Paris, France — Tech giant Apple will release a software upgrade for iPhone 12 users in France, following public concerns about radiation levels emitted from their devices, which were escalated by French regulatory authorities.

Apple’s announcement, made on Friday, marked the company’s commitment to addressing the concerns of French regulators and their specific testing procedures. It emphasized the update was strictly a nod to regulatory protocol, rather than an admission of a safety issue.

The firmware upgrade will be assessed by France’s National Frequencies Agency (ANFR). Should the update substantially lower the device’s electromagnetic wave emissions, it would thereby bring the iPhone 12 in line with European standards as enforced in France. This would lead to a lifting of existing marketing withdrawal orders set by regulatory bodies.

Earlier in the week, France required the company to suspend iPhone 12 sales and correct the heightened emissions in pre-existing devices to be considered compliant with European electromagnetic radiation standards. These increased radiation levels, discovered through regulatory testing, have been attributed not to hardware, but to various software updates implemented since the device’s launch in 2020.

When ANFR discovered the iPhone 12 exceeded acceptable absorption levels of electromagnetic energy by user bodies, it ordered the complete withdrawal of the model from the French market as of September 12. They also urged Apple to recall every unit sold in France. Despite exceeding standard limits, Ministers have assured the public that the radiation levels do not pose a threat and phone usage can continue safely.

In the wake of these developments, Apple has reportedly directed its technical support team not to offer unprompted information about the controversy. When fielding inquiries from worried customers, they were guided to emphasize Apple’s rigor in product safety testing.