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Apple, a titan in the smartphone industry, finds itself under scrutiny as concerns over the iPhone 12’s radiation levels have sparked debate over safety standards and regulations.

With over 1.46 billion iPhone users recorded in 2023, the tech giant has been a dominating figure in the phone industry.

The recent ban on the iPhone 12 in France highlights the constant struggle companies face adhering to varying international radiation emission safety standards .

The rate at which energy is absorbed by the human body when exposed to a radiofrequency electromagnetic field, known as the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), is capped by The Federal Communications Commission at 1.6 watts per kilogram.

Cellphone companies have to follow certain guidelines when attempting to release a phone for public sale, one such guideline is the radiation safety limit.

Meanwhile, more lenient EU regulations require mobile phones to have a radiation level under 4 watts per kilogram.

On September 12, 2023, after rigorous testing of 141 cell phones, the French agency discovered the iPhone 12 emitted 5.74 watts per kilogram of radiation when carried in hand or pocket, surpassing the EU’s standard exposure limit.

This has led to the immediate ban of iPhone 12 sales in the country.

However, Apple has downplayed the allegations, pointing to the acceptance of their products by other international committees and countries.

Belgium's Minister for Digitization, Mathieu Michel, and the Denmark Safety Authority both conducted tests and found no issues with excess radiation levels, corroborating Apple’s stance on the safety of their devices.

The controversy has compelled the European Commission to consider EU-wide restrictions on the product if the French decision is not overruled within three months by other EU countries.

Regardless, the National Frequency Agency has told Apple to resolve the issue in a timely manner. If the issue remains unresolved, Apple may be forced to withdraw their phones from the market, which would be a major hit to Apple’s profits.

Surprisingly, this isn’t Apple’s first encounter with radiation emission problems.

In 2019, the Chicago Tribune conducted an experiment measuring the radiofrequency emission of the iPhone 7 and concluded that it had doubled the standard exposure limit.

Despite Apple's rejection of the data and assurance of adherence to safety norms, a re-conducted experiment yielded similar results.

Although the Chicago Tribune tried to submit an official compliance report, the FCC deemed the experiment not comprehensive enough for an official compliance report, but agreed to examine some of the phone models for safety measures.

Ultimately, it is evident that Apple has problems in adhering to safety guidelines, and many wonder if the baseline for radiation standards should be raised.

It inevitably raises the question on whether mobile phones are indeed safe to use.

Fortunately, cell phones emit the more innocuous type of radiation, non-ionizing radiation, which is typically low in frequency, similar to the radiation found in microwaves, radio frequencies, and power lines.

Furthermore, the National Cancer Institute stated that there is no consistent evidence that radiation from phones increases the risk of cancer.

The only proven biological effect it has on humans is simply heating the skin.

However, the vulnerability of children to cell phone radiation raises more substantial concerns.

Children absorb 2-3 times more radiation due to their developing brains and smaller body size, making the debate around radiation standards crucial for public health discourse.

The ongoing debate over the radiation levels in Apple iPhones highlights the importance of awareness and moderation in using such devices.

Whether Iphones are deemed harmless or not, it is important to be mindful when using such technologies as the scientific community has yet to prove its long-term effects.