how do I enable the FM receiver on my iPhone 6

Filmfisher wrote:

You said why? Really? Because all you mentioned above is for entertainment and uses WiFi or Data to operate. I guess you are not informed. The FM Chip is for EMERGENCIES. It does not use WiFi or Data, picks up local FM stations when there is no cell signal or WiFi like in a disaster. Most all smartphones have them, even Apple. They have not turned it on, where Samsung has.

Lawrence said it far better than I. FM is no longer the only (or in all cases the best) way of notifying people of emergencies. And, if you think it is, you need something with longer battery life than any cell phone.

I understand you want FM radio. I also understand that you will keep finding reasons to justify why Apple should provide it to you. But the bottom line is that Apple has not and is under no obligation to do so. The fact that they have not has no impact on your ability to provide for your own safety.

And, not all Samsung phones have FM enabled.

The point is not to be able to use FM radio, the point is to have it available as a last resort, since nobody is going to carry an FM radio around in their back pocket. AND the hardware is already in place, merely deactivated.

Jonny_Ray wrote:

AND the hardware is already in place, merely deactivated.

That is simply wrong. The hardware is NOT "already in place, merely deactivated." If that were the case then there would be hackers who would figure out how to activate it in the almost 10 years that iPhones with the Broadcom chip have been around. As they have with some Android phones. Yes, there is a circuit that can tune the FM band within the Broadcom radio chip. BUT IT DOESN'T CONNECT TO ANYTHING. No antenna connection; no connection for tuning signals; no connection to get the audio out of it. "Merely" activating it means redesigning the logic board to make those connections available outside of the chip. It isn't going to happen, no matter how many times you and others make the false claim that it is "merely deactivated."

warrens50 wrote:

Second, who wants to or can pay for audio entertainment all of the time that is disconnected with no local touch. Third, Apple needs to do a major overhaul of iTunes and Music. These two apps alone cause more frustration than any other app out produced. Having a simple scrolling L-R or Up-Down set of virtual buttons to tune to FM stations and the builtin volume control would be a blessing.

So tell Apple as has been said before in this thread.

Jonny_Ray wrote:

The point is not to be able to use FM radio, the point is to have it available as a last resort, since nobody is going to carry an FM radio around in their back pocket. AND the hardware is already in place, merely deactivated.

You obviously have not been reading the thread...all 7 pages of it...

I love how you replied with such certainty and authority even though you were completely incorrect. The Qualcomm LTE chip inside iPhones and virtually every other smartphone has an FM tuner built in by default. Also, a tethered headphone set provides a more than adequate antenna. I was one of the few that bought a Microsoft Zune years ago because it had FM capability and reception was flawless.

I've noticed that the less people know, the more certain they are about things they don't understand. Yes, the chip has FM capabilities. But to use those capabilities it needs several connections from the chip to the outside world for antenna, control, and audio out. Those connections don't exist in iOS devices. So the fact that the chip supports FM is irrelevant. It's trapped inside. I'd like to recommend a novel to you: Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun. If you read it you will have some idea of the state of the poor FM tuner in that chip.

ElTorpedo wrote:

I love how you replied with such certainty and authority even though you were completely incorrect. The Qualcomm LTE chip inside iPhones and virtually every other smartphone has an FM tuner built in by default.

I think you mean "literally" but even so, you're wrong. Some other phones do. Some don't.

According to the

FCC chairman

Wired

And Mac rumors ALL cell phones have a fm reciever coupled to the LTE MODEM. Which in turn would allow it to be used as an fm reciever. The head of the FCC has stated this would be extremely useful in emergency situations and cellular outages. While I am usaually skeptical WIRED MAGAZINES article on this give it some credibility.

cranedog10 wrote:

According to the

FCC chairman

Wired

And Mac rumors ALL cell phones have a fm reciever coupled to the LTE MODEM. Which in turn would allow it to be used as an fm reciever. The head of the FCC has stated this would be extremely useful in emergency situations and cellular outages. While I am usaually skeptical WIRED MAGAZINES article on this give it some credibility.

"Would allow it" if the FM receiver were hooked up to an antenna. This has been explained repeatedly in this thread. Regardless of what may or may not be inside your iPhone, you can't use it to receive FM radio. There's nothing you can do to change that.

Here is an experiment. Get an FM radio. Verify that it works. Now seal it into a metal box, so that no part of it is exposed outside the box. Now turn it on - oops, you can't reach the controls to turn it on, so that's out. Try again. Turn it on BEFORE you put it in the box, then seal the box. How are you going to change the station? How will you hear the sound? Of course, there won't be any sound, because there is no antenna outside the box. This describes a smartphone with a chip in it that can receive FM. It's there, but there are no connections for an antenna, no connections to tune it, no connections to get the audio out.

But there is a really simple solution! For under $10 you can buy an FM radio. You can even buy a set of headphones with a built in FM radio that you can also use as the headphones for your smartphone. It will be extremely useful in emergency situations and cellular outages. It will work even after the battery in your phone has died, which will happen in a few hours in an emergency.

Here is just one example: Amazon.com: Kshion Wireless Card FM Stereo Radio Function MP3 Sports Headset Earphone (Black): Cell Phones & Accessories. This is a headset for $7 that includes an FM radio, MP3 player, and Bluetooth so it can be used with any smartphone, and even has controls for the smartphone on it so you can take calls with it.

Lawrence Finch wrote:

Here is an experiment. Get an FM radio. Verify that it works. Now seal it into a metal box, so that no part of it is exposed outside the box. Now turn it on - oops, you can't reach the controls to turn it on, so that's out. Try again. Turn it on BEFORE you put it in the box, then seal the box. How are you going to change the station? How will you hear the sound? Of course, there won't be any sound, because there is no antenna outside the box. This describes a smartphone with a chip in it that can receive FM. It's there, but there are no connections for an antenna, no connections to tune it, no connections to get the audio out.

I like that analogy. It makes things pretty simple to understand. In theory.

IdrisSeabright wrote:

I like that analogy. It makes things pretty simple to understand. In theory.

Good luck with getting the obstinate ones, whose only here intent is to flog the perrenial dead horse, to understand a simple concept. Kudos to you and Lawrence for trying. As always I tip my (virtual) hat to you both.

FelipeV wrote:

IdrisSeabright wrote:

I like that analogy. It makes things pretty simple to understand. In theory.

Good luck with getting the obstinate ones, whose only here intent is to flog the perrenial dead horse, to understand a simple concept. Kudos to you and Lawrence for trying. As always I tip my (virtual) hat to you both.

When I worked in retail (for way too long), I discovered the when people kept repeatedly saying "That doesn't make sense" or "I don't understand that" no matter how much you explained, what was really going on was that they were trying to get a different answer, not understand the real answer. There's generally no helping those people. They get mad because you couldn't "explain the problem". You get frustrated because they wouldn't listen. No win/no win.

Yeah sorry people missed the antennae bit but was responding to that there is no FM RADIO. I was fingering through some stuff and read a More than a few posts. I totally get the fact that w/o an antena it is useless. The point still remains that this would provide added functionality especially in emergency situations. Back in the day, I had a device called FM shark which was a usb fm tuner for pc, not really that great quality but a better user interface than traditional radio. I think a large part of the confusion is resulting from local radio adds that state this exact thing. They are even calling for people to call their service providers to tell them to enable said functionality. So thanks for setting the record straight. While there is an FM module it is hobbled by the lack of antenna and iOs functionality.