France’s FCC has ordered Apple to remove the iPhone 12 from the local market as the model exceeds the limit for electromagnetic absorption by the body. The information comes from the French blog France24.
ANFR, the French agency that regulates radio frequencies, found that a person would absorb up to 5.74 watts per kilogram when holding the iPhone 12 or having it in the pocket, which is higher than the European standard of 4.0 watts per kilogram.
To BBC, Apple was contesting the ANFR’s review. The company said it had “provided the regulator with lab results from the tech giant itself and third parties which show the device is compliant with all the rules.”
Apple told the BBC it was contesting the ANFR’s review and said it had provided the regulator with lab results from the tech giant itself and third parties, which show the device is compliant with all the relevant rules.
France’s junior minister for the digital economy, Jean-Noel Barrot, told the newspaper Le Parisien (via Reuters) that a software update would be enough to fix the radiation issues linked to the phone that Apple has sold since 2020.
“Apple is expected to respond within two weeks”, he said, adding: “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 news comes alongside Apple’s iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Series 9 announcements. It’s unclear at this moment if a previous software update was responsible for this issue or how long the company will take to update current devices.
BGR will keep following this story as Apple still needs to respond to France’s watchdog regarding this iPhone 12 issue.
