第1951期:France Bans iPhone Radiation, Belgium Considering Move

Belgium says it plans to study possible health risks from electromagnetic radiation release by Apple’s iPhone 12 smartphone. Belgium’s move comes after French regulators ordered Apple to stop selling the iPhone 12. French officials said the phone creates more electromagnetic radiation than the European Union permits. Apple disputes this. The company said the device meets all requirements. The French government agency that oversees wireless communications frequencies said it issued the order after the phone failed one of two tests. The tests are related to the amount of electromagnetic waves the body can absorb.

比利时表示计划研究苹果 iPhone 12 智能手机释放的电磁辐射可能带来的健康风险。比利时采取这一举措之前，法国监管机构命令苹果停止销售 iPhone 12。法国官员表示，这款手机产生的电磁辐射超出了欧盟允许的范围。苹果公司对此提出异议。该公司表示该设备满足所有要求。负责监管无线通信频率的法国政府机构表示，在该手机未通过两项测试之一后，该机构发布了该命令。这些测试与人体可以吸收的电磁波量有关。

Apple released the iPhone 12 in late 2020. It is unclear why the phone did not pass the agency’s latest tests or why only the iPhone 12 is affected. France’s digital minister said the iPhone 12’s radiation levels are still much lower than levels that scientific studies found could harm users. The French agency said its tests do not test normal phone use. The National Frequency Agency on Tuesday called on Apple to use all means to fix the problem for phones already in use. It said it would study updates to the phones. If they do not work, “Apple will have to recall” phones that have already been sold, it said.

苹果于 2020 年底发布了 iPhone 12。目前尚不清楚为什么这款手机没有通过该机构的最新测试，也不清楚为什么只有 iPhone 12 受到影响。法国数字部长表示，iPhone 12 的辐射水平仍远低于科学研究发现的可能对用户造成伤害的水平。该法国机构表示，其测试不测试手机的正常使用情况。美国国家频率局周二呼吁苹果公司采取一切措施解决已在用手机的问题。该公司表示将研究手机的更新。如果它们不起作用，“苹果将不得不召回”已经售出的手机。

The agency recently tested 141 cellphones. It found that when the iPhone 12 is held in a hand or near the body, its level of electromagnetic energy absorption is 5.74 watts per kilogram. That is higher than the EU requirement of 4 watts per kilogram or less. Watts per kilogram is a measure of the rate at which energy is absorbed by the body. The phone passed a separate test of radiation levels for devices kept in heavy clothes or in a container, the agency said. Malcolm Sperrin is director of medical physics at Britain’s Royal Berkshire hospital group. He said the radiation limits are set well below the level at which harm will happen. He said a small increase above those limits is unlikely to affect a person’s health.

该机构最近测试了 141 部手机。研究发现，当 iPhone 12 握在手中或靠近身体时，其电磁能量吸收水平为每公斤 5.74 瓦。这高于欧盟每公斤 4 瓦或更低的要求。瓦特/千克是身体吸收能量速率的衡量标准。该机构表示，这款手机通过了对放在厚衣服或容器中的设备的辐射水平的单独测试。马尔科姆·斯佩林 (Malcolm Sperrin) 是英国皇家伯克郡医院集团医学物理学主任。他说，辐射限制设置得远低于会发生伤害的水平。他说，超出这些限制的小幅增加不太可能影响一个人的健康。

Users of the iPhone 12 should be able to download an update that prevents the radiation from going above the limit, Sperrin said. It is not clear why this model appears to release higher radiation. But it might be related to when the phone is seeking a connection to send or receive signal, he said. The World Health Organization says it has not found any harm to health caused by the use of mobile phones. Apple said the iPhone 12 has been approved by many international bodies and meets requirements for radiation around the world.

Sperrin 表示，iPhone 12 的用户应该能够下载更新，以防止辐射超过限制。目前尚不清楚为什么该模型似乎释放出更高的辐射。但他说，这可能与手机何时寻求连接以发送或接收信号有关。世界卫生组织表示，尚未发现使用手机对健康造成任何危害。苹果表示，iPhone 12 已获得多个国际机构的批准，符合世界各地的辐射要求。

Belgium’s latest action on the phone raises the possibility that other European countries might ban the model after France. Italy said it would take no steps for now. But Germany’s network regulator BNetzA said that the work in France could act as a guide for Europe. The agency said that it might reconsider the smartphone for the German market if the situation progresses in France. A Dutch digital organization said it was looking into Apple’s phone and would ask the U.S. company for an explanation. But it said that there was no immediate risk. Britain has not announced any plans after France’s decision.

比利时在电话上的最新行动增加了其他欧洲国家继法国之后禁止该机型的可能性。意大利表示暂时不会采取任何措施。但德国网络监管机构 BNetzA 表示，法国的工作可以为欧洲提供指导。该机构表示，如果法国的情况有所进展，它可能会重新考虑在德国市场推出智能手机。一家荷兰数字组织表示正在调查苹果手机，并将要求这家美国公司做出解释。但它表示不存在直接风险。在法国做出决定后，英国尚未宣布任何计划。