The French government has banned the sale of an iPhone due to security risks. The Netherlands may follow suit, what’s going on?
France bans iPhone
After new Chinese measures against Apple, the company is now also experiencing problems in France. The French government has immediately banned the sale of the iPhone 12. According to the French regulator, the phone emits too much electromagnetic radiation. This ban is temporary for the time being, because Apple has two weeks to take measures.
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Multiple random samples from the French regulator have shown that the iPhone 12 emits radiation of 5.74 watts per kilogram of body weight. This is higher than the European standard allows, because in Europe the limit for this is 4 watts per kilogram. Reason enough for the French government to immediately ban the sale of the iPhone 12. The Netherlands has now indicated that it may follow this example.
Apple must provide clarification in the Netherlands
There is no immediate danger with this level of electromagnetic radiation, so fortunately you don’t have to worry (yet) if you have an iPhone 12. Higher radiation does cause your body to heat up more. At the European limit this is approximately 0.1 degrees, but with the iPhone 12 this is already slightly higher. In doing so, Apple also violates the limits in the Netherlands, because they apply everywhere in the European Union.
The Dutch State Inspectorate of Digital Infrastructure has therefore asked Apple for clarification. If the French regulator’s investigation is correct, Apple must also take measures in the Netherlands. The company must do this within two weeks in France, otherwise Apple will have to recall all models of the iPhone 12 sold in that country. These measures may be released across the EU.
Bad news for banned iPhone users
The fact that the phone is now banned in France not only means bad news for Apple, but for everyone who has an iPhone 12. The measures that Apple can take will probably have a negative effect on the range of the phone. For example, Apple can choose to weaken the iPhone’s Wi-Fi or network signal so that the phone emits less electromagnetic radiation.
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This will probably happen via a software update, which will only be released for the iPhone 12. If Apple does not do this, it may mean the end of the iPhone 12 in France. There is a good chance that other European countries will also ban the iPhone, after all, it concerns European regulations. In that case, the phone also disappears from the Netherlands.
Apple: iPhone radiation not too high
In an initial response, Apple indicated that it had doubts about the results of the French study. The company itself carries out similar tests to prevent these types of situations. According to Apple, the iPhone 12 does meet the European standard if previous studies are taken into account. It therefore remains to be seen whether a software update will arrive for the currently banned iPhone 12.
The iPhone 12 appeared in the Netherlands in 2020 and is still sold by individual providers. Apple has not sold the phone since Tuesday, because the iPhone 15 was announced. If the electromagnetic radiation also turns out to be too high in the Netherlands, all providers will be prohibited from selling the iPhone 12.
Apple will most likely have to recall all iPhone 12 models in the Netherlands as well. We will soon hear whether this will happen, especially now that Apple has also been asked for clarification in the Netherlands.
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