PARIS (Reuters) – Apple has been instructed to cease selling its iPhone 12 model in France following the discovery of above-threshold radiation levels, as stated by France’s junior minister for the digital economy in an interview with newspaper Le Parisien on Tuesday.
France’s radiation watchdog, ANFR, informed Apple of its decision to ban iPhone 12 sales after conducting tests that revealed the smartphone’s Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) slightly exceeded the legal limit, according to Jean-Noel Barrot, who spoke with the publication.
While Apple has yet to respond to a Reuters request for comment, Barrot stated that a software update would be sufficient to address the radiation concerns associated with the phone, which the American company has been selling since 2020.
“Apple is expected to provide a response within two weeks,” he indicated, adding, “If they fail to do so, I am prepared to issue a recall of all circulating iPhone 12 devices. The rules apply to everyone, including digital giants.”
The European Union has established safety limits for SAR values relating to mobile phone exposure, which, according to scientific studies, could raise the risk of certain types of cancer.
The French watchdog will now share its findings with regulators in other EU member countries. “In practical terms, this decision could have a snowball effect,” Barrot remarked.
In 2020, France expanded regulations mandating retailers to display radiation values on the packaging of products beyond cell phones, including tablets and other electronic devices.
(Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
Credit: The Star : Tech Feed
