The Philadelphia Inquirer is the latest print publication to call on Apple to make it easier for consumers to listen to FM Radio by flipping on the FM Chip and allowing NextRadio to pop up on iPhones, available for use without consuming data. Writer Jonathan Takiff wonders why it takes a catastrophe like a major storm for tech companies, like Apple, to do the right thing and act. “We have to ask hard questions. Are tech giants obligated to give their products upgrades that enhance the well-being of users in an emergency? Why does it take a calamity to get the big players and government watchdogs to act?”
What’s Verizon’s status? I just left them after 30 years because they wouldn’t turn the chip on on the SAME phone I have now with Sprint who does have it activated. The phone BTW is the LG20. Blamed everyone (the phone manufacturer, the Next Radio app) except for the one really at fault-them. I even emailed the President of the company because I saw something somewhere on the internet where someone did that and actually got their problem solved. So I tried. I got nothing but the run around. If we could get Verizon and Apple on board then all the major players would be represented.
Well maybe in a future iphone (but doubt it), as apple predicted this in the past and did away with a wired set of ear buds and went to Bluetooth ear buds. (No wire to be used as an antenna, no local radio, so apple just did away with the chip.) This is according to another story I read when asked why they did not turn it on. They said they no longer had a radio chip. They sure don’t want to kill their cash cow with apple music.