The Federal Office for Radiation Protection regularly measures the SAR values of smartphones. These values indicate how much potentially pathogenic radiation a mobile phone emits into the body. TECHBOOK compared the values of all iPhones.
Apple has released dozens of different iPhone models since it was first launched in 2007. These include groundbreaking smartphones such as the iPhone 3Gs and most recently devices such as the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which are primarily penetrating price spheres beyond 1500 euros. All iPhones and smartphones from other manufacturers have one thing in common: they shine. But you would probably never have guessed which iPhones emit the most radiation.
Two measuring points for the SAR value
The Federal Office for Radiation Protection measures the value of smartphones at two different distances from the body – once on the ear, once on the body. The value on the ear is always higher because the device is placed directly on the skin. When measuring on the body, however, a measuring distance of 0.5 to 1.5 cm applies. For both measurement methods, there is a different leader in the negative sense. The SAR value is given in watts per kilogram (W/kg).
Consequences of mobile phone radiation uncertain
The study situation on the danger of mobile phone radiation is currently not clear. The risk of cancer is repeatedly mentioned as a possible long-term consequence of radiation from iPhones and Android smartphones. In 2011, a panel of experts from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) agreed to classify cell phone radiation as “possibly carcinogenic”. If you are careful, you should rather use a smartphone with a low SAR value.
Radiation from iPhones: The results are surprising
First of all, the assumption is that either a very old iPhone or a completely new iPhone emits the most radiation. The fact that the technology was not that advanced at the time and the devices therefore have a particularly high SAR value could speak for the iPhone veterans. Exactly the opposite is the case. Especially the oldest models like the iPhone of the first generation and the iPhone 3G have the lowest SAR values - both on the ear and on the body. At that time, however, the measuring distance for body measurements was still 1.5 cm, instead of 0.5 cm as is currently the case.
iPhone (1st generation)
SAR value on the body (1.5 cm): 0.003
iPhone 3G
SAR value at the ear: 0.88
SAR value on the body (1.5 cm): 0.56
Radiation levels are significantly higher in newer iPhone models, but they still don’t top the list of the biggest culprits. The values are constantly below 1 W/kg. This is also a good average for current smartphones, because there are devices that are far above that.
The measured values show: With the younger iPhone generations, the SAR value remains quite stable across all models and is always below 1. Even the iPhone 13 models with 5G technology make no difference.
Also Read: These Popular Smartphones Emit the Most Radiation
iPhones with unexpectedly high levels of radiation
The results of the old and new iPhones already show that the biggest radiation sinners among Apple’s phones are more of a surprise. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models have the highest radiation levels of all iPhones. These are expressly not the larger Plus models. The latter actually radiate less than the smaller basic variant. The following values result for the 7 and the 8:
iPhone 7
SAR value on the body (0.5 cm): 1.34
iPhone 8
SAR value at the ear: 1.32
SAR value on the body (0.5 cm): 1.36