Apple defends itself after French watchdog halts iPhone 12 sales over radiation

A day after the French radiation watchdog ordered Apple to halt the sales of its iPhone 12 models, the Cupertino-based company has responded. France's Agence Nationale des Fréquences (ANFR)on Tuesday (September 12) demanded an immediate halt saying theApple devices emitted above-threshold electromagnetic radiation

Apple defended itself saying the iPhone 12 model, launched in 2020, was certified bymultiple international bodies as compliant with global radiation standards. The company said it will contest the findings by the French watchdog, having previously submittedseveral Apple and third-party lab results provingthe phone's compliance.

While Apple defends itself, troubles could further mount for it as Germany's network regulator BNetzA said it might launch similar proceedings, adding that it was inclose contact with French authorities. Meanwhile,Spain's OCU consumers' group urged authorities there to halt the saleof iPhone 12.

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What did the French agency say?

Jean-Noel Barrot,France's junior minister for the digital economy, told the newspaper Le Parisien that ANFR hadcarriedout tests which showed thesmartphone's Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) to be slightly higher than what's legally allowed.

The French watchdog saidaccredited labs found absorption of electromagnetic energy by the body at 5.74 watts per kilogramme during tests when the smartphone was beingheld in the hand or kept in thepocket. Interestingly, the European standard for thespecific absorption rate is 4.0 watts per kilogramme in such tests.

"Concerning phones already sold, Apple must in the briefest of delays take corrective measures to bring the affected phones into compliance. Otherwise, Apple will have to recall them," the watchdog added.

The watchdog said its agents are on the lookout, verifying if the company had halted the sale of devices or not.

Meanwhile, Barrot said a software update would be sufficient to fix the radiation issues.

"Apple is expected to respond within two weeks.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."

This is not the first instance when Apple has faced a regulatory bottleneck. On Tuesday (September 12), the company finally succumbed to therules imposed by the European Union and announced that its new iPhone lineup willditch the proprietary Lightning Port technology and adopt theUSB-C chargers.

(With inputs from agencies)

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