devastation wrought with the aid of hurricanes harvey, irma, and maria," pai stated in a assertion.

the fcc chairman then quoted an editorial from a florida publication calling out apple ceo tim cook by using name after typhoon irma rammed through the nation. "as the solar sentinel of south florida placed it, 'do the proper component, mr. cook dinner. flip the switch. lives rely on it.'"

in reaction, apple stated its maximum current iphone fashions do not have that option.

"iphone 7 and iphone 8 fashions do not have fm radio chips in them nor do they've antennas designed to help fm alerts, so it isn't feasible to allow fm reception in these merchandise," apple stated in a announcement.

but, apple did now not say why it wouldn't bear in mind activating chips in older iphone models.

"there may be no motive from a generation factor of view not to do it," says jeff kagan, a telecom industry analyst. critics endorse that apple does now not need to undermine its own streaming carrier by activating the fm chip.

"apple cares deeply about the protection of our users, specifically at some point of times of disaster and that's why we've engineered cutting-edge protection answers into our merchandise," apple said in its announcement.

pai's remarks on apple come simply days after the fcc changed into criticized for now not doing enough to reply to the disaster in puerto rico and the latest hurricanes in texas and florida.