Back when the iPhone 12 launched with the magnetic MagSafe connector last year, Apple warned that people with pacemakers and other medical devices should keep their handsets “a safe distance away” to avoid potentially life-threatening interference. Now Apple has added a whole bunch of more products to that list—and it’s basically everything it makes.
While anyone with a sensitive medical device knows to stay away from magnets, they might not realize that nearly every product Apple makes contains magnets or components and radios that emit electromagnetic fields and could interfere with medical devices. Among the devices on the list is every model of AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, HomePod, and Mac it sells as well as several Beats headphones (though not the new Beats Studio Buds).
Apple says these and medical devices should be kept more than 6 inches apart or more than 12 inches apart if wirelessly charging). That could be tricky with things like AirPods and the Apple Watch, which are worn while being used. It’s not clear if Apple plans to address this issue in future releases.
Michael Simon has been covering Apple since the iPod was the iWalk. His obsession with technology goes back to his first PC—the IBM Thinkpad with the lift-up keyboard for swapping out the drive. He’s still waiting for that to come back in style tbh.
