BY JOHN FINN - Screen Rant




New testing has revealed the Apple iPhone 11 Pro might be emitting dangerous levels of radiation. This is not the first time the iPhone line has been accused of this, nor is it a problem only facing Apple’s products.

Radiofrequency energy, also known as RF energy, is a major concern with electronics. While understood to be safe in small doses, at higher levels the exposure can lead to serious radiation-related medical concerns, possibly even cancer. Due to this, the FCC has in place regulations governing what is and isn’t safe when it comes to the levels of RF energy emitting by smartphones. Apparently, the iPhone 11 Pro might be exceeding those levels.

In new testing commissioned by Penumbra Brands and using an independent lab, the iPhone 11 Pro was found to be emitting “more than twice” the RF level deemed safe for a cellphone. Using what’s known as the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), the iPhone 11 registered 3.8 W/kg, compared to the 1.6 W/kg maximum exposure rate set by the FCC. Beyond the concerns raised specifically about the iPhone 11 Pro, the results also suggested the FCC’s guidelines on testing and certification are in desperate need of modernization.

Should IPhone 11 Pro Owners Be Worried?



The results of the tests are alarming, but the wider point being raised by the research is that this is an issue affecting more than just iPhone owners. The report highlighted that the FCC guidelines currently suggest tests to be conducted with a smartphone 5mm away from the body. This is in spite of phones often being much closer to the body than that and for longer periods of time - when kept in the pocket. The suggestion here is that even when devices pass testing, they are not representative of real-world conditions and are likely leading to highly inaccurate results. Another important point raised by the research relates to the certification process in general. For example, the report explains how companies typically provide the actual testing unit to the FCC for approval. While that was also the case with the iPhone 11 Pro, the unit tested on this occasion was an off-the-shelf device purchased for the purpose of testing.

The discrepancy in the results, and especially to the degree noted, might suggest the current situation is too reliant on self-regulation with companies controlling the hardware that's put forward for testing. Again, these wider regulatory guidelines are more of an issue than the iPhone 11 Pro’s results (although concerning), as it is possible phones from other manufacturers might also fail if tested under similar circumstances. In fact, this is exactly what happened when previous tests were conducted on Apple’s iPhone 7 and Samsung’s Galaxy S8 - both of which were found to be emitting significantly higher levels of radiofrequency radiation. In other words, iPhone owners should be worried, as should owners of any smartphone as it appears the testing itself is highly flawed.