Apple updates iPhone 12 software to address France’s radiation testing

Apple said Tuesday it plans to comply with France’s radiation testing requirements by rolling out an update that will prevent the iPhone 12 from using more power when the device is in contact with static surfaces.

Apple has disputed the findings of French regulators, who said the iPhone 12, which has been on the market for three years, emitted more than permissible amounts of radiation and halted sales of the device.

On Tuesday, Apple gave its fullest explanation yet for the discrepancy between France’s findings and those in other countries where the iPhone 12 has been approved for sale.

In an article published on its website, Apple said that for more than a decade iPhones have included sensors that allow the phone to detect when it is close to the user’s body to keep transmission power at lower levels. When the phone is not close to a body – such as when placed on a table – the device uses slightly higher levels of transmit power.

Apple said the testing protocol used by L’Agence Nationale des Frequences did not take this feature into account.

The company has issued a software update that will become widely available to users this month that turns off the body detection technology, keeping the phone at lower transmit power levels at all times.

In a statement, Apple said the iPhone 12 is still safe to use even without the software update.

“We want all iPhone 12 users to know that iPhone 12 is safe to use and always has been. “The iPhone 12 was certified to meet applicable worldwide power transmission regulations and standards when it first shipped in 2020, and no changes have been made since then that would affect power transmission,” Apple said in a statement.