France has temporarily halted the sale of Apple's iPhone 12 over concerns about the device's radiation levels.
The decision was made by France's National Radiation Agency (ANFR) after tests revealed that the phone's Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) slightly exceeded the permitted levels.
SAR measures the amount of radiation absorbed by the human body from a device. Jean-Noël Barrot, the French Minister for Digitalization and Telecommunications, stated that a software update could likely resolve the issue and bring the radiation levels back to an acceptable range.
A two-week deadline for Apple
Barrot expects Apple to respond within the next two weeks. Failure to address the issue could lead to the recall of all iPhone 12 units in circulation.
"The rules are the same for everyone, even digital giants," he said.
While several countries have agencies that monitor the radiation emitted from electronic products for health reasons, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that multiple studies have shown "no proven critical effect on health from mobile phone use," according to news agency AFP.
The move by France could potentially set a precedent for other countries to scrutinize the radiation levels of electronic devices more closely, especially those from major tech companies.
