Earlier this week Firefox announced its upcoming "Quantum" browser that will bring twice the internet browsing speeds when it launches on November 14. Ahead of that major update, the company is now releasing a few minor additions to Firefox on desktop that will let you save screenshots, share content more easily between your computer and smartphone, and more.
Screenshots allow you to capture any area within the Firefox browser without needing to download new software. After tapping a "Screenshot" button, Firefox presents a new interface where you can customize the specific part of the page you want to take a shot of, or let Firefox automatically detect the area you want, and then click save.
You can save the screenshot to the web and generate a URL for easy sharing, or download the file to your computer. Firefox will also keep track of all the screenshots in a new "My Shots" folder, saving images automatically for two weeks.
"Send Tabs" allows you to two-finger click on a tab open on Mac and select "Send tab to..." and choose between synced iPhone and iPad devices, which will then have the same tab ready for you in the mobile Firefox app. The same function can be repeated in reverse, and is supported by PCs and Android smartphones as well. Firefox also ensured that Send Tabs is encrypted end-to-end, so "even Mozilla can't decrypt it."
The last new feature is coming to the United States first and aims to make filling out address forms easier, allowing you to complete online forms on shopping sites and relief organizations through a dropdown menu.
After you fill out the relevant information once on Firefox, the browser will ask to automatically save the field information to "Saved Addresses," which will then resurface when another website asks for similar data. You can save multiple addresses, which Firefox said should be useful for information like where you work, your home, and addresses of family members when you send gifts.
These updates are available in the latest version of Firefox, which you can download now from the Firefox website.
Apple today shared an iPhone X environmental report, detailing the smartphone's environmental performance as it relates to climate change, energy efficiency, material efficiency, and restricted substances.
The report reveals that the base model iPhone X generates an equivalent of 79 kilograms of carbon dioxide over its life cycle, which is the highest estimated greenhouse gas emissions of any Apple smartphone since the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. 80 percent of the emissions come from production of the device.
A comparison of Apple's estimated greenhouse gas emissions for each iPhone model:
iPhone X: 79kg CO2e
iPhone 8: 57kg CO2e
iPhone 8 Plus: 68kg CO2e
iPhone 7: 56kg CO2e
iPhone 7 Plus: 67kg CO2e
iPhone 6s: 54kg CO2e
iPhone 6s Plus: 63kg CO2e
iPhone 6: 95kg CO2e
iPhone 6 Plus: 110kg CO2e
iPhone 5s: 65kg CO2e
Apple said the iPhone X's U.S. retail packaging contains 55 percent recycled content. 100 percent of the fiber in the device's box is sourced either from recycled content, bamboo, waste sugarcane, or responsibly managed forests.
Like other models, the iPhone X has a mercury-free display made with arsenic-free glass, and it's also free of BFR, PVC, and beryllium.
iPhone X received a highest-possible gold rating from EPEAT, a program that ranks mobile phones based on environmental attributes in accordance with UL 110. All models since the iPhone SE have also achieved gold ratings.
Apple is continuing to expand manufacturing efforts related to the production of its own chips, according to a new report today by Nikkei, which stated that the company aims to "better compete" in the artificial intelligence field and reduce reliance on major suppliers like Intel and Qualcomm. Nikkei's sources said Apple's interest lies in building "core processors for notebooks, modem chips for iPhones, and a chip that integrates touch, fingerprint and display driver functions."
Apple has reportedly "invested in research and development" for baseband modem chips -- currently sourced from Intel and Qualcomm -- which are required for cellular communication features on Apple's mobile devices. Analysts pointed towards Apple's legal fight with Qualcomm, and its poaching of Qualcomm modem chip engineer Esin Terzioglu, as examples to bolster the theory that the Cupertino company is ready to build its own modem chips.
Building its own core processor chips for MacBooks would reduce Apple's dependence on Intel, with two industry sources stating that Apple would instead build its notebook chips using ARM Holding's technology, a British company that designs ARM architecture and licenses it out to other companies. Apple's interest in designing chips that integrate touch, fingerprint and display driver functions is said to be because the company "wants to control next-generation display technology and some related key components."
Multiple analysts provided theories behind Apple's move to design more of its own chips for its products, which included staying on the forefront of artificial intelligence, lowering production costs, better protecting proprietary technology, and more.
"By designing its own chips, Apple can better differentiate itself from others. Further, depending too much on other chip suppliers in the age of artificial intelligence will deter its development," said Mark Li, a Hong Kong-based analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein.
"We believe that more system houses will design their own chips. The purposes are to develop and protect their proprietary technology information, to make more efficient chips for their unique need, to lower [costs] and to do inventory control better and keep all logistic operation confidentially," Samuel Wang, a U.S.-based analyst at research company Gartner, said..
Apple has long designed and built the core processing chips found in iPhones and iPads, but this year reports began to emerge of the company's hope to expand the amount of internal iOS device components that it creates on its own. In April, Apple informed Imagination Technology that it would stop using its graphics technology over the next two years, aiming to make its own graphics processing chips and lessen its reliance on the supplier. Less official was a prediction by analyst Karsten Iltgen that Apple would drop Dialog Semiconductor from its supply chain and move to its own in-house power management chips for iPhones by 2019.
This week, Apple was part of a consortium that purchased Toshiba's much-sought-after NAND memory chip unit for $17.7 billion, another move that will eventually allow Apple to be less reliant on other suppliers for device components. Still, many of Apple's in-house chip production lines are many years off, with analyst Mark Li stating that it's "unlikely" Apple will be able to debut its own components -- specifically referring to the modem chips -- within the next two years.
Uber has rolled out an update to its iOS app that enables riders to learn basic sign language on the go so they can communicate better with deaf and hard-of-hearing drivers.
Uber announced the new feature in a post on its website, where it said the ride-hailing service had "thousands" of deaf drivers in the United States alone, and that the update was in support of National Deaf Awareness Month.
Riders will see a special card in the Uber feed. Once they tap it, they'll be taken to a page where they can select the basics, like "Hello" and "Thank You," or spell out their name. They'll then be given a GIF with the word(s) in ASL. That way, they can better communicate with their Deaf or Hard of Hearing driver, because signing "Thank You" or "Hello" in ASL can go a long way.
Uber has actually included interface features for its hard of hearing drivers for the last couple of years, such as flashing screens for ride requests instead of audible notifications, and allowing drivers to receive texts rather than calls. But the latest feature, which currently only works in the U.S., will surely come as a welcome addition.
The Uber app is a free download for iPhone available on the App Store. [Direct Link]
Google is working on a tabletop smart screen for video calling and more that will go up against Amazon's Echo Show, according to sources who spoke to TechCrunch.
The Google device is internally codenamed "Manhattan" and will have a screen size similar to the 7-inch Echo Show, said two sources, one of whom reportedly received information directly from a Google employee. The device is said to run a version of Android, meaning it could be capable of running third-party apps, with Netflix being mooted as a possibility.
Amazon's Echo Show device.
Both sources claim the device will offer access to Google Assistant, Google Photos, and YouTube – which goes some ways to explaining why the latter video service was unceremoniously pulled from Amazon's Echo Show on Tuesday.
Google's device will also reportedly work as a smart hub for controlling other connected smart home gadgets and appliances, similar to Amazon's new Echo Plus speaker unveiled earlier this week.
According to TechCrunch's sources, the original target launch date for the Manhattan device was mid-2018, but Google is apparently under intense pressure to get the product out the door before the end of this year, given that the Echo Show is already on the market. Google has a hardware event scheduled for October 4, but it's unclear if the device will make an appearance.
Other rumors floating about suggest the tech giant is readying an upmarket version of its Google Home smart speaker to rival Apple's upcoming $350 HomePod. Known internally as "Google Home Max", the "premium" device is said to feature stereo speakers housed in a high-quality design.
Thanks to leaks, we already know that Google will announce a mini version of its Google Home speaker at its hardware event, alongside new Pixel smartphones and a rebranded Google Pixelbook. But there's also talk of $159 Google-branded Bluetooth earbuds on the way with Google Assistant built-in.
Whatever the exact line-up of products the company drops on October 4, stay tuned to MacRumors for a full summary immediately following the event next week.
Following yesterday's news of the death of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, Cult of Mac chose to highlight the magazine's 1985 Steve Jobs interview, which still remains one of the most insightful reads about the early life and influences of the late Apple co-founder.
Quite apart from its centerfolds, Playboy magazine built an enviable literary legacy and earned a reputation for serious journalism in its 60-plus years, carrying interviews with such notable figures as Martin Luther King Jr, Stanley Kubrick, Bette Davis, and Miles Davis.
The year that Jobs was forced out of Apple and started NeXT Computer, he sat down with the magazine to share his enthusiasm for computers, his hopes for the future, and the early days of the internet. The interview was conducted by David Sheff. Some choice quotes appear below, but you can read the full interview here.
Steve Jobs on losing $250,000,000 in one year on the stock market:
I'm not going to let it ruin my life. Isn't it kind of funny? You know, my main reaction to this money thing is that it's humorous, all the attention to it, because it's hardly the most insightful or valuable thing that’s happened to me in the past ten years. But it makes me feel old, sometimes, when I speak at a campus and I find that what students are most in awe of is the fact that I’m a millionaire.
When I went to school, it was right after the Sixties and before this general wave of practical purposefulness had set in. Now students aren't even thinking in idealistic terms, or at least nowhere near as much. They certainly are not letting any of the philosophical issues of the day take up too much of their time as they study their business majors. The idealistic wind of the Sixties was still at our backs, though, and most of the people I know who are my age have that engrained in them forever.
On his relationship with Steve Wozniak in 70s California:
I think Woz was in a world that nobody understood. No one shared his interests, and he was a little ahead of his time. It was very lonely for him. He's driven from inner sights rather than external expectations of him, so he survived OK. Woz and I are different in most ways, but there are some ways in which we're the same, and we're very close in those ways. We're sort of like two planets in their own orbits that every so often intersect. It wasn't just computers, either. Woz and I very much liked Bob Dylan's poetry, and we spent a lot of time thinking about a lot of that stuff. This was California. You could get LSD fresh made from Stanford. You could sleep on the beach at night with your girlfriend. California has a sense of experimentation and a sense of openness—openness to new possibilities.
On the problem of new technologies overtaking the old:
That's inevitably what happens. That's why I think death is the most wonderful invention of life. It purges the system of these old models that are obsolete. I think that's one of Apple's challenges, really. When two young people walk in with the next thing, are we going to embrace it and say this is fantastic? Are we going to be willing to drop our models, or are we going to explain it away? I think we'll do better, because we're completely aware of it and we make it a priority.
On why people will buy computers in the future:
The most compelling reason for most people to buy a computer for the home will be to link it into a nationwide communications network. We're just in the beginning stages of what will be a truly remarkable breakthrough for most people — as remarkable as the telephone.
Popular PlayStation game Flower, created by thatgamecompany, made its way to iOS devices in a surprise release this morning. Flower, first released in 2009, was published on iOS by Annapurna Interactive.
In Flower, gameplay consists of controlling gusts of wind with the aim of blowing a flower petal around the world and picking up additional flower petals as you go. As flower petals swirl and gust through the game, the world experiences small changes, like a windmill activating or a field of dead flowers coming to life.
As our sister site TouchArcade points out, Flower is meant to be a casual, relaxing "experience" game that's almost more like art. There is no text or dialogue in Flower, and the sole aim of the game is to make players happy while they play it.
The company behind Flower, thatgamecompany, was recently seen on stage at Apple's September 2017 event to show off its most recent title, Sky. Sky is a romantic multi-player flying game where players soar through the world and work together to uncover new areas to explore. It's coming soon to iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.
Flower is available today and can be downloaded from the App Store for $4.99. [Direct Link]
Apple this week released its latest transparency report [PDF] outlining government data requests received from January 1, 2017 to June 30, 2017.
In the United States, Apple received 4,479 requests for 8,958 devices and provided data 80 percent of the time (in 3,565 cases). Worldwide, Apple received 30,814 requests for data from 233,052 devices and provided data 80 percent of the time (in 23,856 cases).
Overall demands for data were slightly down compared to requests during the same time period last year, but Apple disclosed a much higher number of national security requests that include orders received under FISA and National Security Letters. According to Apple, to date, it has not received any orders for bulk data.
Apple says it received 13,250 - 13,499 National Security Orders affecting 9,000 to 9,249 accounts. That’s up from 2,750 - 2,999 orders affecting 2,000 to 2,249 accounts received during the first half of 2016.
Though Apple attempts to be as transparent as possible in its reports, the government does not allow the company to release specific details when it comes to the number of National Security requests received, instead requiring a number range to be provided to customers. Apple uses the narrowest range permissible by law.
Apple lately has been making more of an effort to be clearer about the type of information governments around the world have asked for, and its last two reports, this one included, have been highly detailed.
Along with the total number of device requests and National Security Orders, Apple also provides data on a range of categories covering government requests for emergencies such as missing children, requests related to stolen devices, fraud requests, account deletion/restriction requests, civil non-government cases and account preservation requests, all of which can be viewed directly in the report.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Following a series of natural disasters that have impacted tens of thousands of people in the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean, Apple employees and customers have raised more than $13 million to provide shelter, food, and clean water in areas devastated by earthquakes and hurricanes.
Apple shared the update in a news post released this morning. Funds have been raised in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, which impacted Texas and Louisiana, Hurricane Irma, which hit the Gulf Coast, Florida Keys, and several Caribbean Islands, Hurricane Maria, which hit Puerto Rico, and earthquakes that hit Mexico.
Along with raising money, many Apple employees stepped up to volunteer for recovery efforts, running food drives, opening their homes, transporting clean water, and more.
Apple is continuing to raise money for relief efforts in Puerto Rico and other U.S. communities by accepting donations to the American Red Cross and the Hand in Hand hurricane relief benefit, with customers already having raised more than $2 million.
Employee donations to the American Red Cross, Hand in Hand, GlobalGiving, and UNICEF are being matched two-to-one by Apple, and the company says that it donated $1 million to the American Red Cross and UNICEF for Hurricane Maria relief and $1 million to GlobalGiving for earthquake recovery efforts in Mexico.
These donations are on top of several other donations Apple has made over the course of the last month. Apple donated $5 million to the Hand in Hand benefit for hurricane relief efforts, and another $2 million to help Hurricane Harvey victims.
iTunes and App Store customers can easily donate by clicking on the American Red Cross banner in the respective stores and choosing an amount to donate.
Apple today released the first beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 update to developers, one day after seeding the update to developers and a few days after releasing the new High Sierra operating system to the public.
Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will be able to download the new macOS High Sierra beta through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.
Those who want to be a part of Apple's beta testing program can sign up to participate through the beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas.
macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 appears to focus primarily on bug fixes, performance improvements, security enhancements, and other under-the-hood updates. No major outward-facing features were found in the developer beta.
macOS High Sierra is an update that's designed to improve and refine macOS Sierra. Along with a new, more efficient file system designed for modern storage, the update introduces High Efficiency Video Encoding (HEVC aka H.265).
Many apps have small tweaks and feature updates in High Sierra. Photos features a new persistent side view and editing tools for Curves, Selective Color, and Live Photos, while Safari offers a new autoplay blocking feature for videos and Intelligent Tracking Prevention to protect your privacy.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 11.1 update to its public beta testing group, one day after seeding the tvOS 11.1 update to developers and a little over a week after releasing tvOS 11 to the public.
The tvOS 11.1 public beta can be obtained by going to the Settings app on the Apple TV and navigating to the Software Updates section under "System." "Get Public Beta Updates" will need to be toggled on, and once it is, the Apple TV will download the beta software.
No new features were discovered in the first developer beta of tvOS 11.1, so the update seems to focus primarily on bug fixes, performance improvements, and security fixes.
The latest version of the tvOS operating system, tvOS 11 brings features like automatic switching between light and dark mode based on local time, Home screen syncing options designed to keep multiple Apple TVs in a single household in sync, and new background modes and notification support.
Apple today released the first public beta of iOS 11.1 to its public beta testing group, just a day after seeding the beta to developers and a little over a week after releasing the iOS 11 update to the public.
Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will receive the iOS 11 beta update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on an iOS device.
Those who want to join the beta testing program can sign up on Apple's beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas. iOS betas are not always stable and should not be installed on a primary device.
While Apple has promised that some major features like peer-to-peer Apple Pay payments and iCloud support for Messages are coming in beta updates, those features are not present in the iOS 11.1 beta.
iOS 11.1 seems to feature only small changes like a tweak to add multiple emoji suggestions to the predictive text options on the built-in keyboard. There's also an updated camera icon under Restrictions, a new animation when tapping the status bar to scroll upwards, and a faster unlock animation.
iOS 11 is a major update to the iOS operating system, introducing significant design changes, a revamped Lock screen experience, a new Control Center, ARKit for developers, new app features, a new App Store, and an entirely reimagined interface for the iPad that includes a Dock, Drag and Drop support, and a new App Switcher for better than ever multitasking.
Amidst renewed pressure from the National Association of Broadcasters, FCC chairman Ajit Pai has now issued a statement urging Apple to activate the FM radio capabilities built into the wireless modem of every iPhone.
Pai said he hopes Apple will "reconsider its position" following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, which have devastated parts of the United States, including Florida and Texas, and Caribbean islands like Barbuda, Dominica, and Puerto Rico.
Powerful storms can leave thousands or millions of people without power or cellular service for weeks or even months, and over-the-air FM radio can provide vital access to weather alerts and other life-saving information.
Pai added that "it is time for Apple to step up to the plate and put the safety of the American people first."
His full statement:
In recent years, I have repeatedly called on the wireless industry to activate the FM chips that are already installed in almost all smartphones sold in the United States. And I've specifically pointed out the public safety benefits of doing so. In fact, in my first public speech after I became Chairman, I observed that ‘[y]ou could make a case for activating chips on public safety groundsalone.’ When wireless networks go down during a natural disaster, smartphones with activated FM chips can allow Americans to get vital access to life-saving information. I applaud those companies that have done the right thing by activating the FM chips in their phones.
Apple is the one major phone manufacturer that has resisted doing so. 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. As the Sun Sentinel of South Florida put it, 'Do the right thing, Mr. Cook. Flip the switch. Lives depend on it.'"
A study by the National Association of Broadcasters last year found only 44 percent of the top-selling smartphones in the United States had FM radio capabilities enabled. 94 percent of the unactivated devices were iPhones.
Both the Qualcomm and Intel chips that enable Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity in every iPhone have a built-in FM tuner that would allow people to listen to FM radio over the air. Apple has not enabled the functionality, forcing users to use an app to stream FM radio over Wi-Fi or cellular data.
Apple hasn't revealed why it keeps the FM radio functionality disabled. Some critics suggest it could be to avoid losing Apple Music subscriptions, but the real reason is probably deeper than that.
Update: MacRumors has received the following statement from an Apple spokesperson:
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. 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.
We'll update this article if the FCC responds to Apple's statement.
As Apple Music and Spotify continue to battle for subscribers, each service has released new personalized playlists that curate a specific selection of songs for each user. Apple Music's latest addition was its "Chill Mix" this past June, and today Spotify has added onto its roster of personalized playlists with "Your Time Capsule."
As explained by Spotify, Your Time Capsule will gather the 30 "most nostalgic tracks" from your teenage years and early twenties, resulting in a soundtrack that lets you revisit classic songs, albums, and artists from when you were younger. Any Spotify user below the age of 16 will not be able to access the new playlist.
Your Time Capsule follows the launch of Spotify's "Your Summer Rewind" from June, which surfaced all of the songs that you listened to most during prior summers. Spotify said Your Time Capsule is similar, but is meant "to evoke powerful memories from your youth." The new playlist will be at the top of Home or in the Decades section of the Spotify app's Browse tab on iOS and Android smartphones.
Visit Spotify's website to start generating your own version of the new playlist. Your Time Capsule is launching worldwide today for all appropriately aged Spotify users.
With a number of iPhone 8 and 8 Plus devices now in the hands of users, Ookla's network benchmarking suite Speedtest.net has been able to gather data on how the latest iPhones are performing compared to previous-generation models and has shared details with PCMag.
Based on data collected by Ookla, improvements appear to be around the 10 percent mark for most users, but users in Australia could expect up to nearly 25 percent faster speeds thanks to their network structure. Those users can expect up to the full 80 MHz carrier aggregation bandwidth in the phone due to Telestra's use of the appropriate bands.
iPhone 8 download speeds compared to previous generations
Beyond speed comparisons to previous-generation iPhones, PCMag also compares the iPhone 8's cellular architecture to competing phones, such as the Galaxy S8.
The iPhone 8 is missing one of the components needed for gigabit LTE, or LTE category 16, in the US. The Qualcomm X16 modem can do Category 16, as we've seen on the Galaxy S8 and Moto Z2 Force. The phone supports 256QAM encoding and 4x carrier aggregation to 80MHz of spectrum, but not 4x4 MIMO antennas, which would improve both speed and signal strength. In theory, that would make this an 800Mbps phone, also known as LTE category 15.
The lack of 4x4 MIMO antennas is something we touched on at MacRumors on Tuesday. While the Qualcomm and Intel modems in the new iPhones are likely more power efficient, the cellular front-end and back-end supporting them are largely unchanged in structure from the iPhone 7 models.
The article goes on to point out can that this can result in loss of coverage due to deficient receiver diversity compared to other phones, complete with a New York subway test.
The lack of 4x4 MIMO is probably why the iPhone still falls short of the Galaxy S8 when it comes to recovering from dead zones, a notorious iPhone problem. We took an iPhone 8 and Galaxy S8 on the New York City subway, where they dropped in and out of T-Mobile coverage. The Galaxy S8 recovered faster in 8 out of 11 tests, and where it did, it was an average of 16 seconds faster than the iPhone at regaining LTE signal; when the iPhone won, it did so by 5 seconds on average.
Users looking for an unlocked iPhone should probably still opt for the Verizon or Sprint model, featuring the Qualcomm modem. While it boasts higher peak speeds than the Intel modems in aggregated user data, it is not clear whether it is superior for coverage, which would require more in-depth testing.
Finally, users looking ahead to the iPhone X should expect the same dichotomy of models and performance, given the iPhone X's tech specs page matches that of the iPhone 8 models in number of models and bands supported. The form factor will likely not have any impact on the antenna structures that will directly impact users in a meaningful way.
Moving forward, adopting 4x4 MIMO antenna structure would be one of the biggest advancements Apple could make for future iPhones' speed and coverage robustness.
A series of powerful storms over the past six weeks, including Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, has placed renewed pressure on Apple to enable the FM radio capabilities of the wireless modem in every iPhone.
The biggest push continues to come from the National Association of Broadcasters, a lobbying group that represents over-the-air radio and television broadcasters in the United States, according to Bloomberg.
"Broadcasters are providing information on how to evacuate quickly, where flood waters are raging, how to get out of harm’s way if there's a tornado or a hurricane," said Dennis Wharton, a spokesman for the National Association of Broadcasters. "The notion that Apple or anyone else would block this type of information is something that we find fairly troubling."
Both the Qualcomm and Intel chips that enable Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity in every iPhone have a built-in FM tuner that would allow people to listen to FM radio over the air. Apple has not enabled the functionality, forcing users to use an app to stream FM radio over Wi-Fi or cellular data.
Powerful storms can leave thousands or millions of people without power or cellular service for weeks or even months, however, which can make it difficult or impossible to listen to FM radio over Wi-Fi or cellular.
FCC chairman Ajit Pai also renewed his calls for smartphone manufacturers to enable the chip during a recent trip to areas of southern Florida devastated by Hurricane Irma earlier this month, according to the report.
Pai, speaking with ABC affiliate WPBF 25 in West Palm Beach, said the chip is especially valuable "when it's an emergency."
"The FM chip is a valuable functionality, not just when times are good or when it helps you save battery life or reduces congestion on the wireless network, but especially when it's an emergency. People want to tune in to the radio broadcast and get emergency information and this can be a valuable way of doing that," said Pai.
In February, at the Future of Radio and Audio Symposium in Washington D.C., Pai said "radio is vital" when disaster strikes.
When disaster strikes, often knocking out cell networks and Internet service, over-the-air radio is a lifeline, providing the latest weather forecasts or directions on where to seek shelter or relief assistance. After hurricanes or tornadoes or fires or floods, time and again, we see an exponential surge in radio audiences.
He added that most consumers would enjoy the ability to access free content over the air, like music on FM radio stations, which some critics believe is a key reason why Apple hasn't enabled the functionality.
It seems odd that every day we hear about a new smartphone app that lets you do something innovative, yet these modern-day mobile miracles don't enable a key function offered by a 1982 Sony Walkman.
You could make a case for activating chips on public safety grounds alone. The former head of our Federal Emergency Management Administration has spoken out in support of this proposal. […]
Moreover, most consumers would love to access some of their favorite content over-the-air, while using one-sixth of the battery life and less data. As more and more Americans use activated FM chips in their smartphones, consumer demand for smartphones with activated FM chips should continue to increase.
Pai noted that he is a believer in free markets and the rule of law, and he thereby cannot support a government mandate requiring activation of these chips, nor does he believe the FCC has the power to issue such a mandate.
Apple declined to comment on the report, and its stance on the activation of FM receivers in iPhones remains unclear.
Update: FCC chairman Ajit Pai has issued a statement that directly calls on Apple to "step up to the plate and put the safety of the American people first" by activating the FM radio chip in iPhones, in light of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.
In recent years, I have repeatedly called on the wireless industry to activate the FM chips that are already installed in almost all smartphones sold in the United States. And I've specifically pointed out the public safety benefits of doing so. In fact, in my first public speech after I became Chairman, I observed that ‘[y]ou could make a case for activating chips on public safety groundsalone.’ When wireless networks go down during a natural disaster, smartphones with activated FM chips can allow Americans to get vital access to life-saving information. I applaud those companies that have done the right thing by activating the FM chips in their phones.
Apple is the one major phone manufacturer that has resisted doing so. 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. As the Sun Sentinel of South Florida put it, 'Do the right thing, Mr. Cook. Flip the switch. Lives depend on it.'"
Update 2: MacRumors has received the following statement from an Apple spokesperson:
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. 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.
We'll update this article if the FCC responds to Apple's statement.
In an interview with Billboard posted today, Apple Music executive Jimmy Iovine has discussed a number of topics related to the streaming music service's "long game," including its growth over the past three months. At WWDC in June, Apple mentioned that Apple Music had 27 million paid subscribers, and today the company confirmed to Billboard that it has now reached "well over" 30 million.
“I believe we’re in the right place, we have the right people and the right attitude to not settle for what exists right now.” But ultimately? “Just because we’re adding millions of subscribers and the old catalog numbers are going up, that’s not the trick. That’s just not going to hold.”
"I just don’t think streaming is enough as it is. I don’t agree that all things are going to be OK [just] because Apple came into streaming and the numbers went up. Look at the catalog: It’s a matter of time before the ’60s become the ’50s and the ’50s become the ’40s. The people that are listening to the ’60s will die -- I’m one of them. Life goes on. So you have to help the artists create new stuff that they would never be able to do on their own."
Apple Music's main rival remains Spotify, which counted 60 million paid subscribers in July. Spotify has continued to grow faster than Apple Music thanks to the former streaming service's free tier that allows users to listen to music interspersed with advertisements, which Apple Music does not have.
Apple's offer for new users is a three-month free trial to test out the service before deciding to pay the $9.99/month price point. In May, Iovine said that if Apple Music did have a free tier, "it would have 400 million people on it" and make his job easier, but he and Apple believe in focusing everything into creating a quality experience for the people who are paid subscribers, making them "feel special" in the process.
Check out Billboard's full interview with Jimmy Iovine, Zane Lowe, and Larry Jackson right here. Other topics discussed include how the Apple Music team discovers new artists, Spotify's plan to go public, and Iovine's belief that while Apple Music is good where it's at, the company is "not even close" to being done with iterating and adding onto its features.
Super Mario Run's "biggest update ever" has arrived one day early, with many players noticing the version 3.0.4 update is available to download as of this morning. One of the biggest new additions is "Remix 10," which lets players run through 10 super-short courses in a row to try to find and add Daisy -- the new playable character -- to their roster.
There's also new full-size courses in the game, inhabiting "World Star," including a forest, a ship, and an airship armada. New customization items can be earned from playing Remix 10, and the game has been tweaked so that Toad Rally won't pit you against players whose Toad population is "significantly different" from your own.
Nintendo has also added a subtle visual detail, giving Mario and his playable friends a pair of headphones any time you listen to your own music while playing the game. With the new update, Super Mario Run [Direct Link] is 50 percent off its full price of $9.99 from today until October 12, meaning you can unlock all six worlds for $4.99.
The game is still free-to-start and lets you play the first world for free, with the in-app purchase unlocking the rest of the game's content. If you're looking for more iOS apps and games on sale, be sure to check out our Deals Roundup where we've listed some of the latest discounts happening now on the App Store.
Apple this week released its latest transparency report [
