The National Frequency Agency (ANFR) asked Apple on Tuesday, September 12, to withdraw the iPhone 12 from the French market after noting that the limit values for electromagnetic waves emitted and absorbed by the human body were exceeded. specific absorption rate (DAS), on this model marketed since the end of 2020.
The DAS evaluates the energy carried by electromagnetic waves and absorbed by the human body when using a device. Regarding the iPhone 12, the ANFR noted levels reaching 5.74 W/kg while the limit is set at 4 W/kg.
“ANFR orders Apple to implement all available means to quickly remedy this malfunction. Failing this, it will be up to Apple to recall the copies already sold,” warns the authority in a press release, while the company unveiled the same day its universal USB-C charging port required by Europe for its new iPhone 15.
Fifteen days to comply
In an interview with Le Parisien, the minister responsible for digital and telecommunications, Jean-Noël Barrot, is reassuring about the risks posed in terms of health. “The European standard is ten times lower than the level of emissions which, according to scientific studies, can have consequences for users. And in this specific case, the iPhone 12 only slightly exceeds the standard,” he points out.
The minister, who specifies that bringing the smartphone into compliance “requires a simple software update”, however recalls that Apple has fifteen days to comply. If the company refuses, “I am ready to order the recall of iPhone 12s in circulation. The rule is the same for everyone, including the digital giants,” he warns.
According to Jean-Noël Barrot, the withdrawal request could even be extended to the European market. Contacted by Agence France-Presse, Apple was not able to react immediately.
According to the World Health Organization, “there is currently no evidence that exposure to low-intensity electromagnetic fields is dangerous to human health” and this “despite much research.”