While the last couple of weeks have been all about the iPhone 15 series, we’ve encountered a strange recent development with the three-year-old iPhone 12 in France. The National Frequency Agency (ANFR) found that the standard iPhone 12 emitted electromagnetic waves higher than permitted, forcing the regulator to ban Apple from selling the device on the local market and required Cupertino to release a software update.
A new report from the ANFR says the regulator has now approved Apple’s iPhone 12 software update (version 4.06.02) which was tested by the French agency and found to lower absorption rate levels specific (SAR) at 3.94 W/kg. The press release reads “It is now up to Apple to roll out the new update to all iPhone 12 users in France.”
The EU standard for the SAR of a device placed in your pocket is 4.0 watts per kilogram, while the iPhone 12 had a SAR of 5.74 W/kg before the latest update. It should be noted that the testing methods in France differ from those of other countries in that they include SAR tests for limbs (i.e. holding the phone in the hand) which the iPhone 12 did not pass. Interestingly, the iPhone 12 was not above the SAR threshold when it was first launched in 2020, but the French agency introduced its updated SAR for limb testing methods that same year.
Officials from several EU member states, including Belgium, Germany and Italy, had previously asked Apple to release this update across the EU, but it remains to be seen whether Apple will push the update to other countries outside of France.
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