Apple has delivered a software update to the iPhone 12 to fend off a ban in France over excessive radiation levels.
The rollout will be available to users in France this month and will turn off the handset's body-detection technology to lower the phone's transmission power levels but company bosses have insisted the gadgets are still safe to use even without the update.
They said in a statement: "We want all iPhone 12 users to know that iPhone 12 is safe to use and always has been. IPhone 12 was certified to meet applicable worldwide energy transmission regulations and standards when it first shipped in 2020 and no changes have been made since then that would affect energy transmission."
The French National Frequency Agency previously ordered the company to withdraw the handsets from sale in the country after tests showed the gadget's specific absorption rate (SAR) - which measures the rate of radiofrequency energy absorbed by the body from the gadget - was over the limit set by European regulators.
The agency claimed the iPhone 12 emits 5.74 watts of energy per kilogram when stored inside a person's pocket which is above the EU standard of 4 watts. However, Apple experts insisted the software update will solve the problem.
In a previous statement, Apple explained: "This is related to a specific testing protocol used by French regulators and not a safety concern. Since it was introduced in 2020, iPhone 12 has been certified and recognised as meeting or exceeding all applicable SAR regulations and standards around the world. "We will issue a software update for users in France to accommodate the protocol used by French regulators. We look forward to iPhone 12 continuing to be available in France."
Once the update has been rolled out, experts at the watchdog will test the devices to see if the SAR has dropped into an acceptable range. If they rule the iPhone 12 meets the electromagnetic radiation rules, then the decision to remove the phones from sale will be overturned.
