Apple addresses iPhone 12 radiation concerns with software update

French regulators claimed that the phones exceeded acceptable radiation levels, causing France to suspend their sale. However, Apple denied the allegations and attributed them to differences in French testing protocols.

The company emphasizes that this is not a safety issue and points out that the iPhone 12 had been certified as compliant with global radiation standards by multiple international bodies. The forthcoming software update will not modify radiation levels since it's a hardware matter. Instead, it aims to "accommodate the protocol used by French regulators."

Apple believes that this update will enable the iPhone 12 models to pass future radiation tests in France successfully. The company expressed its anticipation of the iPhone 12 continuing to be available in the French market.

In 2020, France adjusted its regulations to consider extremities like hands when testing for radiation levels and the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). During recent SAR tests, French regulators found that the iPhone 12 models exceeded normal levels of energy absorption when held, despite passing the test for head and body exposure.

Both Belgium and Denmark have supported Apple in this matter. The Belgian minister for digitalization stated that local tests were "reassuring" and recommended against suspending sales. Denmark's Safety Authority also expressed no concerns regarding the iPhone 12 models' radiation levels.