iOS 17.1 Will Fix iPhone 12 Radiation Levels in France

[Tagbert]

What’s the cheap battery and micro issue? Never heard of it

No one has. Best to just ignore it.

The 12 did have the first gen 5G modem and it used more power than the next version used in the 13 so maybe that‘s what they mean but who knows.

 

[vincedu69]

It seems a bit biased not to link any article or communication from the watchdog and only give exposure to Apple's communication.

A quick search online shows the communication from the ANFR (the watchdog).
When reading it, it looks like the test failed when holding the phone in a hand or close to a body (i.e. not on a table):

These requirements entail that the equipment be tested at touch-contact (0 mm)
for limb-SAR measures – where the phone is handheld or in a trouser pocket - ...
The ANFR’s measures show that the limb-SAR values exceed
the limit, being at 5,74 W/kg.

It is pretty clear that in this test, the "off-body" feature (which Apple claims caused it) might have been wrongly turning on.
It is easy to imagine that Apple engineers are not perfect and there could be bugs in the feature. Which doesn't mean it's always emitting too much. Which is exactly what the watchdog said:

However, the body-SAR complies with the regulation.

Reading the Apple communication now, it seems like Apple uses condescending words to basically claim their own tests are better than what an unbiased watchdog could test.
They also explain clearly the problem (it's only a bug in a feature), which reassures customers as indeed it's not a big deal if it turns on in some edge cases.

 

[Tagbert]

It seems a bit biased not to link any article or communication from the watchdog and only give exposure to Apple's communication.

A quick search online shows the communication from the ANFR (the watchdog).
When reading it, it looks like the test failed when holding the phone in a hand or close to a body (i.e. not on a table):


It is pretty clear that in this test, the "off-body" feature (which Apple claims caused it) might have been wrongly turning on.
It is easy to imagine that Apple engineers are not perfect and there could be bugs in the feature. Which doesn't mean it's always emitting too much. Which is exactly what the watchdog said:



Reading the Apple communication now, it seems like Apple uses condescending words to basically claim their own tests are better than what an unbiased watchdog could test.
They also explain clearly the problem (it's only a bug in a feature), which reassures customers as indeed it's not a big deal if it turns on in some edge cases.

In other reporting that I have seen, it was mentioned that the testing was done with a dummy and that dummy may not have triggered the ”near body” mode if it was, for instance, using body heat as a measure.

 

[bsolar]

But the French insisted that the phone didn’t meet international standards. And they are wrong

The French regulator's official statement claims that the phone didn't meet "European regulation". The relevant European regulation is 1999/519/EC.

The relevant SAR limit in Annex II of said document is of 4 W/Kg, which is exceeded by the iPhone 12. The rationale for an increased limit compared to what Annex II lists is that the iPhone can detect when it's likely to be farther from the body, but the document leaves how to evaluate such considerations to the Member States:

III. Member States, in order to facilitate and promote respect of the basic restrictions given in Annex II:

(c) may take into account criteria, where appropriate, such as duration of the exposure, exposed parts of the body, age and health status of the public.

So it's an option, not a must.

Also note that it also explicitly allows for more restrictive standards if State Members so decide:

Member States may, in accordance with the Treaty, provide for a higher level of protection than that set out in this recommendation.

 

[Makosuke]

Testicles around France rejoiced at this news.

French people like to lie motionless with their phone resting on their testicles while using it?

Because with what this change is, that’s the only situation in which it would make any difference at all to testicles.

 

[flofixer]

So… basically all of the studies and data for the past 3 decades or so are just a lot of noise that doesn’t point to any particular problem with normal levels of non-ionizing radiation in radio frequencies.

If you can reference you five favorite or most relevant studies, I will be happy to critique them for you.

 

[lk400]

Is my phone going to emit more radiation now? I read about it with Fukushima and I think it is really bad.

 

[jonnysods]

French people like to lie motionless with their phone resting on their testicles while using it?

Because with what this change is, that’s the only situation in which it would make any difference at all to testicles.

It was a joke - people seem to keep their phone in their pockets a lot, which are generally close to that part of the body.