Apple has been ordered to stop selling its iPhone 12 in France after tests showed the model produced radiation levels above the EU safety threshold.

The tech giant was also told to fix existing smartphones via an update or recall every iPhone 12 ever sold in the country.

Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s digital minister, played down fears that the radiation levels detected were a cancer risk, but the announcement has once again reignited the debate about the safety of mobile phone use.

The World Health Organization has previously sought to quell fears about radiation emitted by mobiles, stressing that there is no evidence to suggest it is harmful to humans. 

However, scientists have cautioned that very little is known about safety risks beyond 20 years, because most people did not use mobile phones until the late 1990s.

So might your iPhone be causing you harm? 

‘Currently there is no strong evidence that exposure to electromagnetic fields during mobile phone use is associated with adverse health effects,’ Maria Feychting, a professor of epidemiology at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, told MailOnline.

‘However, there are still some uncertainties and further research is needed, especially regarding the higher frequencies that will be used by 5G.’

She added: ‘The guidelines are set with considerable safety margins, and health effects are unlikely to occur even if guidelines are somewhat exceeded. 

‘However, the safety margins of the guidelines are applied to consider the uncertainty in the scientific knowledge.’

It is worth pointing out that the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is an offshoot of the WHO, has previously claimed that certain radio frequencies at extreme levels are ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans’.

However, this is thought to be unlikely.

There have also been studies suggesting mobile phone use can increase the risk of cancer and impact fertility.

In 2014, researchers at the University of Exeter suggested a possible link between mobile phone exposure and poorer sperm quality.

They said the number of sperm and their movement could be affected by keeping phones in a pocket, but admitted that more research was needed because the evidence was sketchy.

A separate study in 2020 also claimed that using a mobile phone for as little as 17 minutes per day over 10 years increases the risk of developing cancerous tumours by up to 60 per cent.

The controversial research involved statistical analysis of 46 different studies into mobile phone use and health around the world, by experts from UC Berkeley. 

One of the researchers involved in the study, Joel Moskowitz, said: ‘Our main takeaway is that approximately 1,000 hours of lifetime cellphone use, or about 17 minutes per day over a 10-year period, is associated with a statistically significant 60 per cent increase in brain cancer.’

However, the charity Cancer Research UK is adamant this is not the case.

‘Using mobile phones does not increase the risk of cancer,’ its website states.

‘There aren’t any good explanations for how mobile phones could cause cancer.

‘The radiation that mobile phones or phone masts transmit and receive is very weak. It does not have enough energy to damage DNA so is highly unlikely to be able to cause cancer.’ 

On top of this, 10 years ago the UK’s now defunct Health Protection Agency said a major safety review had revealed no evidence that mobile phones harm human health. 

Scientists looked at hundreds of studies and found no conclusive links that exposure caused brain tumours, other types of cancer, or harm to fertility or cardiovascular health.

The general consensus in the scientific community is that there is no suggestion mobile phones are a risk to human health, but that more research is needed into any potential long-term effects related to decades-long use of the devices.

What did France’s tests actually show?

EU law sets limits for the specific absorption rate (Sar), which measures the amount of energy absorbed by the body when exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic waves from electronic devices such as mobile phones. 

The limit is 2 watts per kilogram when a handset is held next to the ear or torso and 4 watts per kilogram when held or kept in a pocket.

ANFR, the French watchdog which governs radio frequencies, said the Sar for Apple’s iPhone 12 when carried was 5.74 watts per kilogram.

What has Apple said?

The tech giant has said it is contesting the results published by ANFR.

Apple added that it has provided the regulator with both its own lab results and those from third parties, showing that the iPhone is compliant with the EU safety threshold.

Its website states that the iPhone 12 has a Sar of 0.98 watts per kilogram when held next to the ear and 0.99 watts per kilogram when carried or kept in a pocket – far below what the French claim.

This is also not the first time Apple has faced questions over the Sar limits of its iPhones.

In 2019, the Chicago Tribune published a story saying its tests had shown that the iPhone 7 and iPhone X exceeded radiation levels set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US.

However, when the FCC repeated its own analysis in the wake of the claims officials found that the phones both complied with limits set.

France’s decision to temporarily ban the sale of the iPhone 12 came on the same day Apple officially unveiled its iPhone 15.

CEO Tim Cook said the new range included the ‘best and most capable iPhones we’ve ever made’. 

So has France made a mistake?

There no evidence of that. However, experts say Sar testing is extremely sensitive to small changes in methodology.

‘You can get almost any value you want by tiny variations in how you do the test,’ Professor Kenneth Foster, of the University of Pennsylvania, told MailOnline.

‘The Sar values change depending on which of a number of available bands the phone is transmitting on during the tests.’

He also said he had ‘no reason to doubt’ the radio frequency exposure levels that Apple publishes on its website for each of its devices.

‘The Sar values reported by Apple for the iPhone refer to tests done by a certified test lab done strictly according to FCC protocol. 

‘They concur with test reports the company filed with FCC and are on the FCC website.’ 

France is standing firm, however. It has stressed that Apple would be ill advised to ignore its warning to reduce the iPhone 12’s radiation to acceptable levels. 

The Californian company is not the first firm to face such a ban in France.

Since 2017, the ANFR has banned the sale of 42 smartphones for giving off too much radiation, while on six of these occasions there was a recall of the models.

Which smartphones have the highest radiation levels?

Last year the website Digital Information World compiled a list of the smartphones emitting the most and least radiation.

Among the worst offenders were the Motorola Edge ( 1.79 w/kg); OnePlus 6T (1.55 w/kg); Sony Xperia XA2 Plus (1.41 w/kg); Google Pixel 3 XL (1.39 w/kg); and the Google Pixel 4a (1.37 w/kg). 

Not far behind were the Google Pixel 3 (1.33 w/kg), Huawei’s P Smart (1.27 w/kg) and the OnePlus 9 (1.26 w/kg). 

On the opposite end of the scale, among the least radiation-emitting phones were the Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G (0.19 w/kg); Samsung’s Galaxy Note10 (0.21 w/kg); the Samsung Galaxy A80 (0.22 w/kg); LG G7 ThinQ (0.24 w/kg); and the Motorola Razr 5G (0.27 w/kg). 

Data from the German Federal Office for Radiation was used to compile the two lists.

By Stacy Liberatore For Dailymail.com

Updated: 12:14 EDT, 22 August 2023

‘Far better than Apple’s offering’: Get Alexa in your ears and score Amazon’s Echo Buds with noise cancellation on sale for less than £60 (that’s 58% off!)

By Orla Loughran Hayes

Updated: 07:29 EDT, 27 July 2023

The new Beats Studio Buds+ took the internet by storm when the earbuds launched in May, but I must admit that I was not a fan at first glance.

The see-through design looked bizarre compared to the bright-colored Beats Studio Buds that stand out in the crowd.

However, my distaste for the transparent look instantly faded when I opened the gray box. What I thought looked strange brought me back to my childhood when see-through phones and computers were all the rage.

Not only did I fall in love with the design, but the sound quality and Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) surpassed previous models Beats has released in the past few years.

Beats, owned by Apple, offers the Studio Buds+ for $169.99, but the transparent design is the latest to join two other colors – black and ivory.

I recently spent the past week using the Beats Buds+ to see if the earbuds live up to the hype, and here are the results.

How long does the battery last?

I popped in the earbuds the moment I opened the box and started using them, which was great to have a  fully charged pair on my commute home.

The Beats Studio Buds+ lasts a little more than six hours with ANC on, a feature known to drain the battery, but the device will last for nine hours without it.

If the charging case is completely powered up, you can enjoy 36 hours of playback.

This is compared to Apple’s third-generation AirPods, which provide up to 30 hours of listening with the charging case, six hours without ANC and five hours with.

Like other Beats earbuds, these include fast charging that powers them up with one hour of playback in just five minutes. 

The hours of power are major upgrades to the Beats Studio Buds, its first true wireless pair, which had up to 24 hours of battery life.

This is likely due to the case being 50 percent larger and the batteries in the earbuds 16 percent bigger. 

How is the sound quality?

Sound quality is at the top of the must-haves when seeking out earbuds.

The Beats Studio Buds+ sounds almost up to par with the AirPods Pro.

The tech automatically plays spatial audio for available tracks mixed in Dolby Atmos for multidimensional sound and clarity.

Beats states on its website that the Studio Buds+ uses a dual-layer speaker design, providing balanced bass levels with lower distortion. 

And it claims ‘three new acoustic vents improve audio precision and gently relieve pressure for a more comfortable all-day fit.’ 

I have heard other Studio Buds+ owners think the bass does not live up to what they expected from Beats, but it is an upgrade compared to the company’s previous earbuds. 

Beats offers Studio Buds Fit Pro, designed to endure rigorous workouts, whereas the transparent Studio Buds + were made for just listening.

I notice the sound becomes muffled when running on a treadmill – like I am in a wind tunnel. 

However, voice calling sounds very clear, which is great for chatting while walking around New York City.

How is active noise canceling?

I must admit that I am a newcomer to ANC, so the first Beats Studio Buds were like a dream when I first tested the feature.

The Studio Buds+ has improved ANC, ideal for a busy commute through Manhattan, but the feature does not block out everything.

However, this might not be so bad for those living in a city – you must hear cars honking at you while crossing streets.

I do appreciate how easy it is to switch between ANC and Transparency. You just need to hold the side of the earbud.

Beats states that Studio Buds + delivers up to 1.6 times more powerful ANC and up to two times better Transparency than its predecessor – and it shows.

However, unlike the sound quality, the ANC and Transparency do not match Apple’s AirPod Pros offer.

The wait is nearly over for Apple fans, as the firm’s hotly-anticipated annual tech event is about to commence. 

Apple says the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), which kicks off on Monday at Apple Park in California, will be an ‘exhilarating week of technology’. 

The tech giant is expected to announce its mixed reality headset at the event, as well as the next major software updates for its devices, including iOS 17.

Here, MailOnline gives a rundown of everything you need to know about WWDC, including how to tune in and when the big product will be revealed. 

WHAT IS WWDC? 

Worldwide Developer Conference is an annual event that’s been held by Apple since 1983, although it was not originally intended for hardware announcements. 

It’s only in the past 20 years that Apple has been using the conference as a major launchpad for new devices, including the HomePod speaker in 2007 and the iPhone 4 in 2010. 

Arguably, the main event in the calendar for Apple fans is its event held in the first two weeks of September, when it announces its new iPhone – although this year WWDC could be bigger. 

Often, announcements at WWDC are modest and concern new software, app updates and other details that are of little interest to even hardcore Apple fans. 

However, this year the firm is expected to announce a new piece of hardware that could soon ‘replace the iPhone’, according to one expert. 

WHEN WILL WWDC TAKE PLACE? 

This year’s event will kick off on Monday, June 5, and run until Friday, June 9, although the major announcements are expected to happen on the first day. 

Apple CEO Tim Cook will deliver a keynote to kick off the event on Monday at 6pm BST (10am PT) – an opportunity to lift the lid on the new hardware. 

Apple confirmed the dates for WWDC 2023 back in March and said the five-day event will be presented online, streamed through its YouTube channel and website.

However, there will be an opportunity for ‘developers and students to celebrate in person at a special experience’ hosted at Apple Park, the firm’s Cupertino HQ, on Monday. 

According to an attendee who received the event schedule, day one of WWDC will include a ‘Special Evening Activity’ that Apple said attendees ‘won’t want to miss’. 

Apple has already posted about a ‘Special Event at Apple Park’ on the first day, described as a ‘special all-day experience’ to kick off ‘an incredible week’. 

There will also be a smaller event on Tuesday for visitors to ‘discuss some of the latest announcements’ with Apple execs, the company said. 

‘WWDC is one of our favorite times of the year at Apple,’ said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. 

‘It’s an opportunity to connect with the talented developers from around the globe who make this community so extraordinary. 

‘WWDC23 is going to be our biggest and most exciting yet, and we can’t wait to see many of you online and in person at this very special event.’ 

WHAT WILL APPLE ANNOUNCE AT WWDC? 

By far the most anticipated announcement is the mixed reality headset, which is rumoured to be called ‘Reality Pro’ or ‘Reality One’ and cost a whopping $3,000 (£2,400) when it’s released in September. 

Apple’s cryptic promo image for WWDC this year features curving coloured lines – a possible reference to the wearable. 

The mixed reality headset, which has been in development for the best part of a decade, is expected to display apps, messages and more in front of people’s eyes. 

Publicly, Apple has made no acknowledgement of the upcoming device, but its existence is an open secret within the tech industry. 

A US leaker called Mark Gurman, who has been drip-feeding information about it in his weekly newsletter for months, says it could ‘replace the iPhone’. 

While Gurman thinks the first version will be a ‘dud’ in terms of sales compared with the company’s existing hardware, future versions will likely do better as the product finds its niche – just like Apple’s smartwatch has done. 

Reality Pro is expected to be launched with its own operating system, xrOS, which will host familiar Apple apps including FaceTime, Messages and Maps.  

Gurman thinks the headset will be launched with a new portal for watching sports in VR as part of Apple’s push into streaming live games and news. 

There will also be advanced videoconferencing and virtual meeting rooms with realistic avatars, making users feel like they’re interacting in the same place. 

British designer Jony Ive, who left Apple in July 2019, was involved with the headset since its inception and ‘pushed the company to avoid the isolating designs that plagued existing VR headsets’, according to Gurman.

‘He also lobbied for a portable design without an external base station and an outward-facing display that would let you see the eyes of the user,’ he said.  

Also at WWDC this year, Apple is expected to announce the next major software updates for its devices – iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10 and macOS, for iPhones, iPads, smartwatches and Mac computers, respectively. 

According to 9to5mac, iOS 17 will include revamps to the Health app, a smart display mode, improvements to SharePlay, and a ‘smart’ journaling app. 

It’s thought iOS 17 will be released in September to coincide with the new iPhone, which is expected to work closely with the new headset. 

Just like previous WWDC years, the tech giant is also set to unveil the winners of its Apple Design Awards, which is a competition independent developers who have created software and hardware. 

Apple says the awards are supposed to honour ‘excellence in innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement in app and game design’. 

HOW CAN I WATCH WWDC? 

Apple will be streaming the event on its YouTube channel, as well as the Apple TV app, its website homepage, its dedicated developer webpage. 

If you’re watching at home, make sure you’re in front of the screen at 6pm BST (10am PT) on Monday, as this is when the keynote will begin. 

A tantalizing pre-broadcast teaser on Apple’s website shows an animated version of the Apple logo with colourful edges of refracted light. 

This rainbow pattern has been a common theme of Apple’s teaser images leading up to WWDC – and could possibly be a reference to new products.

MailOnline will be bringing you all the latest news as it happens from Apple Park. 

Apple’s next major product is mere weeks away from launching – and an early review suggests it will live up to the hype.

Palmer Luckey, the 30-year-old American entrepreneur and founder of the Oculus VR platform, appears to have tried the device. 

Luckey, who sold his firm Oculus to Meta for $3 billion (£2.4 billion) in 2014 at the age of 21, simply said in a tweet on Sunday: ‘The Apple headset is so good.’ 

Official details about Apple’s device are scarce, but it’s believed it will display notifications, messages, directions and more in front of the wearer’s eyes. 

It’s not known how or where he got to try the device, although Luckey is a big name in the VR industry. 

MailOnline has contacted the entrepreneur for more information. 

Luckey, who began Oculus when he was just 15, is a video game enthusiast and owner of a defence company called Anduril Industries, founded in 2017. 

More recently, he devised a headset called NerveGear that instantly ‘destroys the brain’ of the user when they die in a virtual game. 

Thankfully, Apple’s new headset – which is expected to be called ‘Reality Pro’ and released later this year – will not be quite as deadly. 

Publicly, Apple has made no acknowledgement of the upcoming device, but its existence is an open secret within the tech industry. 

A US leaker called Mark Gurman, who has been drip-feeding information about it in his weekly newsletter for months, says it could ‘replace the iPhone’. 

Reality Pro will be launched on Monday June 5, the first day of Apple’s five-day Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), Gurman claims. 

Apple confirmed the dates for WWDC in March but didn’t make any official mention of the headset in the announcement. 

However, Apple’s promo image for WWDC this year features curving coloured lines that look similar to the curved shape of a headset. 

Reality Pro will be released to stores in September, around the same time as the company’s next iPhone, Gurman has said. 

The headset ‘will start at around $3,000’, which is around twice as much as some of the priciest smartphones on the market now.

Reality Pro will overlay digital images on real-life surroundings – technology known as augmented realty (AR). 

But it will also be capable of virtual reality (VR), meaning it will project entirely virtual elements without the real life background.

AR layers computer-generated images on top of an existing reality – Pokémon Go being a famous example – while VR is wholly virtual, and mixed reality (MR) combines the two. 

Whether it’s notifications, messages or map directions, wearers will be able to go along the street and constantly see their device interface in AR, without having to take their iPhone out of their pocket. 

When the wearer is stationary, the device could be switched to VR, ideal for playing games, watching movies or having conversations with avatars online. 

Reality Pro is expected to be launched with its own operating system, xrOS, which will host familiar Apple apps including FaceTime, Messages and Maps.

Gurman thinks the headset will be launched with a new portal for watching sports in VR as part of Apple’s push into streaming live games and news. 

There will also be advanced videoconferencing and virtual meeting rooms with realistic avatars, making users feel like they’re interacting in the same place. 

According to another leaker, Ming-Chi Kuo, the Apple headset will be marketed as an iPhone accessory and the two will need to be linked up. 

Even so, the headset will contain sensors and its own processors – one ‘similar’ those used in its Mac computers and iPads, and another to manage ‘sensor-related aspects.

It’s thought it will work with the iPhone so that any alerts that come through on the phone will be displayed on the headset, but the new product will give Apple fans a whole new level of immersion and touchless control. 

Rival tech firms such as Meta, Samsung and Microsoft have already launched AR or VR headsets, but Reality Pro is expected to be more like using a smartphone, except it’s over your eyes. 

Last autumn, Meta launched its $1,499 mixed reality Meta Quest Pro VR headset, which boasts new features that are meant to improve users’ perception of actually being in the presence of others.

However, Meta Quest Pro VR is mostly targeted at professionals in creative fields, businesses and enthusiasts, so it shouldn’t be a direct rival for Reality Pro. 

Other big sellers in the space are the HTC Vive brand, owned by Taiwanese firm HTC, Samsung Gear VR and Microsoft’s mixed reality HoloLens headset  – but these are quite bulky devices that target mostly gamers or professionals.