To resolve a radiation dispute, Apple will update the software on iPhone 12s in France

Apple agreed on Friday to upgrade software on iPhone 12s in France to resolve a radiation-level disagreement, but concerns in other European nations indicated that similar action may be required elsewhere. 

France halted sales of iPhone 12 phones this week after testing revealed violations of radiation exposure restrictions.

Apple disputed the findings, claiming that the iPhone 12 had been validated by various international organisations as meeting worldwide standards, but announced on Friday that it will provide a software update to match 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. 

However, the radiation warning in France, based on test findings that differ from those in other nations, has sparked anxiety throughout Europe. 

Belgium's state secretary for digitalisation said he has ordered Apple to upgrade the iPhone 12 software across the EU, despite the fact that the phone poses no risk to consumers, 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.

According to a second Italian government source, any request to Apple or independent conclusions by Italian authorities will occur only after the conclusion of the French probe.

The Dutch Authority for Digital Infrastructure said it was also launching its own inquiry, which was expected 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. 

The French authorities praised Apple's software upgrade, saying it will be evaluated quickly and would allow sales of the relatively old iPhone 12 model, which was released in 2020, to restart.

"To accommodate the protocol used by French regulators, we will release a software update for users in France." "We are pleased that the iPhone 12 will remain available in France," Apple stated in a statement.

"This is related to a specific testing protocol used by French regulators and is not a safety concern," the company explained.

Apple releases software upgrades for its phones and computers on a regular basis, usually to address a security risk. They can be model or area specific, and Apple may provide such updates multiple times each month.

Limb examinations

The Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of the iPhone 12 was greater than legally allowed, according to France's Agence Nationale des Frequences (ANFR), prompting the sale ban.

In 2020, a change in French legislation permitted for SAR testing on limbs (while carrying a phone) as well as the head and body (as used elsewhere). The iPhone 12 failed the French limb SAR testing at a distance of 0 mm, compared to a distance of 5mm for 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 wrote in an email.

According to industry experts, there are no safety concerns because regulatory limitations based on the danger of burns or heatstroke from the phone's radiation were set much below levels where scientists have discovered 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 a device from a previous generation.

Apple released the iPhone 15 on Tuesday, and the iPhone 12 is no longer available for purchase straight from Apple. It may, 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 warned if Apple failed to provide a software update.

Last year, Apple's revenues in Europe were over $95 billion (roughly Rs. 7,89,600 crore), ranking the market second only to the Americas. According to some estimates, Apple sold more than 50 million iPhones in Europe last year.

The American firm does not break out its sales by nation or model.

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