Earlier this month, France announced the discontinuation of the iPhone 12 (yes 12). Both Apple and the French government had promised that a software update would be issued to address the issue, while stating that the iPhone was still safe to use. [Apple appears to have made good on that promise and developed a software update that has been submitted to French regulators. The iPhone 12s with the update applied will then be tested to ensure that radiation emissions are within legal limits.

Radiation sounds scary, but it is actually a very broad term that covers a wide variety of things. What is actually being discussed is radiofrequency radiation. This is not the scary kind of radiation associated with serious health problems or cartoon psychic powers.

While it has been found that these radio waves can cause localized heating of human tissues, there is no evidence that there is any real health risk. Nevertheless, there are legal restrictions to prevent overexposure, and France has historically strictly enforced them.

It is odd that the iPhone 12 would fail these tests three years after it was first released. Regulators have claimed that post-release software updates were the cause of the problem, which is why it has taken so long until now to pinpoint the source of the problem. Also, even if the software was initially the cause, the software could be the solution.

During the initial sales ban, Apple claimed that the problem was caused by the way French regulators tested for radiation exposure. Nevertheless, Apple will work with regulators to release software updates to reduce radiation to legal levels. According to France, that alone would allow the iPhone 12 to resume sales and eliminate the possibility of a recall.

It is unclear if this update will be limited to iPhone 12s in France or if it will apply to other countries as well. In any case, there is no need to be particularly concerned.

Thus, iPhone 12 owners need not throw away their phones and pay for new ones because of health concerns. There are many ways to justify buying a new iPhone, whether it is a new iPhone 15 or a slightly older one. You should only upgrade if you are unhappy with the phone you have.