AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The Dutch digital watchdog is investigating a report from France that claims Apple’s iPhone 12 model violates the European Union’s radiation exposure limits. The watchdog will be asking Apple for an explanation, as stated by an official quoted in the daily Algemeen Dagblad.
The Agence Nationale des Fréquences (ANFR) in France informed Apple on Tuesday to halt the sales of iPhone12 in the country. The decision was made after tests conducted by the agency showed that the phone’s Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), a measure of the rate at which the body absorbs radiofrequency energy from a device, exceeded the legal limit.
“A norm has been exceeded. Fortunately, there is no immediate safety risk, but we will soon be discussing this with the manufacturer,” said Angeline van Dijk, an inspector with the Nederlandse Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur (RDI), according to the Dutch newspaper.
“The Netherlands places as much importance on the safe use of mobile phones as France does. Mobile phones must adhere to European standards,” added van Dijk.
BNetzA, the network regulator in Germany, has stated that it may initiate similar proceedings and is in close contact with French authorities. Meanwhile, the OCU consumers’ group in Spain has urged the authorities there to stop the sales of the iPhone 12.
Apple released a statement asserting that the iPhone 12, which was launched in 2020, has been certified by multiple international bodies as compliant with global radiation standards. The company claims to have provided the French agency with various laboratory results, both from Apple and third-party labs, to demonstrate compliance. Apple is currently disputing the findings of the French agency.
(Reporting by Toby Sterling and Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by David Gregorio)
Credit: The Star : Tech Feed
