Radiation above the limits
iPhone 12 is threatened with recall in France
September 13, 2023, 12:42 a.m
Listen to article
This audio version was artificially generated. More info | Send feedback
Apple has just introduced its new products to the world, but the day doesn’t just bring good news. In France, the tech giant is threatened with a recall for the iPhone 12 because the radiation levels are too high. The company’s fortunes are also going wrong in China.
Because of excessive electromagnetic radiation, Apple is threatened with a recall for the iPhone 12 in France. Tests by the ANFR radiation regulator show that they are slightly above the limit values, said Jean-Noel Barrot, the minister responsible for the digital economy, to the newspaper “Le Parisien”. Apple has already been informed about this and has two weeks to react. “If they don’t do that, I’m ready to order a recall of all iPhone 12s in circulation. The rule is the same for everyone, including the digital giants.”
France will make the test results available to the other states of the European Union, Barrot said. They could make similar decisions to his country. “That could trigger a snowball effect.” However, the devices are already several years old. Apple presented the latest generation of this smartphone, the iPhone 15, on Tuesday.
According to the information, ANFR tested the so-called specific absorption rate SAR. It indicates how strongly electromagnetic radiation is absorbed by a material and thus heated. According to medical studies, excessive SAR from cell phones can promote certain types of cancer.
Worries about iPhone ban for employees in China
An additional burden for the Cupertino, California-based company is the ban on employees of Chinese authorities and state-owned companies from using iPhones at work. According to Bank of America estimates, this could push sales of the devices in the country to up to 40 million units per year from the previous 50 million. Until now, China was the third largest sales market. Experts see the government’s order in Beijing as a reaction to sanctions on Chinese products.
Chinese rival Huawei also presented its new top smartphone model on Friday. According to tests published on the Internet, the “Mate 60 Pro+” leaves the competition behind when it comes to data downloads. The industry service Tech Insights also said that the devices would be powered by a new generation of chips made in China.