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France Halts iPhone 12 Sales Over Radiation Concerns, Demands Apple Software Fix

  • French regulator halted sales of iPhone 12 in France due to high radiation levels found in tests.

  • Radiation levels were above legal limits set by the EU for cell phones.

  • Apple has 2 weeks to release a software update to fix the issue, or France will order a recall.

  • French regulator will share findings with other EU member states, possibly leading to broader iPhone 12 sales ban.

  • In 2020 France expanded radiation labeling laws beyond phones to more devices like tablets.

reuters.com
Relevant topic timeline:
French regulators have ordered Apple to recall its iPhone 12 from the French market due to excessive radiation emissions, but Apple argues that its product is compliant with regulations.
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 has promised to release a software update for the iPhone 12 in France to resolve the issue of it emitting more electromagnetic waves than permitted by EU regulations, after France's National Frequency Agency banned its sale and threatened a recall of all units.
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.
Apple's iPhone 15 series is enjoying strong pre-order sales in China, with consumers rushing to purchase the latest iteration of the iconic handset despite competition from Huawei and a partial government ban.
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.