Snippet: France Not Happy with iPhone 12 ☇

Elizabeth Pineau and Tassilo Hummel for Reuters:

Apple pledged on Friday to update software on iPhone 12s in France to settle a dispute over radiation levels, but concerns in other European countries signalled it may have to take similar action elsewhere.

France this week suspended sales of iPhone 12 handsets after tests which it said found breaches of radiation exposure limits.

Apple contested the findings, saying the iPhone 12 was certified by multiple international bodies as compliant with global standards, but said on Friday it would issue a software update to accommodate the testing methods used in France.

Apple disputes the watchdog’s conclusions, saying the iPhone 12 was certified by multiple international bodies as compliant with global radiation standards. […]

“We will issue a software update for users in France to accommodate the protocol used by French regulators. We look forward to iPhone 12 continuing to be available in France,” Apple said in a statement.

“This is related to a specific testing protocol used by French regulators and not a safety concern,” it said.

While I’m all for holding companies accountable if they don’t follow regulatory guidelines, it feels weird that this is an issue now for France. The iPhone 12 has been on the market for almost three years and has just been discontinued. There are certainly concerns with existing devices, especially as the 12 is still a very capable device. Based on the story, it also seems that most other countries are not concerned, so I wonder how much of it is France posturing against Big Tech?