Apple has been ordered to cease the sale of the iPhone 12 in France. The order is due to the iPhone 12 emitting too much electromagnetic radiation.
The iPhone model was released in the year 2020. French regulator ANFR has found the model emits more electromagnetic waves susceptible to being absorbed by the body than permitted. Therefore, it has instructed Apple to fix the issue or risk a recall of the phones.
On Tuesday, the ANFR said it is deploying its agents to Apple stores to ensure the ban is enforced.
Apple is disputing tests by the regulator that showed radio frequency exposure was higher than permitted. The company says the iPhone 12 was recognized as being compliant with regulations on radiation levels worldwide.
In addition, Apple claims it is engaging ANFR and has presented multiple internal, and independent lab results showing the devices followed all global Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) regulations and safety standards.
SAR is a measure of the rate of RF (radiofrequency) energy absorption by the human body from the source being measured – in this case, a cell phone. In the past, the World Health Organization has sought to allay fears about radiation emitted by mobile phones.
iPhone 12 Ban Is More Bad News For Apple
France is expected to share its findings with other members of the European Union (EU). In the meantime, the country has given Apple 2 weeks to sort out the issue. Failure to comply will lead to the country ordering a recall of all iPhone 12 phones in France.
Jean-Noël Barrot, a French minister in charge of digital, wrote in a social media post that the waves can change after the phone is released depending on updates. The level is “more than ten times lower than the level at which there would be a health risk,”: Barrot added on the social media platform X. However, he also wrote that rules had to be followed.
This is more bad news for Apple and comes a week after China extended a ban on iPhone use by state employees.
Furthermore, the news may dampen enthusiasm for the new iPhone 15 launched the same day France announced the ban. The new iPhone 15 is set to be the first iPhone with a USB C port.
