After the decision to withdraw the iPhone 12 from the French market, several other European countries are wondering about the harmfulness of this model.
While the American giant has just made its new generation of iPhone 15 official, it is one of its older models that is currently in the news: the iPhone 12. France has in fact ordered its withdrawal temporary after a report from the National Frequency Agency (ANFR), which estimated that the wave emissions of these telephones would be above regulatory thresholds.
Several countries are wondering
France could well have played the role of whistleblower at the start of the week, by pointing out the exceeding of the specific absorption rate (SAR) limit of the iPhone 12. Very quickly, the authorities beyond the borders reacted and announced that they were following the matter very closely.
This is particularly the case of the entity responsible for digital surveillance in the Netherlands, which is currently examining the report established by the ANFR. According to the local daily Algemeen Dagblad, explanations will soon be requested from Apple on the issue. The Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (BfS), the German radiation protection office, also claims to have looked into the French allegations.
Brussels soon to be solicited?
Behind, the BfS will reflect on the measures that can be taken for Germany. According to Reuters, the organization also admitted that the French decision could well have repercussions on a European scale. Brussels could thus be the next actor to be contacted. This possibility had already been mentioned two days ago by the French Minister for Digital and Telecommunications, Jean-Noël Barrot.
This kind of contagion scenario would be nothing new and would be quite similar to what happened last spring with ChatGPT, when several European countries announced that they would put the chatbot under surveillance before Brussels got involved. . Apple, for its part, points out that the iPhone 12 meets the standards of other major global certification bodies. The American firm is currently trading with ANFR.
Sources: Reuters (1), Reuters (2)
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