The iOS 17.1 Beta 3 Release Notes revealed that the update will accommodate a test protocol for Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) testing for iPhone 12 users in France.
Apple's iPhone 12 Radiation Problem
On September 12, France's Agence Française Nationale des Fréquences issued a statement calling out Apple's iPhone 12 as it is said to exceed the limitations of the set SAR. This means that the iPhone 12 has been emitting radiation levels that go beyond the legal limits. Since then, France has temporarily banned the selling of iPhone 12.
Aside from France, Belgium also became skeptical about the iPhone 12's radiation levels. Belgium's government had already asked to test and analyze the potential health risk that would be caused by the iPhone 12's radiation.
However, Apple countered the issue by stating that the iPhone 12 meets the on-body SAR limits. "The specific test protocol used by ANFR requires that devices meet the on-body SAR limits, even when the device is tested off-body on a static surface," Apple argued.
iOS 17.1 Update Might Lift France's Ban on iPhone 12
In an update statement, Apple unveiled that with the iOS 17.1 update, "iPhone 12 will no longer increase the allowed power when the off-body state is detected." This includes motions like when the phone is on a table.
Moreover, if the phone is in areas with low cellular signal Apple warned that the changes in the antenna transmit power will result in "slightly lower cellular performance in certain off-body use cases." Regardless, Apple assured that these changes might not even be noticeable to the majority of the users.
Meanwhile, the company remained firm that the iPhone 12 is and always has been safe for users in France and around the world.
Related Article : Belgium To Probe Potential Health Risks Linked to iPhone 12 Radiation
