Regulators in Germany and Belgium will investigate potential health risks linked to Apple’s iPhone 12, two days after France banned sales of the devices over radiation fears.
French watchdogs revealed on Tuesday that tests of the smartphone showed that radio frequency energy absorbed by the body exceeded legal levels by 40 percent.
Apple disputed the French findings, saying the iPhone 12 had been certified as compliant with radiation standards by multiple international bodies.
But now German and Belgian regulators have said they may follow France’s lead. as Italy And Spain keep an eye on the situation.
The French watchdogs made the claims after conducting random tests on 141 phones, including the iPhone 12.
Regulators in Germany and Belgium will investigate potential health risks linked to Apple’s iPhone 12, a day after France banned sales of the devices over radiation fears
The number of iPhone 12s sold specifically in Europe is unknown, but Apple reported net sales of $68.64 million in 2020 when the model was released – a total of 100 million units were sold worldwide.
However, if the research turns out to be true, it would put the iPhone well above the best-known outliers like the Motorola Edge and ZTE Axon 11 5G.
EU legislation sets limits on the specific absorption rate (Sar), which measures the amount of energy absorbed by the body when exposed to radio frequency electromagnetic waves from electronic devices such as mobile phones.
The limit is two watts per kilogram when a handset is held next to the ear or torso, and four watts per kilogram when held or stored in a pocket.
Agence Nationale des Fréquences (ANFR), the French watchdog that regulates radio frequencies, said the Sar for Apple’s iPhone 12 when worn was 5.74 watts per kilogram.
“With regard to phones already sold, Apple must take corrective measures as soon as possible to ensure that the affected phones comply with the regulations,” the ANFR said in a statement on its website. “Otherwise Apple will have to recall them.”
However, Apple’s website states that the iPhone 12 has a Sar of 0.98 watts per kilogram when held next to the ear and 0.99 watts per kilogram when worn or kept in a pocket – well below what the French claim.
Researchers have conducted a large number of studies over the past twenty years to identify the health risks of mobile phones.
If the French study turns out to be true, it would put the iPhone well above the best-known outliers like the Motorola Edge and ZTE Axon 11 5G. A 2022 graph of mobile phone radiation exposure from the German Federal Office for Radiation
According to the World Health Organization, there are no adverse health effects caused by its use.
Mathieu Michel, Belgium’s state secretary for digitalization, said in an emailed statement to Reuters: ‘It is my duty to ensure that all citizens… are safe.
‘I quickly contacted BIPT (supervisor) to request an analysis of the potential danger of the product.’
Apple released its iPhone 15 series on Tuesday and has yet to share radio frequency energy for the models, but previous models don’t exceed 0.99, according to the tech giant’s website.
The German Federal Office for Radiation has released data on the highest emitting smartphones from 2022.
SAR, calculated in watts per kilogram of body weight, quantifies how much energy per unit mass is absorbed by the human body when exposed to a radio frequency.
The legal limit in the US is 1.6 watts per kilogram.
These five models emit some of the most substantial radiation on the market: Motorola Edge (1.79 w/kg), OnePlus 6T (1.55 w/kg); Sony Xperia w/kg).
Not far behind were the Google Pixel 3 (1.33 w/kg), Huawei’s P Smart (1.27 w/kg) and the OnePlus 9 (1.26 w/kg).
The Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G (0.19 w/kg), Samsung Galaxy Note10 (0.21 w/kg), the Samsung Galaxy A80 (0.22 w/kg), LG G7 ThinQ (0.24 w/kg) and the Motorola Razr 5G (0.27 w/kg) /kg) are the lowest emitters.