SAR Levels in Top Apple Phones

Smartphones are bigger and more powerful than ever before. This comes with risks attached in the form of higher radiation levels. Phones have been the subject of rampant debate surrounding the emission of non-ionising radiation. Now, as several studies have linked mobile phones with cancer and other health issues, the radiation levels emitted by many phones have been dubbed an ‘inconvenient truth’ that we ought to be fessing up to and actively trying to reduce. 

The SAR Levels of Modern Phones

Mobile phone radiation is measured in SAR – specific absorption rate. This measures how much radiation is actually absorbed into human tissue. No standardised test has ever been established as to how you should measure SAR and whilst phone manufacturers have said they’re committed to measuring it properly, it’s still a grey area and it’s difficult to know whether or not they are telling the truth with their readings. 

To obtain an objective and comprehensive list of SAR levels in phones, the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection developed a SAR test that enables us to compare phone radiation directly. 

In tests carried out by German laboratories, many top phones came very close to the max regulatory limits for SAR which are 1.6w/kg in the USA and 2.0w/kG in Europe. Some phones exceeded this. It’s worth mentioning that whilst regulatory limits are not always broken by phones, evidence suggests these limits are generous and consistent exposure to lower SARs will also cause damage!

So what are the SAR levels in Top Apple phones?

Apple was recently embroiled in controversy as the law firm the Chicago Tribune accused them of ‘fixing’ their SAR levels by misleading the public with false claims. Instead of meeting federal regulations, the firm revealed that tests showed Apple phones regularly exceeded legal limits with likely dangerous consequences. 

Findings from the GFRP are continuous with this and place the SAR levels of Apple phones very close or over the threshold. 

The SAR levels of top Apple phones are consistent and range from around 1.1w/KG in the oldest models to around 1.5w/KG in later models. The Chicago Tribune found some peak readings exceeding 3.0/KG

Are the SAR of Apple Phones ‘Safe’?

Even though the SAR levels of Apple phones are below legal limits according to the GFRP, the Chicago Tribune measured peak levels far beyond this. The jury is still out as to where the true SAR level of Apple phones lies.

Essentially, then, it is sensible to be sceptical at best about Apple phone SAR levels. The safe approach would be to use a special phone case by WaveWall which practically reduces phone radiation to zero. The WHO now admits that we do not know the extent of the risk posed by phone radiation and that abstaining from prolonged use or using special cases like these are the safest ways forward.