France halts iPhone 12 sales over radiation exposure levels

September 15, 2023: On Wednesday, France halts iPhone 12 sales over radiation exposure levels after a French watchdog named it to cease selling the handset because it breaches European exposure limitations.

On Tuesday, the ANFR radiation watchdog stated Apple to halt sales of iPhone 12s in France after tests that showed the phone’s Specific Absorption Rate, a measure of the rate of radiofrequency energy absorbed by the body from a piece of equipment was higher than legally permitted.

The ANFR stated that it would send agents to Apple stores and other distributors to check the standard stood no longer being sold.

It said it expected Apple “to deploy all known means to put an end to the non-compliance,” a loss to act would result in the recall of iPhone 12s already sold to customers.

Apple said it had provided ANFR with multiple Apple and independent third-party lab results confirming its compliance with all applicable SAR regulations and bars worldwide.

It said it was contesting the results of AFNR’s review and would continue to engage with the agent to show it is compliant.

The AFNR said accredited labs had found absorption of electromagnetic energy by the body at 5.74 watts per kilogram during tests simulating when the phone was being held in hand or kept in a trouser pocket. The European standard is a specific absorption rate of 4.0 watts per kilogram.

ANFR counted that the tests conducted the phone complied with so-called body-SAR standards in a jacket pocket or bag.