Apple Counters French Claims, says iPhone 12 meets Radiation Standards

France had previously ordered it to stop selling the phone because it violates exposure limits set by the European Union.

On Wednesday, Apple announced that the iPhone 12 model had received certification from several international organizations as meeting all applicable radiation standards.

The sale of the phone was halted after France issued a court order claiming that it violated exposure limits set by the European Union.

The Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), which is a measurement of the rate at which radiofrequency energy from a piece of equipment is absorbed by the body, of the iPhone 12 was higher than permitted, according to tests, and the Agence Nationale des Fréquences radiation regulator ordered Apple on Tuesday to stop selling the device in France.

In order to verify that the model was discontinued, the ANFR stated it would dispatch agents to Apple stores and other distributors.

The organization that oversees France’s radio frequencies stated that it anticipated Apple “to deploy all available means to put an end to the non-compliance.” The agency also performs recurring phone tests to measure how much exposure people receive from electromagnetic waves. “.

It also stated that if nothing was done, already-sold iPhone 12s would be recalled.

Apple, however, claimed that it had given ANFR multiple Apple and independent third-party lab results demonstrating its compliance with all applicable SAR laws and standards around the globe.

It declared that it was disputing the findings of AFNR’s investigation and that it would keep working with the organization to demonstrate its compliance.

The AFNR claimed that during tests simulating when the phone was being held in the hand or kept in a trouser pocket, accredited labs had discovered absorption of electromagnetic energy by the body at 5.74 watts per kilogram. The specific absorption rate for the European standard is 4.0 watts per kilogram.

When the phone was in a jacket pocket or bag, the tests revealed the phone complied with so-called body-SAR standards, according to ANFR.

Jean-Noel Barrot, France’s junior minister for the digital economy, claimed that a software update would be sufficient to address the radiation problems with the phone that the U.S. S. Since 2020, the company has been selling.

He said in an interview on Tuesday “Apple is expected to respond within two weeks. If they fail to do so, I am prepared to order a recall of all iPhones 12 in circulation. The rule is the same for everyone, including the digital giants.”