French regulator orders Apple to withdraw iPhone 12 model due to high radiation levels
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France's radiation watchdog Agence Nationale des Frequences (ANFR) has asked tech giant Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) to stop selling its iPhone 12 model in the country due to high radiation levels.
The ANFR said it recently measured the specific absorption rates (SAR) - or the amount of energy transported by electromagnetic waves and absorbed by the human body - of 141 phones including AAPL's iPhone 12, and found that the model exceeded the legal SAR limit.
"Therefore, Apple (AAPL) must immediately take all measures to prevent the affected phones present in the supply chain from being made available on the market," ANFR said in a statement on Tuesday.
"For phones already sold, Apple must take corrective action as soon as possible to bring the affected phones into compliance. Otherwise, it will be up to Apple to recall them," ANFR - which is attached to France's economic and finance ministry - added.
Apple (AAPL) did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment from Seeking Alpha.
The order from the French regulator comes at a time when Apple (AAPL) has unveiled the iPhone 15, the latest model of its flagship device. The phone, along with the other launches at the tech giant's "Wonderlust" event, drew mixed reviews.
Apple (AAPL) stock was under particular duress last week, after reports that China had told government agencies to sop using iPhones. Earlier today, Bloomberg reported that China had flagged security issues with the phones while noting that it was not banning purchases.
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