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APPLE HAS SAID it will update the iPhone 12 in France after regulators raised concerns over electromagnetic radiation emitted by the devices.
France had ordered a halt to sales of the device, released in 2020, this week after finding that the model emitted more electromagnetic waves than permitted.
“Apple has assured me that it will implement an update for the iPhone 12 in the next few days,” said France’s digital minister Jean-Noel Barrot in a statement to the AFP news agency.
Both the firm and Barrot insisted there was no danger to public health from the radiation.
“This is related to a specific testing protocol used by French regulators and not a safety concern,” Apple said in a statement, adding that the device complied with rules on emissions all around the world.
“We will issue a software update for users in France to accommodate the protocol used by French regulators.”
The US tech giant had been given two weeks to issue an update to its phone, which was coming to the end of its career as a front-line Apple product.
Barrot said the agency in charge of testing, the ANFR, would quickly assess the update and decide whether to lift the ban on sales.
The World Health Organization points out that several studies in the field have failed to find adverse health effects caused by mobile phone use.
And there are no specific illnesses linked to such radiation.
But exposure to more than 40 watts per kilogram (W/kg) of electromagnetic radiation does increase body temperature.
European regulations allow only 4 W/kg for such devices and the iPhone 12 exceeded that level by 1.7 W/kg.
Apple has endured an unusually tough week.
Its launch of new products was overshadowed by an announcement that it was replacing its proprietary “lightning” charging ports with standard USB-C ports on the latest generation of iPhones, a measure demanded by EU regulators in October 2022.
Additionally, Chinese officials denied claims that they had banned iPhones in government buildings before taking a swipe at the firm.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said officials were following “many recent media reports exposing security incidents relating to Apple mobile phones”.
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Improvements in phone features and abilities the last few years has been non existent. They are cleary as good as they are going to get. The bendable phones are a joke. I’m using a three year old Chinese Xiaomi Android phone and still getting by just fine with it. Buying a new mobile every 12 months is long gone.
@Dan The Man: is it easy to replace the battery on that phone? I always find the batteries start to go bad after 18-24 months.
@Dan The Man: I’ve used a “bendable” flip phone for the past 12 months and it’s great.
@Dan The Man: For you maybe but bought my new iPhone 15 Pro to replace my 14 Pro that replaced my 13 Pro etc etc.
Would never buy an iPhone
If you have young children who like to use your phone please remember..
The nervous systems of children are more vulnerable to the effects of electromagnetic waves than those of adults. Although studies on the effects of EMFs on children’s health are unestablished, precautionary principles should be followed for children and the exposure to EMFs among children should be minimized
Just another way to push the IPhone 15 sales to the for the deep pockets Apple fan base.
have your say