I would never buy a smartphone based on whether it could receive FM radio, and if I had a smartphone that could, I would probably never use it. But the article

I would never buy a smartphone based on whether it could receive FM radio, and if I had a smartphone that could, I would probably never use it. But the article makes the point that FM radio can work just fine in emergency situations where the mobile network is overwhelmed, and having that capability available could be life-saving.