Belgium said on Thursday it would review the potential health risks of Apple’s (APPL) iPhone 12 linked to radiation, shortly after France raised the concern and halted sales of the smartphone model. The two countries’ actions could lead to other European countries following suit.
France’s radiation watchdog, the Agence Nationale des Frequences (ANFR), banned the sale of the older iPhone model after tests showed it emitted radiation above the legal exposure limits set by European Union (EU) authorities.
The Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) measures the rate at which radio frequency energy is absorbed by the body from the source being measured, such as a mobile phone.
ANFR said earlier this week that the SAR of the iPhone 12 is higher than legally allowed.
ANFR plans to ensure that no iPhone 12 is sold in French Apple Stores or other retailers. If Apple doesn’t fix the problem, it could be forced to recall the model across France.
However, Apple disputes the findings, saying the 2020 model meets global radiation standards based on certifications from international bodies and results from third-party labs.
The red flag raised by the French could lead to other iPhone 12 bans in Europe, although Italy has said it doesn’t plan to take any further action at the moment.
Belgium’s Secretary of State for Digitalisation, Mathieu Michel, has asked his national regulator, IBPT-BIPT, to assess the health risks of the iPhone 12, and has later asked for a separate review of all Apple smartphones, as well as those from other manufacturers.
Dutch, German and Spanish authorities are also concerned. The Dutch digital watchdog is looking into the French report, as is the German network regulator BNetzA. Spanish consumer group OCU has called on authorities to stop the sale of the iPhone 12.
Although there’s no breakdown of data by country, it’s estimated that around 50 million iPhones were sold in Europe last year. In terms of revenue, Europe is second only to the Americas for Apple, bringing in about $95 billion last year, according to a Reuters report.
