France Orders End to iPhone 12 Sales Over Radiation Level Concerns

[MacRumors]

France on Tuesday ordered Apple to halt iPhone 12 sales and "fix" existing devices over fears the devices emit too much electromagnetic radiation (via France24).

The French agency that regulates radio frequencies, the ANFR, said on its website that testing found the iPhone 12 emits more electromagnetic waves susceptible to be absorbed by the body than permitted.

The ANFR ordered Apple to "remove the iPhone 12 from the French market from September 12 due to the model exceeding the limit" for electromagnetic absorption by the body. The agency also told Apple to recall every iPhone 12 it has ever sold in the country. Apple launched the iPhone 12 in 2020 and it is still sold across the globe.

"Concerning phones already sold, Apple must in the briefest of delays take corrective measures to bring the affected phones into compliance," said the ANFR in a statement on its website. "Otherwise, Apple will have to recall them."

The ANFR said the device's Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) was 5.74 watts per kilogram, which is above the limit set by the European Union for a phone when held or kept in a pocket. The ANFR said it intends to share its findings with other EU regulators.

The findings contradict advice given by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO website, based on data from a large number of studies, "no adverse health effects have been established as being caused by mobile phone use."

Apple told the BBC it was contesting the ANFR's review, and said it had provided the regulator with its own lab results as well as third parties which show the device is compliant with all the relevant rules. Apple said the iPhone 12 was recognised as being compliant with regulations on radiation levels worldwide.

This isn't the first time Apple has come under regulatory scrutiny in the country. Under a previous French law, Apple was until January 2022 lawfully obligated to include EarPods in the box based on the precautionary principle, because regulators said the risks of exposing developing brains to electromagnetic waves are not clearly known.

France in 2020 also widened regulations requiring retailers to display the radiation value of products on packaging beyond smartphones, including tablets and other electronic devices.

As for the iPhone 12 order, Apple must respond to it within two weeks, the ANFR said.

Article Link: France Orders End to iPhone 12 Sales Over Radiation Level Concerns

 

[Ralfi]

Well this is concerning.

I thought it’d be logical to think Apple’s testing found levels way below the radiation threshold of any nation?

If the 12 had 5.74 watts per kilogram, then what’s in my 13!..

 

[Kazgarth]

Thankfully I upgraded from the iPhone 12.

 

[contacos]

Is this only regarding the "iPhone 12" or also the "iPhone 12 Pro"? Typing this from my iPhone 12 Pro Max

 

[bobbie424242]

Raise your pitchforks, your favorite trillion dollars company is under attaaaack ! MAYDAY !!!

 

[TJ82]

Just in time to upgrade to an iPhone 15. ANFR just saved Apple a few million in French marketing costs.

 

[Marty80]

I too am concerned that my iphone 12 pro max is effected.

 

[NEPOBABY]

This legislation is based on quack theories.

Complete quackery.

But not surprising considering French government was subsidising homeopathy until recently and its most top selling product in pharmacies is a quack homeopathic remedy with no active ingredients.

 

[Tenkaykev]

Quacktastic!

 

[oofio2461]

So any recall or replacement?

 

[DoctorApple]

You may call me crazy but I’ve had headache from using cellular too much (when there’s no Wi-Fi). Luckily these days I’m almost always on Wi-Fi. I remember one year of radiation from Wi-Fi signal equals to like 40 mins of cellular. (Don’t quote me on that.)

As soon as Wi-Fi calling became available, I began using it by turning on airplane mode whenever I’m on Wi-Fi.

Looks like it’s not just my head going crazy.

 

[East India Company]

All in the bin. Take that mother nature!

 

[jonnysods]

Oh dear, my son has a 12 Mini and my wife a 12.... I don't like to hear this kind of thing.

 

[Chiromac81]

Just wait till years later we find out what the issues are of having a watch attatched to us all day with wifi and cellular and a phone in our pocket with the same every day for decades....

 

[alchemistmuffin]

As for the iPhone 12 order, Apple must respond to it within two weeks, the ANFR said

How should Apple respond? Well, tell them that iPhone 12 is discontinued as of 9/12/2023.

The agency also told Apple to recall every iPhone 12 it has ever sold in the country

Not gonna happen. They should fight it, as their finding is just pure quackery. If they lose the appeal, they should pull out of French market entirely as form of protest.

 

[svish]

Very surprised to hear that SAR values are above the limit.

 

[Squillace]

So... France orders the end of sales of a product launched in... 2020?
Thumbs up for their reactivity.

I'm sure something undetected for 3 years is probably just fine.

 

[Lwii2boo]

Is this only regarding the "iPhone 12" or also the "iPhone 12 Pro"? Typing this from my iPhone 12 Pro Max

I'm French and French media told us that this issue applied only for iPhone 12. 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 PM are not concerned by this issue. source: https://www.igen.fr/iphone/2023/09/...-linterdiction-de-liphone-12-en-france-139299

Moreover the emission was fine at launch for EU standard (<4W/kg) but when ANFR did again the test 3 years later, the emission measure was increased to 5.7W/kg. According to many experts, you need to reach 40W/kg before having realistic health risk.

If the test is valid, Apple would be forced to push a software update to reduce emissions - which is easily feasible as this is how the emission has increased over time - but it may reduce modem performance.

 

[vladi]

That's three times the legal limit.

 

[applepotato666]

iPhones have always had a many times higher SAR rating compared to other manufacturers like Samsung which is interesting. But I'm surprised to see it went so high considering that they're tested before release and SAR ratings were already out?

 

[hortod1]

Like all scientific studies it should be peer-reviewed before it’s given any credibility. If the French Government is that confident in its findings then it shouldn’t be an issue.

 

[Lwii2boo]

So... France orders the end of sales of a product launched in... 2020?
Thumbs up for their reactivity.

I'm sure something undetected for 3 years is probably just fine.

Do your homework before saying this BS on such a controversial topic.
At launch the emission was under 4W/kg, it was increased over time to reach now 5.7W/kg via software updates. This is why it was spotted 3 years later. ANFR is a serious institution in France, you simply can't sell the phone here as a big manufacturer if they did not check your emissions before launch. Apple is no exception.

 

[Populus]

Well this is concerning.

I thought it’d be logical to think Apple’s testing found levels way below the radiation threshold of any nation?

If the 12 had 5.74 watts per kilogram, then what’s in my 13!..

We’ll know next year when dapple discontinues the iPhone 13.

Honestly, couldn’t they have found out this earlier?

EDIT: just read @Lwii2boo explanation, apparently they increased it via software updates. Makes sense.

 

[felt.]

This legislation is based on quack theories.

Complete quackery.

But not surprising considering French government was subsidising homeopathy until recently and its most top selling product in pharmacies is a quack homeopathic remedy with no active ingredients.

Calling people Quacks was invented by John D Rockefeller, the man who murdered his employees at the Ludlow Massacre. He came up with this term because he wanted greater profits for his petrochemical pharmaceutical business. This required discrediting natural therapies which have been used successfully for over 5,000 years, such as in Chinese traditional medicine, or ayurvedic medicine. This was done via the Flexner report which he commissioned, as a way to legitimize destroying all institutions which did not fall in line with his dictates.

 

[MYZ]

Do you homework before saying this BS on such a controversial topic.
At launch the emission was under 4W/kg, it was increased over time to reach now 5.7W/kg via software updates. This is why it was spotted 3 years later. ANFR is a serious institution in France, you simply can't sell the phone here as a big manufacturer if they did not check your emissions before launch. Apple is no exception.

That does sound like the most likely explanation. Considering the number of bugs in recent iOS releases it's somewhat more plausible that they didn't bother to check whether updates changed the emitted levels.

Which is concerning considering 4W/kg is already pretty high for a max limit.