DealNTech Mobiles, PCs, and All Things Tech
Apple has been generating several headlines recently. Partly because of the launch of the iPhone 15 series, but also for breaking the EU laws. All phones have to undergo SAR value testing before entering any market. The regulation numbers vary slightly depending on the regulatory government bodies.
SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) measures the rate at which energy absorption takes place per unit mass of a human body when you expose the body to an electromagnetic field (radio frequency). The amount of power absorption per mass of tissue is the SAR value. You can either calculate for 1g or 10g of body tissue or as an average value for the entire body.
There’s plenty of controversy about SAR values since they only measure short-term radiation impact. The rating is higher than the scientific limit, which causes actual damage to humans. However, it’s still breaking EU laws since the iPhone 12 exceeds the set limit. Note that the SAR issue is only for the iPhone 12 model and not the 12 Mini, 12 Pro, or the 12 Pro Max. At the time of writing, we’re not sure if other iPhones also breach the standards set by the EU.
Apple iPhone 12
In the EU, the limit is 2 Watts per kilogram. It’s an average of 10g of tissue at the highest point of signal absorption. The limit differs in the USA, at 1.6 Watts per kilogram, but the average is over 1g of tissue. The values heavily depend on average volume size. Countries like India use their own regulations run by the Indian government. It’s incorrect to directly compare SAR values.
The SAR value in the USA cannot be compared to the SAR value measured in the EU. If a company is breaching laws in the EU, that doesn’t necessarily imply that the law is broken even in the USA. The measure for the iPhone 12 is now around 5.74 Watts per kilogram in the EU. This is way above the limit.
The iPhone 12 is still a very popular device in France. Since it offers excellent specifications like the A14 Bionic chip, good cameras, and an OLED display for under 500 Euros, it’s a great way to experience iOS for many people. According to Bloomberg, Apple didn’t want any information going out, and the staff couldn’t disclose any information.
The ministry says that the phone is still safe to use. The radiation limit set is much higher than what can harm the body. From September 12, sellers took the iPhone 12 off shelves since it didn’t comply with the EU law. The increase in SAR value was apparently after multiple software updates. This wasn’t an issue at the time of launch. According to the order from the ANFR, the iPhone 12 had to be recalled.
However, Apple has now responded to this with a statement. They said, “We will issue a software update for users in France to accommodate the protocol used by French regulators. We look forward to iPhone 12 continuing to be available in France,”
They also said, “This is related to a specific testing protocol used by French regulators and not a safety concern.”
ANFR will apparently test this update, and if the update decreases the SAR values, it’ll comply with the EU law again. Only after this will the EU lift the marketing withdrawal order.
