Apple will roll out a software update for the iPhone 12 in France to meet the required radio-frequency radiation levels. The company had to stop selling the iPhone 12 in the region due to RF radiation concerns.
A French regulatory body will test and approve the update. After that, Apple can resume iPhone 12 sales in the country.
Software update will first undergo testing before public release
French regulator ANFR will test the update that will seemingly reduce the iPhone 12’s electromagnetic radiation and ensure it complies with European standards.
“We will issue a software update for users in France to accommodate the protocol used by French regulators. We look forward to iPhone 12 continuing to be available in France,” said Apple in its statement to Reuters. The Cupertino giant also reaffirmed that the high radiation is related to a specific testing protocol used by French regulators and has no health hazard.
In a recent retest, the French Agence Nationale des Fréquences (ANFR) found the radiation from iPhone 12 above the specified limit.
With the iPhone 12 held, the hand absorbed 5.74 Watts/kg of radiation. This was over the limit of 4 W/kg. The second test was carried out with the device 5mm away from the user. In this, the radiation emitted dropped below the threshold.
Belgian will carry out its own iPhone radiation tests
In its initial statement, the French regulatory body wanted Apple to issue a software patch to resolve the problem quickly. Until a fix was available, Apple had to stop the sale of the iPhone 12 in France.
This move from ANFR led the Belgian regulatory body to review the iPhone 12’s radiation levels. The IBPT (Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications) welcomed Apple’s quick move to issue a software update to address the radiation levels. However, it will still assess and review the radiation level of all iPhones on sale.
