As Apple launched its latest iPhone 15 and other products, the company received some tough news from France as the radiation watchdog of the company has halted the sale of iPhone 12 due to above-threshold radiation levels, as per a Reuters report. The information was revealed by France’s junior minister for the digital economy Jean-Noel Barrot told the newspaper Le Parisien in an interview.
ANFR, the radiation watchdog of France notified Apple about its decision to ban iPhone 12 sales. The watchdog has conducted tests which revealed that the smartphone’s Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) exceeded the permissible limit by a slight margin.
Jean-Noel Barrot mentioned that the radiation levels in iPhone 12 can be fixed with a software update. “Apple is expected to respond within two weeks”, he said to Reuters. “If they fail to do so, I am prepared to order a recall of all iPhones 12 in circulation. The rule is the same for everyone, including the digital giants,” the minister added.
The European Union has established safety standards for Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) values associated with mobile phone exposure, and there have been scientific studies suggesting a potentially elevated risk of certain cancer types due to these values.
The French regulatory authority will share its discoveries with regulatory bodies in other EU member states. Jean-Noel Barrot remarked.
“In practical terms, this decision could have a snowball effect,” said Barrot.
In 2020, France expanded its regulations mandating retailers to disclose radiation levels on product packaging, extending beyond cell phones to include tablets and various electronic devices.
iPhone 15 launched
The news comes just hours after Apple CEO Tim Cook launched the iPhone 15 and other latest Apple products at the company’s Wonderlust event. As expected Apple has also introduced USB-C charging port for its iPhone and all other products. The move comes as the European Union has decreed that all mobile phones, tablets, and cameras available for sale within the region must feature a USB Type-C charging interface by the end of 2024.
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Updated: 13 Sep 2023, 12:52 AM IST
