Apple to Update Software on iPhone 12s in France – On Friday, Apple pledged to update the software on iPhone 12s in France to resolve a radiation-level dispute, but concerns in other European countries indicated that similar action may be required elsewhere.
France halted sales of iPhone 12 phones this week after tests revealed violations of radiation exposure restrictions.
Apple disputed the findings, claiming that the iPhone 12 had been validated by various international organizations as meeting worldwide standards, but announced on Friday that it will provide a software update to accommodate the testing procedures used in France.
Over the last two decades, researchers have done a large number of studies to analyze the health dangers of mobile phones. According to the World Health Organization, no harmful health impacts have been linked to them.
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However, the radiation warning in France, based on test results that differ from those in other nations, has sparked anxiety throughout Europe.
Belgium’s state secretary for digitalization said he has ordered Apple to upgrade the iPhone 12 software across the EU, despite the fact that the handset poses no risk to users, according to the Belgian regulator’s preliminary examination.
Germany said it was in contact with French authorities to find a European Union-wide solution, while Italy was planning to request that Apple upgrade the software on iPhone 12s in the country, according to a government source in Rome.
However, any request to Apple or independent conclusions by Italian authorities would be made only once the French probe is completed, according to a second Italian government source.
The Dutch Authority for Digital Infrastructure stated that it was also launching its own inquiry, which would be completed in two weeks, and that it was in communication with Apple, as well as German and French authorities. The agency stated that it has received calls from worried customers.
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The French authorities praised Apple’s software update, saying it will be evaluated quickly and would allow sales of the relatively old iPhone 12 model, which was released in 2020, to restart.
“We will issue a software update for users in France to accommodate the protocol used by French regulators. We look forward to iPhone 12 continuing to be available in France,” Apple said in a statement.
“This is related to a specific testing protocol used by French regulators and not a safety concern,” it said.
Apple releases software updates for its phones and computers on a regular basis, usually to address a security issue. They may be targeted at a specific model or location, and Apple may release such updates several times per month.
Limb tests
The Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of the iPhone 12 — a measure of the rate of radiofrequency energy absorbed by the body from a piece of equipment — was higher than legally allowed, according to France’s Agence Nationale des Frequences (ANFR), prompting the sale ban.
A modification in French legislation in 2020 allows for SAR testing on limbs (while carrying a phone) as well as the head and body (as used elsewhere). It is measured at a distance of 0 mm in the French limb SAR testing, which the iPhone 12 failed, compared to a distance of 5mm in body tests.
The Belgian minister for digitalization, Mathieu Michel, said in a statement on Friday that while the phone was still being reviewed by the country’s IBPT regulator, the preliminary findings were “reassuring” and there was no need for a recall in Belgium.
Nonetheless, he stated that he has contacted Apple and requested that it review its software updates in an identical manner throughout Europe.
Denmark, too, tried to reassure iPhone 12 customers, stating its Safety Authority would not take action in response to France’s results and that it was unconcerned about radiation levels from using the device.
“Based on the available information, the Danish Health Authority’s assessment is that you can continue to use your iPhone 12 without concern,” the organization said in an email.
According to industry experts, there are no safety concerns because regulatory limitations based on the risk of burns or heatstroke from the phone’s radiation were set much below levels where scientists have found evidence of harm.
“Ultimately I suspect the whole incident will be quickly forgotten,” said Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, pointing out that the iPhone 12 is an outdated model.
Apple released the iPhone 15 on Tuesday, and the iPhone 12 is no longer available for purchase straight from Apple. It can, however, be purchased via third-party vendors with inventory or traded in for old phones.
A larger concern would have been a possible recall, which France had threatened if Apple failed to perform a software update.
Last year, Apple’s revenues in Europe totaled around $95 billion, ranking the market second only to the Americas. According to some estimates, Apple sold more than 50 million iPhones in Europe last year.
