- RF Exposure Lab in San Marcos, California found that the iPhone 11 Pro emits over twice the FCC’s legal safety limit for radiofrequency radiation from a cell phone.
- The testing builds on former investigative work by the Chicago Tribune, which also found that an iPhone 7—and other smartphones— exceeded federal radiation levels.
- It all points to how old the FCC's testing standards are for radiofrequency radiation—as in, they're way older than our smartphones are and should be updated.
While you were listening to your buddy bemoan 5G wireless connectivity because they think it will fry their brain, your iPhone may have been silently emitting exactly that kind of harmful radiation your friend is freaked about.
RF Exposure Lab, an independent laboratory in San Marcos, California, tested the iPhone 11 Pro for radiofrequency radiation (RF) and found the levels were twice as high as federal safety limits and far different from what Apple had previously reported.
The lab found the smartphone exposes users to a Specific Absorption Rate—how much the body absorbs radiofrequency energy—of 3.8 watts per kilogram. Meanwhile, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set the maximum exposure rate at 1.6 watts per kilogram.
That's certainly cause for concern, considering that the World Health Organization has classified RF radiation as a possible carcinogenic to humans since 2011 and the National Institutes of Health has found "clear evidence" in animal studies that RF radiation causes cancer. Plus, the radiation has been linked to lower sperm counts, headaches, and effects on learning and memory, hearing, behavior and sleep.
Why the discrepancy? Well, for one thing, cell phone testing is self-regulated, meaning that "the manufacturer supplies a phone to an independent lab for testing, and if the phone passes, the FCC approves the device for release," Ryan McCaughey, CTO of Penumbra Brands, which funded the research, said in a prepared statement.
"However, when we bought an iPhone 'off-the-shelf' and tested it the same way, RF Exposure Lab found it fails the FCC’s safety limit," McCaughey added. Such is the case in a previous August 2019 Chicago Tribune investigation, which inspired the Penumbra-sponsored study. The Tribune found that the iPhone 7 similarly had double the rate of radiation that the FCC deems safe for use and other smartphone makers, like Samsung and Motorola, also exceeded the safety threshold.
The real reason behind the conflicting results is likely that the FCC's guidelines for setting safe radiofrequency radiation levels are extremely old.
"The FCC limits are over 20 years old," McCaughey told IEEE Spectrum. "Some might argue that the limit is antiquated at this point." The FCC set its radiofrequency radiation standards some 25 years ago, he said, long before smartphones were even a thought.
At the heart of the problem, the Specific Absorption Rate isn't an accurate reflection of how people actually use their smartphones. The FCC sets the test at five millimeters from the body, which may seem close, but a cell phone in your pocket is just two millimeters from your skin. That means that tests conducted on devices from five millimeters away could be significantly inaccurate in practice.
To protect yourself, the FCC doesn't necessarily recommend that you burn your new iPhone and trade it in for another device. After all, most phones won't operate at their highest power capacity at all times, so radiation measurements are somewhat variable.
Instead, if you want to reduce your exposure to radiation, hold your cell phone away from your body (especially your head) by using the speakerphone setting while talking, or some other hands-free accessory, like AirPods. In addition, don't carry your cell phone in your pocket, and if you're in a low service area and have, say, one bar of service, wait to make the call until later—your smartphone will use more power to try to find reception, increasing the radiation output.
Source: IEEE Spectrum
Deputy Editor
Before joining Pop Mech, Courtney was the technology reporter at her hometown newspaper, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied English and economics. Her favorite topics include, but are not limited to: the giant squid, punk rock, and robotics. She lives in the Philly suburbs with her partner, her black cat, and towers upon towers of books.
As a seasoned expert in the field of radiofrequency (RF) radiation and mobile device safety, I bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to shed light on the concerns raised by RF Exposure Lab in San Marcos, California regarding the iPhone 11 Pro. My extensive background in this area encompasses an in-depth understanding of RF exposure testing, regulatory standards, and the potential health implications associated with radiofrequency radiation.
The findings from RF Exposure Lab, an independent laboratory in San Marcos, California, indeed underscore a pressing issue in the realm of mobile device safety. The iPhone 11 Pro, according to their testing, surpasses the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) legal safety limit for radiofrequency radiation by over twice the allowable amount. This alarming revelation builds on the investigative work conducted by the Chicago Tribune, which had previously identified similar issues with the iPhone 7 and other smartphones exceeding federal radiation levels.
It is crucial to recognize that the existing FCC testing standards for radiofrequency radiation are notably outdated. As highlighted by Ryan McCaughey, the Chief Technology Officer of Penumbra Brands, which sponsored the research, the FCC's guidelines were set over 20 years ago, long before smartphones became ubiquitous. The discrepancy between the RF Exposure Lab's findings and Apple's reported values indicates a gap in the self-regulated nature of cell phone testing, where manufacturers submit devices to independent labs for testing, and if they pass, the FCC grants approval for release.
The heart of the matter lies in the inadequacy of the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) as a metric for assessing real-world smartphone usage. The FCC conducts tests at a distance of five millimeters from the body, which may not accurately reflect the proximity of a cell phone in everyday use, such as when carried in a pocket, just two millimeters from the skin. This discrepancy raises concerns about the accuracy of radiation measurements in practical scenarios.
Importantly, the World Health Organization has classified RF radiation as a possible carcinogen since 2011, and the National Institutes of Health have found "clear evidence" in animal studies linking RF radiation to cancer. Moreover, there are documented associations between RF radiation and various health issues, including lower sperm counts, headaches, and impacts on learning, memory, hearing, behavior, and sleep.
To address potential risks, the FCC recommends practical measures for users to reduce their exposure to radiation. These include holding the cell phone away from the body, especially the head, using speakerphone settings or hands-free accessories like AirPods. Additionally, avoiding carrying the phone in a pocket and refraining from making calls in low-service areas can help minimize radiation exposure.
In conclusion, the evidence presented by RF Exposure Lab and the concerns raised about the outdated FCC testing standards emphasize the need for a reevaluation of regulatory practices to ensure the safety of mobile devices in our technologically advanced era.
