Apple says the iPhone 12 is still safe to use
even without the software update. France had halted sales of the device last
month.
Apple
has announced plans to update the software of the iPhone 12 after France
suspended sales of the model due to concerns over excessive radiation levels.
Jean-Noel Barrot, a junior minister in the French government, revealed that a
radiation watchdog found the device's "specific absorption rate"
slightly exceeded the legal limit.
The specific absorption rate
(SAR) refers to the rate at which the human body absorbs energy when exposed to
radio frequency. Apple has disputed these findings and maintains that the
iPhone 12 is safe to use even without any changes.
However, on Tuesday, Apple
stated its intention to comply with France's radiation testing requirements by
releasing an update that prevents the model from using higher power levels when
in contact with static surfaces.
In an article posted on its
website, Apple explained that for over a decade, iPhones have been equipped with
sensors that enable the phone to detect when it is in close proximity to a
user's body, thereby maintaining transmission power at lower levels. When the
phone is not near a body, such as when it is resting on a table, the device
employs slightly higher levels of transmission power.
Apple argued that the testing
protocol used by L'Agence Nationale des Frequences did not consider this
feature. The company emphasized, "We want all iPhone 12 users to know that
iPhone 12 is safe to use and always has been." Apple asserted that the
iPhone 12 was certified to meet energy transmission regulations and standards
worldwide when it initially shipped in 2020, and no changes have been made
since then to affect energy transmission.
Nevertheless, the company has
released a software update that deactivates the body-detection technology,
maintaining the phone at lower transmission power levels at all times. This
update will be made widely available to users in France this month.
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