France: National Frequency Agency issued ruling in investigation into Apple over non-compliance with specific absorption rate limits

On 12 September 2023, the National Frequency Agency (ANFR) issued an interim ruling ordering the temporary withdrawal of the Apple iPhone 12 from the French market due to non-compliance with the European regulatory limits on specific absorption rate (SAR). Acting under its mandate to supervise radio equipment and monitor public exposure to electromagnetic fields, ANFR confirmed through accredited laboratory testing that while the device met the body-SAR threshold of 2 W/kg, it exceeded the limb-SAR limit of 4 W/kg, registering a retained value of 5.74 W/kg under the harmonised testing conditions at 0 mm distance. As a result, ANFR instructed Apple to implement immediate corrective actions to prevent further supply of non-compliant units, and to adopt measures to bring existing devices in circulation into conformity, failing which a recall would be enforced. ANFR further mandated verification of any corrective software update and directed its sworn officers to ensure that the iPhone 12 was no longer offered for sale across all French distribution channels from the date of the decision