IPhone 12 marketing can resume in France following exceedance of the specific absorption rate’s regulatory value limit

The ANFR has duly noted that Apple has issued a software update that will bring the iPhone 12 into compliance with “limb” specific absorption rate (SAR) value limits in France’s overseas departments. A first update was issued on 25 October 2023, fixing the non-compliance in mainland France. The ban on marketing the iPhone 12 is therefore withdrawn throughout the French territory from 15 December 2023.

As the market surveillance authority for radio equipment and responsible for controlling public exposure to electromagnetic fields, the ANFR tested Apple’s iPhone 12 to check compliance with limit SAR values. SAR is a measure of the rate of radiofrequency energy absorbed by the body from the equipment being measured. Measures showed that the iPhone 12 “limb” SAR exceeded the limit set by the applicable standards.

Pursuant to article L. 43, II bis, of the French Postal and Electronic Communications Code (CPCE), on the 12 September 2023, the ANFR addressed a decision to temporarily withdraw the iPhone 12 from the market to Apple, demanding it adopt all appropriate measures to bring all equipment, on the market or already in use, into compliance.

Apple developed a software patch that the ANFR was able to approve as it effectively brings the “limb” SAR value below the regulatory limit of 4 W/kg. After a first release for mainland France, iOS 17.2 has now made the patch available for France’s overseas departments (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, La Réunion, Mayotte) as well as in Saint-Martin.

The marketing ban is therefore withdrawn throughout the French territory.

For further information:

• Analysis of SAR measurements from 2022
• All you need to know on SAR:  
• A video showing how accredited laboratories measure SAR

Find all the SAR measurements carried out by the ANFR on mobile phones on our website: https://data.anfr.fr/

ANFR press contact: presse@remove-this.anfr.fr