SINGAPORE – The French authorities and Apple are in a row over radiation levels from Apple’s iPhone 12.

On Sept 12, the National Frequency Agency (ANFR) ordered Apple to stop selling the phone as it had failed a radiation test. The French watchdog, which oversees radio-electric frequencies, told the tech giant to fix the problem through a software update or recall every iPhone 12 sold in France.

Here’s what you need to know about the dispute, and whether the iPhone 12 – which first went on sale in 2020 – is safe to use.

Q: What test did the iPhone 12 fail?

ANFR found that the iPhone 12’s specific absorption rate (SAR) exceeded what was legally allowed. SAR measures the power absorbed by every kilogram of the human body.

When held in the palm or in the pocket, the iPhone’s SAR was 5.74 watts per kg, above the permitted limit of 4 watts per kg. However, when measured at a distance of 5mm from the skin, such as when kept in a bag or jacket, the iPhone 12 complied with ANFR’s limit of 2 watts per kg.

Q: What kind of radiation do mobile phones emit?

Mobile phones emit non-ionising radiation, which does not have sufficient energy to cause ionisation, the process in which electrons gain enough energy to break away from the atom.

Sources of non-ionising radiation include electric and magnetic fields, radio waves, microwaves, and optical radiation, which consists of infrared, visible light, and ultraviolet radiation.

Ionising radiation, on the other hand, is a type of energy released by atoms in the form of electromagnetic waves or particles, such as gamma rays, X-rays, alpha or beta particles and neutrons.

While ionising radiation is used in medicine and research, it can cause health hazards if not properly used or contained. Acute health effects such as skin burns or acute radiation syndrome can occur when doses of radiation exceed very high levels, while low doses of ionising radiation can increase the risk of longer-term effects such as cancer.

Q: Is the radiation from mobile phones safe?

Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) said that radiation from mobile phones may generate heat, but does not have enough energy to break the chemical bonds in cells or cause them to mutate and become cancerous.

“The WHO (World Health Organisation) has found no convincing scientific evidence of adverse health effects in populations or individuals that are a result of exposure to very low levels of radio frequency (RF) radiation,” added NEA.

“The human body does absorb energy from mobile devices that emit RF radiation, but the only biological effect of RF absorption in humans is heating to the area of the body where a mobile phone is held, such as the ear and head. However, that heating is insufficient to measurably increase core body temperature,” said Professor See Kye Yak, the director of Nanyang Technological University’s Electromagnetic Effects Research Laboratory.

Q: What has Apple done so far?

Reuters reported on Tuesday that Apple has sent the French authorities a firmware update for the iPhone 12 for review.

The American tech giant had earlier contested the French findings, saying the iPhone 12 was certified by multiple international bodies as compliant with global standards, but said on Sept 15 it would issue a software update to accommodate the testing methods used in France.

France’s announcement has prompted closer scrutiny from the rest of Europe, with regulators in Belgium and Germany stating that they could look into the issue, while those in Italy and Portugal said they were monitoring the situation closely.

Q: What is the response from the Singapore authorities?

In a joint statement, NEA and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said they are aware of ANFR’s findings and are monitoring further developments in this case.

They gave assurances that strict safety requirements are in place prior to the approving of any RF emitting equipment in Singapore.

They said Apple had submitted its test report for its iPhone 12 model to IMDA when the model was first registered, showing it complied with prevailing international standards, including the European Union standards for RF emission. The model was subsequently approved for sale in Singapore in late 2020.

IMDA said it is in touch with Apple Singapore.

Q: How do I reduce my exposure to radiation from mobile phones?

Prof See said that those looking to reduce their exposure to radiation emitted from mobile devices could restrict their use of mobile phones to not more than 15 minutes continuously. They could also use wireless headsets so that the phone is not placed against the head directly.

He added: “Different countries impose different SAR limits, but Europe always is more stringent... Just like the one imposed in France.”