iPhone 12,Radiation Is High, Apple, Will Turn Off This Feature,
- Apple will roll out the iOS 17.1 update to address radiation from the iPhone 12. The update will be released this October for users in France to reduce iPhone 12 radiation levels.
Apple took this effort following pressure from France to ban the sale of the iPhone 12 in its country on the grounds that the cellphone's radiation exceeded European limits.
In general, Apple states that the iPhone 12 is safe to use, as if denying that the cellphone has high radiation.
To deal with iPhone 12 radiation as questioned by France, Apple will deactivate the detection feature when the iPhone is not attached to the body.
This feature was previously used by Apple and other cellphone manufacturers to strengthen the signal when the cellphone was not held or kept in a shirt/trousers pocket, for example when placed on a table.
This feature will only be disabled in France, via the iOS 17.1 update. With this update, the iPhone 12 in France will no longer emit high energy even in static conditions, such as when placed on a table.
Because of this, its performance will also decrease slightly, especially in reaching cellular signals, because the antenna's transmit power is somewhat weakened. Even so, Apple ensures that most users will not feel a significant impact.
According to Apple, iPhones including the iPhone 12 do have sensors that can detect whether the device is placed on a static surface such as a table, or is being held in the hand or in a pocket.
The sensor has been used in all iPhone models for more than a decade. With this sensor, the iPhone can detect exactly when the device emits more energy, so that device performance can be optimized.
However, this practice was not taken into account by the French radio frequency monitoring agency (ANFR), when carrying out mobile wave radiation tests.
According to ANFR, the iPhone 12 should meet the threshold for absorbing electromagnetic energy by the user's body or Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), even if the device is not being held or placed in the user's pocket.
So, the test protocol used by ANFR does not take into account that the sensor actually makes higher energy transmission. In fact, according to Apple, this practice has been tested and is used as an effective mechanism to comply with SAR requirements internationally.
"The slightly higher energy does not apply to SAR compliance because the cellphone is placed on the table, not on the user's body," said Apple, quoted from the Apple Support website, Thursday (12/10/2023).
The iOS 17.1 update to address iPhone 12 radiation will be released by Apple this month. However, the company has not detailed the availability date.
Exceeds European threshold
This case began when the French radio frequency monitoring agency (ANFR) carried out tests on hundreds of cellphones including the iPhone 12 in September 2023.
Based on this test, the electromagnetic waves emitted by the iPhone 12 are considered to be more than normal limits, making them susceptible to being absorbed by the body.
According to ANFR testing, the absorption of electromagnetic energy by the user's body or Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) on the iPhone 12, reaches 5.74 watts per kilogram. The test simulation carried out is by holding a cellphone or keeping the cellphone in a pocket.
Meanwhile, in another test scenario, namely by providing a distance of 5 centimeters (cm) from the cellphone to the human body, the iPhone 12 was recorded as having a SAR value of 2.0 watts per kilogram.
Europe has set a threshold for energy absorption or SAR of 4.0 watts per kilogram. So, the iPhone 12 is categorized as exceeding the limits set by Europe, based on a simulation of the cellphone when held or placed in a pocket.
At that time, ANFR did not specify which iPhone 12 was meant, whether several models or all, considering that this cellphone was released in four models, starting from the "regular" iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Based on the test results, ANFR at that time ordered Apple to stop selling the iPhone 12 in France starting September 12. For the iPhone 12 which has already been sold, ANFR asked Apple to act immediately so as not to cause further impact.
Radiasi iPhone 12 Tinggi, Apple Bakal Matikan Fitur Ini
- Apple bakal menggulirkan pembaruan iOS 17.1 untuk mengatasi radiasi dari iPhone 12. Pembaruan itu akan dirilis Oktober ini untuk pengguna di Perancis agar tingkat radiasi iPhone 12 menurun.
Upaya itu ditempuh Apple menyusul desakan dari Perancis yang melarang penjualan iPhone 12 di negaranya dengan dalih radiasi ponsel tersebut melebihi ambang batas Eropa.
Secara umum Apple menyatakan bahwa iPhone 12 aman dipakai, seolah menyangkal bahwa ponsel tersebut memiliki radiasi tinggi.
Untuk mengatasi radiasi iPhone 12 seperti dipermasalahkan Perancis, Apple akan menonaktifkan fitur pendeteksi saat iPhone tidak menempel di tubuh.
Fitur ini sebelumnya digunakan Apple dan produsen HP lainnya, untuk memperkuat sinyal saat ponsel tidak dipegang atau disimpan di saku baju/celana, misalnya seperti saat diletakkan di atas meja.
Fitur itu hanya akan dinon-aktifkan di wilayah Perancis, melalui update iOS 17.1. Dengan update ini, iPhone 12 di Perancis tidak akan lagi memancarkan energi yang tinggi meskipun dalam kondisi statis, seperti saat diletakkan di atas meja.
Karena itu, kinerjanya juga akan sedikit menurun, khususnya dalam menjangkau sinyal seluler, karena daya pancar antena yang agak melemah. Meski begitu, Apple memastikan sebagian besar pengguna tidak akan merasakan dampak signifikan.
Menurut Apple, iPhone termasuk iPhone 12 memang memiliki sensor yang bisa mendeteksi apakah perangkat diletakkan di permukaan yang statis seperti meja, atau sedang digenggam tangan maupun di dalam saku.
Sensor itu dipakai di semua model iPhone selama lebih dari satu dekade. Dengan sensor itu, iPhone bisa mendeteksi kapan tepatnya perangkat memancarkan lebih banyak energi, agar kinerja perangkat bisa dioptimalkan.
Namun praktik itu tidak dipertimbangkan oleh badan pengawas frekuensi radio Perancis (ANFR), saat melakukan pengujian radiasi gelombang seluler.
Menurut ANFR, sedianya iPhone 12 memenuhi ambang batas penyerapan energi elektromagnetik oleh tubuh pengguna atau Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), meskipun perangkat tidak sedang digenggam atau ditaruh di saku pengguna.
Jadi, protokol pengujian yang dipakai ANFR tidak memperhitungkan bahwa sensor itu memang membuat transmisi energi lebih tinggi. Padahal praktik ini, menurut Apple sudah teruji dan dipakai sebagai mekanisme efektif untuk mematuhi persyaratan SAR secara internasional.
"Energi yang sedikit lebih tinggi, tidak berlaku untuk kepatuhan SAR karena ponsel diletakkan di atas meja, bukan di badan pengguna," kata Apple dikutip dari laman web Apple Support, Kamis (12/10/2023).
Adapun pembaruan iOS 17.1 untuk mengatasi radiasi iPhone 12 akan dirilis Apple bulan ini. Namun perusahaan belum merinci tanggal ketersediaannya.
Melebihi ambang batas Eropa
Kasus ini bermula saat badan pengawas frekuensi radio Perancis (ANFR) melakukan pengujian terhadap ratusan ponsel termasuk iPhone 12 pada September 2023.
Berdasarkan pengujian itu, gelombang elektromagnetik yang dipancarkan iPhone 12 dinilai lebih banyak dari batas wajar, sehingga rentan diserap tubuh.
Menurut pengujian ANFR, penyerapan energi elektromagnetik oleh tubuh pengguna atau Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) di iPhone 12, mencapai 5,74 watt per kilogram. Adapun simulasi pengujian yang dilakukan adalah dengan menggenggam ponsel atau menyimpan ponsel di saku.
Sementara itu, dalam skenario pengujian lainnya, yaitu dengan memberikan jarak 5 sentimeter (cm) dari ponsel ke tubuh manusia, iPhone 12 tercatat punya nilai SAR 2,0 watt per kilogram.
Adapun Eropa menetapkan ambang batas penyerapan energi sebesar atau SAR sebesar 4,0 watt per kilogram. Jadi, iPhone 12 dikategorikan melebihi batas yang ditetapkan Eropa, berdasarkan simulasi ponsel saat digenggam atau ditaruh di saku.
ANFR saat itu tak merinci iPhone 12 mana yang dimaksud, apakah beberapa model atau semuanya, mengingat ponsel ini dirilis dalam empat model, mulai dari iPhone 12"reguler", iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro dan iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Berdasarkan hasil pengujian itu, ANFR saat itu memerintahkan Apple menyetop penjualan iPhone 12 di Perancis mulai 12 September. Untuk iPhone 12 yang sudah terlanjur dijual, ANFR meminta Apple segera bertindak agar tidak menimbulkan dampak lebih lanjut.