Two days after France prohibited the sale of the gadget due to radiation concerns, regulators in Germany and Belgium are planning to examine any potential health dangers associated with Apple's iPhone 12.
French watchdogs disclosed on Tuesday that radiofrequency radiation received by the body during testing of the smartphone was 40% higher than allowed.
Apple refuted the French conclusions, claiming that the iPhone 12 has received radiation compliance certifications from numerous international organizations.
But now that Italy and Spain are keeping an eye on the situation, authorities in Germany and Belgium indicated they could follow France's example.
The assertions were made after the French watchdogs conducted arbitrary testing on 141 phones, including the iPhone 12.
Although Apple reported net sales of $68.64 million in 2020, the year the model was debuted, it is uncertain how many iPhone 12s were particularly sold in Europe. A total of 100 million units were sold worldwide.
If the study's findings are accurate, the iPhone would rank much above the most well-known emitters like the Motorola Edge and ZTE Axon 11 5G.
The specific absorption rate (Sar), which gauges how much energy the body absorbs when exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic waves from electronic devices like mobile phones, is regulated by EU law.
When a handset is held adjacent to the ear or chest, the restriction is two watts per kilogram, and when it is handled or placed in a pocket, the limit is four watts per kilogram.
The Sar for Apple's iPhone 12 when carried was 5.74 watts per kilogram, according to the French body that oversees radio frequencies, Agence Nationale des Fréquences (ANFR).
The ANFR stated in a post on its website that "concerning phones already sold, Apple must in the shortest of delays take corrective measures to bring the affected phones into compliance." If not, Apple will need to issue a recall.
The iPhone 12 has a Sar of 0.98 watts per kilogram when held next to the ear and 0.99 watts per kilogram when carried or kept in a pocket, according to Apple's website, which is far lower than what the French claim.
Over the past two decades, numerous studies have been undertaken to evaluate the health concerns associated with mobile phones.
The World Health Organization states that their use has not been proven to have any negative health impacts.
It is my responsibility to ensure that all citizens are safe, according to Mathieu Michel, Belgium's state secretary for digitization, in a statement emailed to Reuters.
IBPT-BIPT (the regulator) has been contacted right away to request a report on the product's potential for harm.
The radiofrequency energy of the iPhone 15 models has not yet been disclosed by Apple, although prior models' radiofrequency energy did not surpass 0.99, according to the website of the tech giant.
The top smartphones in terms of radiation emissions as of 2022 were revealed by Germany's Federal Office for Radiation.
SAR measures how much energy is absorbed per unit mass by the human body when exposed to a radio frequency and is expressed in watts per kilogram of body weight.
In the US, 1.6 watts per kilogram are the legal maximum.