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[00:00.41] Belgium says it plans to study possible health risks from electromagnetic radiation release by Apple’s iPhone 12 smartphone.

[00:14.48] Belgium’s move comes after French regulators ordered Apple to stop selling the iPhone 12.

[00:23.25] French officials said the phone creates more electromagnetic radiation than the European Union permits.

[00:34.14] Apple disputes this. The company said the device meets all requirements.

[00:41.58] The French government agency that oversees wireless communications frequencies said it issued the order after the phone failed one of two tests.

[00:56.19] The tests are related to the amount of electromagnetic waves the body can absorb.

[01:04.69] Apple released the iPhone 12 in late 2020.

[01:10.53] It is unclear why the phone did not pass the agency’s latest tests or why only the iPhone 12 is affected.

[01:21.95] France’s digital minister said the iPhone 12’s radiation levels are still much lower than levels that scientific studies found could harm users.

[01:37.09] The French agency said its tests do not test normal phone use.

[01:43.47] The National Frequency Agency on Tuesday called on Apple to use all means to fix the problem for phones already in use.

[01:55.42] It said it would study updates to the phones.

[01:58.08] If they do not work, “Apple will have to recall” phones that have already been sold, it said.

[02:06.84] The agency recently tested 141 cellphones.

[02:12.96] 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.

[02:29.42] That is higher than the EU requirement of 4 watts per kilogram or less.

[02:37.12] Watts per kilogram is a measure of the rate at which energy is absorbed by the body.

[02:45.09] The phone passed a separate test of radiation levels for devices kept in heavy clothes or in a container, the agency said.

[02:56.25] Malcolm Sperrin is director of medical physics at Britain’s Royal Berkshire hospital group.

[03:05.28] He said the radiation limits are set well below the level at which harm will happen.

[03:13.78] He said a small increase above those limits is unlikely to affect a person’s health.

[03:20.69] Users of the iPhone 12 should be able to download an update that prevents the radiation from going above the limit, Sperrin said.

[03:33.44] 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.

[03:48.84] The World Health Organization says it has not found any harm to health caused by the use of mobile phones.

[03:58.67] Apple said the iPhone 12 has been approved by many international bodies and meets requirements for radiation around the world.

[04:09.30] Belgium’s latest action on the phone raises the possibility that other European countries might ban the model after France.

[04:20.98] Italy said it would take no steps for now.

[04:24.97] But Germany’s network regulator BNetzA said that the work in France could act as a guide for Europe.

[04:35.33] The agency said that it might reconsider the smartphone for the German market if the situation progresses in France.

[04:44.89] A Dutch digital organization said it was looking into Apple’s phone and would ask the U.S. company for an explanation.

[04:56.58] But it said that there was no immediate risk.

[05:01.09] Britain has not announced any plans after France’s decision.