After the sale of the iPhone 12 was stopped in France, Apple hopes to solve the problem with a software update specific to this country.
The agency, which inspects radio frequencies in the country, temporarily stopped the sale of this model of iPhone on the grounds that it emitted radiation above the specified limits.
Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s Minister of Digital Transition and Telecommunications, announced that the company will offer this software in the coming days.
Apple denied that there was a problem with the radiation level in the model in question.
It was announced that the update in question would be exclusive to France.
The company argued that the reason for the radiation findings was due to the special test protocol implemented by France.
Apple denies there is a security concern.
Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that the National Frequency Agency (ANFR), which monitors radio frequencies after the update, will conduct a re-examination.
Minister of Digital Transition and Telecommunications Jean-Noël Barrot said the decision could snowball across the EU
In his first statement on the subject, the Minister also said that the measurement information would be transmitted to all member states of the EU.
Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany also announced that they would investigate the issue through their relevant institutions.
The iPhone 12, introduced in September 2020, is still on sale worldwide.
The absorption rate of electromagnetic waves by the human body is measured with a unit called the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR).
According to EU regulations, a phone must emit no more than 4 W/kg (4 watts of energy per kilogram) when carried in a jacket pocket or bag.
It was found that Apple’s iPhone 12 model caused 5.74 W/kg absorption.
The agency had banned this model from being offered for sale through any distribution channel throughout France as of September 12.
Are electromagnetic waves harmful to health?
All technological devices, including television, radio, smartphones, and natural sources such as sunlight are among the main emitters of electromagnetic radiation.
People are exposed to electromagnetic radiation in almost all of their daily lives.
The increasingly widespread use of smartphones has some people worried about the health effects of electromagnetic radiation.
These concerns include beliefs such as radiation causing cancer.
However, in its statement on the subject in 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that smartphone use did not have any negative effects on health.
However, WHO, together with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), listed radio frequency radiation among the “possibly carcinogenic” factors.
This means that the existing evidence regarding the cancer association is not conclusive.
Cell phone signals, eating pickles and using talcum powder are also included in this category.
Alcoholic beverages and processed meat products are in the riskier category because there is stronger evidence about their association with cancer.