Apple has agreed to install updates for the iPhone 12 in France after French regulators ordered the company to stop selling the model because it emits electromagnetic radiation levels that exceed European Union standards.
The company, which just unveiled its newest generation of iPhones, insists the 12 model is safe and the phones have been certified in countries around the world since its introduction in 2020. It says the problem raised by the French government agency that manages wireless communications frequencies is related to a specific testing protocol.
The French agency said the iPhone 12 recently failed one of two types of tests for electromagnetic waves capable of being absorbed by the body. On Tuesday, France's government ordered a halt to sales of the iPhone 12 and told Apple to issue a software update to address the problem or face a recall.
Apple said in a statement Friday that it will issue a software update for users in France to accommodate the protocol used by French regulators. It did not elaborate.
The French ban could have extended to all 27 EU countries after three months if Apple had refused to issue updates and if no other government objected, European Commission spokesperson Sonya Gospodinova said Thursday.
France's digital affairs minister said the iPhone 12's radiation levels are still much lower than what scientific studies consider potentially harmful to users, and the radiation agency acknowledged that its tests don't reflect typical phone use.
Also Read
Apple pulls down iPhone 14 Pro from online store, lowers iPhone 14 prices
iPhone 15: Roundup of features expected from upcoming Apple smartphones
iPhone 15 series: Apple's upcoming phones to be made in India by Tata Group
Apple iPhone 15 series may bring thinner bezels, USB-C, camera improvements
Apple iPhone 16 Pro models may get bigger displays, Periscope camera lenses
India shares unique relationship with UNCITRAL: MoS Rajkumar Ranjan Singh
Britain to pump $621 million into Tata Steel to decarbonise Welsh plant
Earth's warmest Aug saw 65 countries set record high temperatures: Report
Libyan city closed as search for 10,100 missing after flood on; 11,300 dead
Global economy to weaken, economists confident of India growth: WEF study
Cellphones have been labeled as possible carcinogens by the World Health Organization's cancer research arm, putting them in the same category as coffee, diesel fumes and the pesticide DDT. The radiation produced by cellphones cannot directly damage DNA and is different from stronger types of radiation like X-rays or ultraviolet light.
Experts have recommended that people concerned about their cellphone radiation exposure use earphones or switch to texting.
EU slaps $368 mn penalty on TikTok
TikTok was fined $368 million (€345 million) in the European Union for alleged lapses in the way it cares for children’s personal data. The Irish Data Protection Commission found TikTok failed to protect minors against unnecessary data processing and didn’t act in a transparent manner, according to a decision made public. The agency gave TikTok a three-month ultimatum to bring its data processing in line with the bloc’s strict General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR. Bloomberg
iPhone 15 models delayed in China
Buyers of Apple’s new iPhone 15 Pro Max in China will need to wait for four to five weeks before receiving the smartphone, the company’s website showed on Friday as it started taking pre-orders in an early sign of strong demand. The wait is slightly shorter for iPhone 15 Pro at two to three weeks, while the company said it could deliver iPhone 15 by September 22, the day the phone goes on sale in stores. For the iPhone 15 Plus, the wait in China is eight working days. Bloomberg