France bans iPhone 12 sales over high radiation concerns
What's the story
France's radiation watchdog, ANFR, has banned the sale of Apple's iPhone 12 model after discovering above-threshold radiation levels.
The smartphone's Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) was found to be slightly higher than legally allowed.
Apple has been selling the phone since 2020 and now has two weeks to respond to ANFR's decision or face a potential recall of all iPhone 12 devices in circulation.
Details
Understanding SAR values and mobile phone safety
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) measures the amount of radiofrequency energy absorbed by the body when using a mobile phone.
The European Union (EU) has set safety limits for SAR values linked to contact with mobile phones, as scientific studies suggest that exceeding these limits could raise the risk of some forms of cancer.
Ensuring that mobile phones adhere to SAR values is crucial for maintaining device safety.
The ANFR said the iPhone's SAR was 5.74W/kg, which is above the limit.
What Next?
Apple's response and potential recall
France's junior minister for the digital economy, Jean-Noel Barrot, stated that a software update would be enough to fix the radiation problems.
However, if Apple does not do so within two weeks, France will recall all iPhone 12 units in the market.
Apple in turn, is contesting ANFR's review, and said it provided the latter with lab results from the firm itself, as well as third parties that show the device complies with all the relevant radiation levels worldwide.
Insights
What about India?
In India, the iPhone 12 is not up for grabs via Apple's official website anymore.
However, third-party online retailers like Flipkart and Amazon still sell the handset albeit at discounted prices.
As far as high radiation levels are concerned, there has been no relevant announcement by the Cupertino tech giant or the Government of India itself.
To note, India has set a SAR limit of 1.6W/kg.