As expected, Apple will address the concerns of the French radiation watchdog (ANFR) with a software update for the iPhone 12. Earlier this week, the French agency issued a public statement declaring that the iPhone 12 violates radiation levels. It also told Apple that it must stop iPhone 12 sales and issue a fix as soon as possible.
“We will release a software update to users in France to accommodate the protocol used by French regulators. We look forward to the continued availability of the iPhone 12 in France,” an Apple spokesperson said. Reuters, France Press agency And euronews In the current situation. “This is related to a specific testing protocol used by French regulators and is not a safety concern.”
When a phone manufacturer launches a new phone, ANFR measures several Specific Absorption Rates (SAR) in its laboratories. There are different radiation agencies around the world and it is a common process among device makers.
For example, the European Union says that the human body should not receive more than 2 W/kg of radiation per 10 grams of tissue. This is used as a way to mimic what happens to your head when you hold your phone to your ear.
While Apple is below that threshold with the iPhone 12, ANFR is tracking another uptake rate on the periphery. This time, the French agency is trying to understand what happens to your hand when you hold your phone, or to your leg when your phone is in your pants pocket.
In this case, ANFR measured a SAR of 5.74 W/kg, which is above the maximum of 4 W/kg. Ooops!
Many experts said that the iPhone 12 is still well below the radiation limit that creates some serious risks. But of course, when you break the rules, you have to do something about it.
You may have heard that Apple unveiled some new phones this week. Within a few hours, the radiation level in the iPhone 12 became the highest level Topic du jour. A French minister presented it Interview Reuters – the Dutch digital watchdog – tried to make a big deal out of this I asked for an explanationBelgium She started her own review The telecommunications regulator in Germany I contacted the French organizer(!).
From the beginning, the French agency He said The issue will be resolved through a software update to modify the internals of the iPhone 12 and meet regulatory requirements. Otherwise, Apple would have had to recall all iPhone 12 devices in France – something the company would certainly want to avoid.
The organizer was right, everything else was just noise. In other words, this iPhone 12 problem will be solved in a few days and we will all forget about it in a few weeks.