Back in September, the National Frequency Agency of France (ANFR) issued a bombshell directive in France, effectively halting the sales of the Apple iPhone 12 in the country. It came after the ANFR found that the radiation levels emitted by the iPhone 12 was deemed higher than the legally permitted amount.
Specifically, the ANFR claimed that the iPhone 12 exceeded the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) limits allowed in France. Apple had since responded, with their latest statement clarifying that all their phones meet international regulations and standards when it came to energy transmission upon close contact with the human body. However, the issue appears to be related to the iPhone’s off-body detection feature.
Essentially, the iPhone’s off-body detection feature allowed for a slightly higher energy transmission power when the phone is set down on something like a table. Apple claims that this feature had been thoroughly tested already, and is verified to comply with SAR requirements, as the slightly higher energy transmission is not application to SAR rules as the phone is technically not on your body. However, Cupertino says that the ANFR was testing the iPhone 12 using a method that does not account for its off-body detection feature, which Apple adds is also not in line with international regulations.
“The specific test protocol used by ANFR requires that devices meet the on-body SAR limits, even when the device is tested off-body on a static surface.
This decision is not consistent with international standards, which allow for independent testing of power control mechanisms that may not be activated during standard SAR tests,” – Apple
In any case, Apple appears to have relented on the matter. iOS 17.1 now comes with an update specifically for iPhone 12 users in France, which reduces energy transmission power even when it detects that it is on an off-body surface to accommodate for the ANFR’s test protocols. This does have the slight side effect of slightly lower cellular performance in certain off-body use cases in areas where cellular signal is now, but Cupertino still says that the vast majority of users should not expect to notice any real difference with their iPhone 12.
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