Apple has instructed its tech support personnel to remain silent if asked about the iPhone 12 radiation risk in France according to Bloomberg. France has already prohibited the sale of the iPhone 12 after a regulator determined that the device violated European radiation exposure regulations.
According to Bloomberg, the tech giant instructed employees to tell clients that they had no information on the radiation issue. It was also stated that Apple told personnel to refuse returns or exchanges for smartphones purchased more than two weeks ago. If a consumer inquires about the safety of the phones, the personnel were reportedly instructed to inform them that the items underwent thorough testing.
The sale of the iPhone 12 was prohibited in France after the radiation authority, Agence Nationale des Frequences (ANFR), stated earlier this week that the smartphone’s Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) was higher than legally allowed.
SAR is a measurement of the rate of radiofrequency absorbed by a smartphone user’s body while using the device.
According to the ANFR, if Apple does not remedy the issue, it will be forced to order the recall of these smartphones.
Apple agrees to a software update for iPhone 12 after French radiation concerns prompt sales ban
Apple first contested the watchdog’s findings, claiming that the iPhone 12 was approved by numerous international organizations as meeting global radiation guidelines.
However, Apple appeared to relent on Friday (September 15), announcing that it would provide a software update to fix the radiation issue.
The French government responded positively to the announcement. It stated that the software update would be tested quickly and that if the problem was resolved, sales of the model would be allowed to continue.
“The ANFR (French regulator) is preparing to quickly test this update,” said France’s Digital Affairs Ministry. Jean-Noel Barrot, the Digital Affairs Minister has been in contact with Apple over the past few days over the radiation issue.
Older model faces sales ban in France
The iPhone 12 is an older model. It was released in 2020.
“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,” Apple said in a statement.
However, the corporation maintained that the issue raised was not a safety issue.
“This is related to a specific testing protocol used by French regulators and not a safety concern,” it said.
This week, Apple released the iPhone 15. The iPhone 12 is no longer available directly from Apple, however, it can be purchased from third parties.
