Apple Inc. experienced a significant decline in its stock price after reports emerged that Chinese government agencies have banned the use of iPhones and other foreign-branded devices by their staff.
French regulators are requesting that Apple remove the iPhone 12 from the market in France and bring already-sold versions up to standard, as the phone's electromagnetic waves exceed their limitations.
The French regulatory agency (ANFR) has asked Apple to withdraw iPhone 12 smartphones from the French market due to their excessive radiofrequency energy emissions, which surpass the permitted limit for absorption by the human body.
Belgium will assess potential health risks linked to Apple's iPhone 12 following France's ban, raising the possibility of more European countries banning the model due to breaches of radiation exposure limits.
Several European countries, including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, are investigating concerns that the iPhone 12 emits excessive electromagnetic radiation, potentially leading to Europe-wide measures, after France ordered Apple to stop sales due to radiation tests coming back higher than allowed.
Apple will release a software update for iPhone 12 users in France to address radiation concerns raised by the country's regulators and bring the devices into compliance with European standards, but the regulators will test the update before lifting the marketing withdrawal order.
The FDA is reportedly not conducting a specific investigation into the safety of the iPhone 12, despite claims that it is due to radioactivity concerns raised by the French government, stating that there is no scientific evidence linking cell phone use to health problems within the set exposure limits.
The French iPhone ban due to "radiation" concerns is based on tests showing that the iPhone 12 emits more electromagnetic radiation than permitted, but experts argue that the elevated levels are unlikely to pose any risk to users, and scientific studies confirm that smartphones do not increase cancer risk.
French authorities are reviewing a software update from Apple for its iPhone 12, which is intended to address a radiation issue that led to the suspension of sales in France and prompted concerns in other European countries.
Apple has announced a software fix for the iPhone 12 radiation limit issue in France, which will be included in iOS 17.1 and will reduce power when off-body on a static surface, resulting in slightly lower cellular performance in certain off-body use cases.
iOS 17.1 will allow the iPhone 12 to be legally sold in France again after it was temporarily banned due to exceeding the country's specific absorption rate (SAR) limits for on-body emissions.
Apple plans to release a software update for the iPhone 12 in France to comply with radiation testing requirements and address concerns raised by regulators about excessive radiation levels emitted by the device when in contact with static surfaces.
