French regulators ordered Manzana to stop selling the iPhone 12, saying it emits levels of electromagnetic radiation that are above European Union exposure standards. The company disputed the findings and said the device complies with regulations.
The French government agency that manages wireless communications frequencies issued the order after the iPhone 12 recently failed one of two types of tests for electromagnetic waves capable of being absorbed by the body.
It's unclear why the phone, which launched in late 2020, didn't pass the agency's latest round of testing and why it was just that particular model.
France's digital minister said the iPhone 12's radiation levels remain much lower than levels that scientific studies believe could harm users, and the agency itself acknowledges that its tests do not reflect typical use of the phone.
The National Frequency Agency on Tuesday called on Apple to "implement all available means to quickly resolve this malfunction" for phones already in use and said it would monitor updates to the devices. If they don't work, "Apple will have to recall" phones that have already been sold, he said.
The agency recently tested 141 mobile phones and found that when the iPhone 12 is held in your hand or carried in your pocket, its electromagnetic energy absorption level is 5.74 watts per kilogram, higher than the EU standard of 4 watts per kilogram.
The phone passed a separate test of radiation levels for devices kept in a jacket or bag, the agency said.
Radiation limits are set "well below the level at which damage will occur" and therefore a small increase above the threshold "is unlikely to have any health consequences," said Malcolm Sperrin, director of medical physics at the Royal Berkshire Hospital Group in the United Kingdom. .
iPhone 12 users should be able to download an update that prevents radiation exposure from exceeding the limit, Sperrin said.
It's unclear why this particular model appears to emit more radiation, but "it may be associated with the initial connection stage when the phone is 'searching' for a transmit/receive signal," he said.
Apple said the iPhone 12 has been certified by multiple international bodies and complies with all applicable radiation regulations and standards around the world.
The American technology company said it provided the French agency with multiple laboratory results conducted by both the company and third-party laboratories demonstrating the phone's compliance.
Jean-Noël Barrot, French minister in charge of digital issues, told France Info radio that the National Frequency Agency “is in charge of controlling our phones which, as there are software updates, can emit a little more or a little less electromagnetic waves. «
He said the iPhone 12's radiation levels are "slightly higher" than EU standards, but "significantly lower than levels where scientific studies consider there may be consequences for users." But the rule is the rule.”
The agency's tests are conducted in a diagnostic laboratory that uses a liquid-filled mold that simulates a human head and body with brain and muscle tissue. The devices transmit at full power during the six-minute test, the agency says on its website, acknowledging that the tests “do not reflect the most common use of a phone.”
During calls, the phone only transmits half the time when the user is talking, and calls rarely last six minutes, the agency said. Mobile or video Internet use lasts longer, but the phone "rarely transmits more than 10% of the time," he added.
Mobile phones have been labeled as "possible" carcinogens by the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization, placing them in the same category as coffee, diesel fumes and the pesticide DDT. The radiation produced by cell phones cannot directly damage DNA and is different from stronger types of radiation such as x-rays or ultraviolet light.
While mobile phones have been widely used for years, studies have not demonstrated a clear relationship with adverse health effects such as cancer, headaches and cognitive function, said Ian Scivill, a senior scientist with radiation expertise at Royal Hallamshire Hospital in the United Kingdom.
Experts have recommended that people concerned about exposure to radiation from their cell phones use headphones or switch to texting.
