Technology French watchdog halts iPhone 12 sales over too-high radiation

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https://www.reuters.com/technology/french-watchdog-halts-iphone-12-sales-over-too-high-radiation-minister-2023-09-12/

Apple must stop selling its iPhone 12 model in France due to above-threshold radiation levels, France's junior minister for the digital economy told newspaper Le Parisien in an interview published on Tuesday.

France's radiation watchdog ANFR notified Apple of its decision to ban iPhone 12 sales after it had carried out tests which showed the smartphone's Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) was slightly higher than legally allowed, Jean-Noel Barrot told the paper.

Apple did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.

Barrot said a software update would be sufficient to fix the radiation issues linked to the phone which the U.S. company has been selling since 2020.

"Apple is expected to respond within two weeks", he said, adding: "If they fail to do so, I am prepared to order a recall of all iPhones 12 in circulation. The rule is the same for everyone, including the digital giants."

The European Union has set safety limits for SAR values linked to exposure to mobile phones, which could increase the risk of some forms of cancer according to scientific studies.

The French watchdog will now pass on its findings to regulators in other EU member states. "In practical terms, this decision could have a snowball effect", said Barrot.

In 2020, France widened regulations requiring retailers to display the radiation value of products on packaging beyond cell phones, including tablets and other electronic devices.

French watchdog halts iPhone 12 sales over too-high radiation - minister

Apple must stop selling its iPhone 12 model in France due to above-threshold radiation levels, France's junior minister for the digital economy told newspaper Le Parisien in an interview published on Tuesday.

www.reuters.com

 

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[CyberTech]

Earlier this month, France banned the sales of iPhone 12 devices after it detected high levels of radiation being emitted by the devices. Reuters said that the country has now approved a proposed software update from Apple which lowers the levels of radiation being emitted.

The iPhone 12 is a fairly old device now and it’s no longer available brand new on Apple’s website, however, many sellers are still selling it second hand; France’s ban affected these types of sales.

Earlier this month when France raised concerns about the radiation levels, Apple argued that its device had passed numerous international standards tests to ensure the levels of radiation were safe. It said that France had used different methods to test the radiation level.

In mid-September, Apple put out a statement saying that it would issue a software update for users in France to address the government’s concerns. France said that it welcomed the announcement and that it would allow sales of the phone against once the update was released.

The rest

France OKs iPhone 12 software update to address radiation concerns

France has approved an iPhone 12 update that addresses radiation level concerns. Apple released the patch for its phone after France decided to ban sales of the device inside the country.

www.neowin.net