phone rf radiation apple samsung

Image via Pixabay

Apple and Samsung face lawsuit over harmful radio frequency emissions

The class-action lawsuit claims that radio frequency radiation emitted from Apple and Samsung phones exceed legal limits.

phone rf radiation apple samsung

Image via Pixabay

Mobile phone giants Apple and Samsung are being dragged to court after a Chicago Tribune investigation revealed that certain iPhone and Galaxy S models produce radio frequency (RF) emission that exceeds safety limits.

“Over the past year, the Chicago Tribune hired RF Exposure Lab in San Marcos, Calif., to measure 11 different cellphone models for radiofrequency radiation.”

Sam Roe, Chicago Tribune

Which Apple and Samsung phones pose a risk?

The FCC are currently investigating the claims after the lawsuit was filed at the US District Court in California on Friday, 23 August 2019. The legal document states:

“Numerous recent scientific publications, supported by hundreds of scientists worldwide, have shown that RF radiation exposure affects living organisms at levels well below most international and national guidelines.”

Tests were conducted on iPhone 7 models, as well as iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S9, Galaxy J3, Motorola’s Moto e5 Play and Moto g6 Play, and BLU Vivo 5 Mini.

Only the iPhone 7 models, Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S9 and Galaxy J3 were found to exceed the RF emissions as set out by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

FCC spokesperson Neil Grace said “any claims on non-compliance with the radio frequency exposure” will be taken seriously, and that they will “obtaining and testing the subject phones for compliance with FCC rules.”

Which frequencies are harmful?

According to the FCC guidelines, compiled in 1997, children can absorb more than 150% more phone radiation compared to adults, and up to 10 times more radiation through their skulls.

No phones sold under the FCC’s areas of jurisdiction is allowed to exceed 1.6 watts per kilogram, while regulators in European countries are more generous, allowing for 2 watts per kilogram.

“The tests found that at a 5mm distance the iPhone 7 models averaged an exposure level of 2.9W/kg and at 2mm the results ranged from 3.5W/kg to 7.15W/kg. The iPhone X and iPhone 8 also scored above the limit in three out of four tests.” 

Disputes and discrepancies

Many scientists, however, claim these regulations are outdated. That said, public health organisations have been unable to link cancer to cellphone usage.

Other discrepancies also creep in, in the way devices are tested. According to the FFC regulations, phones should be kept approximately 5 to 15 mm away from your body.

That would be the equivalent of carrying phones in a holster – but we don’t live in the nineties any more – or a handbag. These days, however, people are more than likely to keep phones closer to their body: in their pockets or under their clothes.

Apple and Samsung’s response

Apple said in a statement that all their models, including iPhone 7, are “fully certified by the FCC and in every country where iPhone is sold.” They added:

“After careful review and subsequent validation of all iPhone models tested in the [Tribune] report, we confirmed we are in compliance and meet all applicable exposure guidelines and limits.” 

Samsung also confirmed that their devices are tested according to regulation:

“Samsung devices sold in the United States comply with FCC regulations. Our devices are tested according to the same test protocols that are used across the industry.”

Also read – Apple plans to restrict Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp’s VoIP call feature