Phonegate Team – 16sep2025
During September 2025, Apple launched its iPhone 17 lineup, including the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone 17 Air models. The Phonegate Alert calculator reveals that the actual head SAR value of these devices is more than seven times higher than the official values communicated by Apple. This situation is all the more worrying since Santé Publique France has reported a 230% increase over 20 years in glioblastoma cases, the most serious brain cancers, among young people aged 15 to 39.
Official SAR: regulatory but misleading measures
The official Specific Absorption Rates (SAR) as indicated by Apple are 1.49 W/kg for the head, trunk and limbs. These measuresments which are supposed to comply with European standards, are misleading. Indeed, as they are carried out at a regulatory distance between the phone and the body that does not correspond to real uses, which is when the phone is in contact with the body and head of the users.
Real SAR: alarming exposures when in contact
Thanks to a rigorous methodology, Phonegate Alert calculates the actual SARs. In particular, it takes into account the actual proximity of the smartphone to the body and head based on the most up-to-date scientific and technical data. Our results have shown that exposure to the head is more than seven times higher than the official SAR value (11.18 W/kg instead of 2 W/kg which is the standard in Europe). The trunk also experiences a significant overshoot (7.45 W/kg). On the other hand, the SAR for limbs (2.98 W/kg) remains below the regulatory limit of (4 W/kg).
Official vs Real SAR comparison for iPhone 17 line-up
Limited transparency: Apple prioritizes connectivity over health risk
One point of concern is the near invisibility of SAR / DAS information on Apple‘s product pages. It is relegated to the bottom of the page, and difficult to find for the general public. In addition, Apple seems to prioritize the performance of its devices. On the iPhone 17 range, it increases the head SAR value instead of reducing it, despite the knowledge of the health risks. This strategy is the subject of a detailed analysis in an article in iGeneration. It shows that the average SAR value of iPhones for the head has increased overall between the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 17.
The temporary ban on the iPhone 12 has not made Apple back down
This provokes a strong reaction from Dr. Marc Arazi, who first raised the alarm about the Phonegate industrial scandal:
“With the iPhone 12, France has already seen a major regulatory overrun on SAR values in 2023, which was recently confirmed by a decision by the European Commission. Our analysis on the iPhone 17 confirms that, despite the health alerts, Apple continues to increase the actual exposure to the head. This trend raises serious questions about the American giant’s consideration of public health. »
Faced with these shortcomings, Phonegate Alert has called for total transparency from Apple and manufacturers and for an urgent reassessment of the exposure standards requested by the Health Safety Agency ANSES in 2019 and by a formal objection from France to the European Commission in 2020.
Source – PhoneGate Alert
- iPhone 17: Real exposure head 7 times higher than Apple’s official SAR
- iPhone 17: exposition réelle tête 7 fois supérieure au DAS officiel d’Apple
