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Compile 'em all

macrumors 601
Apr 6, 2005
4,130
323
People should be thankful that there are EU institutions holding companies accountable to comply with regulations. Yesterday Apple was touting the switch to USB C as some magical idea they came up with when in reality they have to comply with the new EU regulations that will come into effect next year.
 

bookofxero

macrumors 6502
Dec 31, 2017
412
650
Good for France and the EU!

Glad to see some governments and regulators are now taking this threat seriously. One thing we've learned over the decades is that government safety thresholds are typically set too high — often due to lobbying by corporate interests — and, over time, as scientists discover that there are cancerous effects at even lower levels, the thresholds are reduced.

In other words, just because a cell phone's radiation is less than a current threshold doesn’t mean it's safe. In this case, they've found the iPhone 12's radiation is higher than a likely too high standard. That's concerning.

I took a gander at the WHO site linked to in the article — and its supposedly glowing, cell phones are safe conclusion. Major problems.

1. The report is from 2014! It's nearly a decade old—quite outdated.

2. One of the top key facts highlighted — in bold — at the top of the report was this:
  • The electromagnetic fields produced by mobile phones are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as possibly carcinogenic to humans.
So, even back then, there was a recognition that negative health effects were an issue.

3. WHO planned a follow-up report for 2016. Where is that and why wasn't it the one being reported on?

4. The CDC reports

”Some organizations recommend caution in cell phone use. More research is needed before we know if using cell phones causes health effects.”​


5. Some public health experts are warning of the dangers.

See Moskowitz: Cellphone radiation is harmful, but few want to believe it​


6. In the U.S., it's not the FDA that sets the radiation levels or limits but the incredibly politicized FCC.

In 2020, the FDA reported favorably yet with the usual hedges:

“To date, there is no consistent or credible scientific evidence of health problems caused by the exposure to radio frequency energy emitted by cell phones (see Review of Published Literature between 2008 and 2018 of Relevance to Radiofrequency Radiation and Cancer)”​

That, too, however, is based on outdated research — 2008-2018.

Cell phone use has skyrocketed in recent years — with people spending more hours with them — meaning the radiation impact is now more severe and not captured by older studies. We also know that cancerous effects can take decades to manifest themselves.

Thus, it is far too early to be dismissive of the potentially serious effects of cellphone use or to take a head-in-the-sand Alfred E. Neuman stance on this,

”What, Me Worry?”
You get more actual ionizing radiation (the kind that actually damages) from a banana.
 

bookofxero

macrumors 6502
Dec 31, 2017
412
650
I hate to break it to you but unless you live in the middle of nowhere your being bombarded by cellphone radiation all the time whether you use it for phone calls or not.
I think we need to stop using the term “radiation” because people can’t tell the difference between radioactivity and EM fields.
 

dampfnudel

macrumors 601
Aug 14, 2010
4,602
2,638
Brooklyn, NY
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.
You would think Apple is aware of this and would make sure any updates to the modem wouldn’t increase emissions to go above the limit.
 
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bookofxero

macrumors 6502
Dec 31, 2017
412
650
None of that means that RF is dangerous. Nor does it mean that Homeopathy and related practices isn't quackery.

No, the reason everyone says there is no problem with mobile phone radiation is because its wavelength is not short enough for photons to have enough energy to ionize biological tissues, regardless of power output.
It’s the same garbage nonsense that have people thinking microwaves are irradiating them.
 
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maxoakland

macrumors 6502a
Oct 6, 2021
745
1,069
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.
That's illogical. It's not like you immediately see the effects of minor (but harmful) levels of radiation.
 

Alpha God Vonn

Suspended
Sep 20, 2021
164
229
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!..
iPhone & all of apples products have always had dangerous radiation leveles that cause reproductive issues & cancers. They just don’t care
 

Alpha God Vonn

Suspended
Sep 20, 2021
164
229
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?
Facts! Cellphone radiation ☢️ like microwaves are both Extremely Dangerous &&& should not be used in consumer products.
 

JosephAW

macrumors 603
May 14, 2012
5,991
7,948
So basically if France tomorrow says that the maximum radiation is 3.0 Apple will have to pull all their products o_O
 

Amazing Iceman

macrumors 603
Nov 8, 2008
5,348
4,113
Florida, U.S.A.
No, the reason everyone says there is no problem with mobile phone radiation is because its wavelength is not short enough for photons to have enough energy to ionize biological tissues, regardless of power output.
There's a lot of misinformation out there, people panicking about 5-6 watts of radiation, when there's a lot more radiation already in the air. Some people should start by cleaning the door and seals of their microwave ovens. That's a great risk that's being ignored nowadays. Or maybe they don't have microwave ovens...
There are bigger health risks out there: Pollution, UV Radiation, Fecal contaminants in water sources and the beach, etc... Driving on the highway or going to the mall, work or school are also big risks.
 

NEPOBABY

macrumors 6502a
Jan 10, 2023
534
1,440
I am wondering if Apple is the only brand concerning this problem. And if so, why only the iPhone 12? 13 and up not having this issue?

The French are using a dumb method for measuring radiation. There's more radiation coming out of our grandmother's television.
 

LV426

macrumors 68000
Jan 22, 2013
1,838
2,272
Yesterday Apple was touting the switch to USB C as some magical idea they came up with when in reality they have to comply with the new EU regulations that will come into effect next year.
Nonsense. As I recall, Apple pointed out that USB-C had emerged as a common standard, not that they invented it. I don't know where you got that idea from.
 

laptech

macrumors 68040
Apr 26, 2013
3,601
4,006
Earth
No, the reason everyone says there is no problem with mobile phone radiation is because its wavelength is not short enough for photons to have enough energy to ionize biological tissues, regardless of power output.
As an ex 12 years experience test operator, repair tech and test engineer for a major mobile manufacturer back in the 90's I have personal first hand experience of mobile phone radiation and it is real and it does affect people, I've seen it happen to employees who tested mobile phones 5 days a week for years, testing anywhere from 30 to 50 units a day, full on two way comms test at full power. Regardless of what the so called science says or how ever it is put forward it will never change my view.
 

LV426

macrumors 68000
Jan 22, 2013
1,838
2,272
France says the radiation exceeds safe levels. Do you have evidence to contradict that?

France did not say this. They said that the radiation exceeds set levels. The set levels are such that radiation at or near this amount does not constitute any realistic risk to health.
 
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