David Immel / Android Authority
TL; DR
- Apple will issue a software update to the iPhone 12 so that the device can resume sales in France.
- The update will adjust the SAR protocol used by French regulators.
- France will resume iPhone 12 sales after the update.
Apple has responded to the French sales ban on the iPhone 12. The company has promised to address the radiation exposure levels of the 2020 iPhone with an upcoming software update.
Last week, France issued a directive to halt all iPhone 12 sales in the country, claiming the phone exceeded SAR (specific absorption rate) limits specified by regulations. The country’s regulatory authority on radio frequencies issued a formal notice to Apple to withdraw the model from the market.
The iPhone maker contested France’s findings, noting that the iPhone 12 was certified to comply with global SAR standards. However, the company has promised that the device will receive a software update to fix the issue.
“We will release a software update for users in France to accommodate the protocol used by French regulators. We look forward to iPhone 12 being available in France,” Apple said in a statement Reuters). “This relates to specific testing protocols used by French regulators and is not a safety concern,” it said.
In return, the French government said it would quickly test the iPhone 12 after the update and allow sales of the device to resume in accordance with the country’s radiation exposure standards.