Apple attempts to resolve French iPhone 12 conflict as European Union oversight intensifies

In order to resolve a radiation level dispute, Apple has made a commitment to update the software on iPhone 12s in France. However, the concerns raised in other European countries indicate that the company might be required to take similar measures in other regions as well.

France suspended sales of iPhone 12 phones this week after tests found a breach of radiation exposure limits.

Apple denied the findings, saying several international bodies have certified the iPhone 12 as meeting global standards, but said Friday it would release a software update that matches the testing methods used in France.

Researchers have conducted an enormous amount of research over the past two decades to assess the health risks of cell phones. According to the World Health Organization, they have not been found to cause harmful health effects.

But France’s radiation warning, based on test results different from those of other countries, has raised concerns across Europe.

Belgium’s secretary of state for digitization said he has asked Apple to update the iPhone 12 software in all EU countries, although he said that based on the Belgian regulator’s own preliminary assessment, the phone does not pose a risk to users.

Germany said it was in contact with French authorities to find an EU-wide solution, while Italy planned to ask Apple to update the iPhone 12s software there, according to a government source in Rome.

However, any requests to Apple or separate decisions by Italian authorities will come only after the French investigation is complete, another Italian government source said.

The Dutch digital infrastructure authority also said it was conducting its own investigation, due in two weeks, and was in contact with Apple and authorities in Germany and France. The agency said it had received calls from concerned consumers.

The French government welcomed Apple’s software update, saying it will be tested quickly and should allow sales of the relatively old iPhone 12 model launched in 2020 to continue.

“We are releasing a software update to French users to conform to the protocol used by French regulators. We expect the iPhone 12 to continue to be available in France,” Apple said in a statement.

“This is related to a specific testing protocol used by French regulators and not a safety concern,” it said.

Apple routinely provides software updates for its phones and computers, mostly to fix security issues. They can focus on a specific model or region, and sometimes Apple releases such updates several times a month.

TESTS OF THE LIMBS

France’s Agence Nationale des Frequences (ANFR) said on Tuesday that the specific absorption rate (SAR) of the iPhone 12 – which measures the speed of radio frequency energy absorbed by the body from the device – was higher than allowed by law, leading to the suspension of sales. .

A change in French regulations in 2020 allowed SAR testing of the limbs – phone in hand – as well as the head and torso, which are used elsewhere. In French limb SAR tests, where the iPhone 12 failed, it was measured at a distance of 0 mm, compared to 5 mm in the body tests.

Belgian Digitalization Minister Mathieu Michel said in a statement on Friday that while a review of the phone by the country’s IBPT regulator was still ongoing, the first results were “funding” and there was no need to recall the phone. Belgium.

Nevertheless, he said he contacted Apple and asked it to “verify its software updates in the same way across Europe.”

Denmark also reassured owners of the phone, saying that its safety authority would not take action over the French findings and that it was not concerned about radiation levels from using the iPhone 12.

“Based on the available information, the Danish Health Authority estimates that you can continue to use your iPhone 12 without worry,” it said in an email.

Industry experts said there were no safety risks because legal limits based on the risk of burns or heatstroke from phone radiation were set well below the levels at which researchers have found evidence of harm.

“Ultimately, I suspect the whole affair will be quickly forgotten,” said Ben Wood, principal analyst at CCS Insight, stressing that the iPhone 12 is an old model.

Apple released the iPhone 15 on Tuesday, and the iPhone 12 cannot be purchased directly from Apple. However, it can be purchased from third parties who stock or sell old phones.

A bigger problem would have been the possible recall that France had threatened if Apple had refused to update the software.

Apple’s turnover in Europe last year was about 95 billion dollars, which makes the region the second largest after America. According to some estimates, it sold more than 50 million iPhones in Europe last year.

The US company does not break down its sales by country or model.