ransomthe radiation watchdog ordered Apple to stop sales of iPhone 12 because of what he said were excessive radiation levels.
The regulator threatened to recall Apple’s smartphone if the company did not comply with the order.
The decision to ban the iPhone12 in France was carried out after a routine test of 141 mobile phones, the National Frequency Agency (ANFR) said on Tuesday.
The device, which Apple has sold since 2020, exhibited radiation levels above the threshold when in contact with the body.
Concretely, the specific absorption rate (SAR) of the iPhone 12 was 5.74 W/kg, which places it above the maximum limit of 4 W/kg, specifies the ANFR.
The phone did not exceed maximum radiation levels when held 5mm from the body, the watchdog noted.
SAR measures the amount of radio frequency power absorbed by the human head or body when using a mobile phone. It is calculated in watts per kilogram of body weight.
Apple said it disputed the review results. iPhone 12 is certified by several international organizations and found to comply with all applicable SARs. regulationsadded the company.
Apple said it had provided ANFR representatives with several results from Apple and independent third-party labs proving its compliance, and would continue to work with the regulator to show it was compliant.
France’s digital economy minister told Le Parisien newspaper that Apple had two weeks to respond. He said a software update for the iPhone 12 would be enough to fix the problem.
The French watchdog announced its ban the same day that Apple unveiled its new iPhone 15 range at an event in California.
Apple has discontinued the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 Mini to avoid disrupting sales of new smartphones. Models are still available for purchase from third-party retailers.
Are smartphones safe to use?
There have been concerns and conspiracy theories suggesting that radio waves produced by smartphones could be dangerous.
But most current research suggests that mobile phones, or 4G and 5G base stations, are unlikely to increase the risk of health problems such as cancer.
Cell phones emit low levels of non-ionizing radiation when used to detect a signal, also called radio frequency energy. These radio waves are absorbed into your body’s tissues as energy, adding to the energy produced by your body’s metabolism.
However, the radiation produced by cell phones or cell phone towers is very low. It does not have enough energy to damage DNA and is therefore very unlikely to cause cancer, according to the charity Cancer Research UK.
The only known effect of radio waves on the human body is a very slight increase in temperature, up to 0.2°C. This is comparable to natural increases in temperature, such as during exercise, and poses no known health risk, according to the NHS.
Extensive reviews of published research examining the effects of cell phone exposure on users have found that they do not cause health complications. However, additional research is still needed to verify that there are no health impacts following long-term exposures (use of a cell phone for more than 20 years).
Is the SAR accurate?
Smartphone maker Sony has said that SAR values exaggerate actual levels of radiation exposure. This is because testing of these limits takes place under laboratory conditions, where phones transmit at their highest certified power levels.
Whereas in everyday life, cell phones transmit with much lower energy levels in order to maximize battery life, Sony says on its website.
How to reduce your exposure to smartphone radiation
If you are still worried about exposing yourself to radio waves from smartphones, you can take the following steps recommended by the NHS:
- Make only short calls on your cell phone and avoid using it more than necessary.
- Children should only use their cell phones for essential purposes and keep all calls short.
- Use a hands-free kit to keep your phone as far away from your head as possible and keep your cell phone away from your body when it is in sleep mode.
- Only use your phone when reception is strong – this is often indicated by energy bars on your phone screen. Weak reception causes the phone to use more power to communicate with the base station.
- Consider the SAR of a mobile phone before purchasing it. Mobile phone retailers have a responsibility to make this information available to customers before they purchase.
How to Check Your Phone’s Radiation Levels
Most phone manufacturers list their phones’ radiation levels in the legal section of a device’s settings menu. Look for terms like RF exposure or SAR rating when searching for this information. Samsung, on the other hand, provides SAR levels for specific phone models on its website. website.
You can find lists of radiation values for major phone brands by following the links below:
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