France ban Apple iphone 12
According to news reports, France has banned the Apple iPhone 12 because it emits too much electromagnetic radiation, which could be harmful to human health.
The French watchdog (ANFR) said that the iPhone 12’s specific absorption rate (SAR), which measures the rate of radio frequency energy absorbed by the body, was above the legal limit of 4.0 watts per kilogram in tests simulating the phone being held in the hand or kept in a pocket.
Dispute
Apple disputed the tests and said that the iPhone 12 was certified by multiple international bodies and compliant with all global radiation standards. The French digital minister said that Apple had two weeks to respond and fix the issue, or else he would order a recall of all iPhone 12 devices sold in the country.
The minister also said that France would share its findings with other regulators in the European Union, which could lead to a wider ban of the phone.
What is electromagnetic radiation?
Radiation from mobile phones is a type of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by cell phones and cordless phones when they send and receive signals. Electromagnetic radiation is a form of energy that travels in waves or particles through space.
It can be classified into two types: ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation has high energy and can damage DNA, which may increase the risk of cancer such as; x-rays, radon, and cosmic rays. Non-ionizing radiation has low energy and cannot damage DNA directly – such as; radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, and ultraviolet light.
Cell phone radiation
Cell phones use radiofrequency (RF) waves, which are a type of non-ionizing radiation, to communicate with cell towers and other devices. RF waves have frequencies ranging from 0.7 to 80 GHz, depending on the generation of the cell phone (2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G). The human body can absorb some of the RF energy from cell phones, which may cause some heating to the area of the body where the phone is held (e.g., the ear and head). However, it is suggested this heating is not enough to raise the core body temperature or cause any harmful effects.
Research
There has been a lot of research on whether cell phone use can cause health problems, such as cancer, in humans. However, it has been reported that the evidence so far is not conclusive and does not show a clear link between cell phone use and cancer risk. There could be a link but we do not know 100%… yet?
Some studies have suggested that there may be a small increase in the risk of certain types of brain tumors (such as acoustic neuromas) for people who use cell phones for a long time or frequently. However, other studies have not found any consistent evidence to support this.
The incidence of brain and central nervous system cancers has not changed significantly during the time that cell phone use has increased dramatically. Therefore, more research is needed to understand the possible effects of cell phone use on human health.