Law Firm Capitalizes on Reports Apple's iPhones Exceeded Radiofrequency Radiation Safety Levels in Some Tests

A report yesterday from The Chicago Tribune suggested Apple's iPhones were emitting radiofrequency radiation beyond federal safety limits following independent lab testing, and now, a law firm is capitalizing on that report and has announced the launch of an investigation into the claims.

Fegan Scott, a Chicago-based law firm, has not yet levied a lawsuit against Apple, and it's not clear what "investigation" will be conducted. Beth Fegan, a managing partner, said that "this could be the Chernobyl of the cell phone industry, cover-up and all."

rftestiphone7

"If we found that produce sold in grocery stores contained twice the levels of pesticides as the law allows, we would be up in arms, demanding the products be pulled from the shelf - this is no different," said Beth Fegan, managing partner of Fegan Scott. "In this case, we know the cell phone radiation is dangerous, but the terrifying part is that we don't know how dangerous, especially to kids' brain development."

Fegan went on to claim that research suggests that cell phone manufacturers "knew or should have known" that radiation levels were well above claims, despite no evidence.

The fact that the Chicago Tribune can convene a group of experts and develop such convincing findings shows that the phone manufacturers may be intentionally hiding what they know about radiation output.

The Chicago Tribune's investigation contracted an accredited lab to test several smartphones according to federal guidelines. The testing facility found that some of Apple's iPhones emitted radiofrequency radiation beyond the legal safety limits, and in some cases, double what Apple reported to federal regulators.

The iPhone 7 was the worst performer, measuring well over the federal radiofrequency radiation limits across multiple tests, but higher than expected levels were also detected from the ‌iPhone‌ X and the ‌iPhone‌ 8. Smartphones from other companies like Motorola and Samsung were also tested with similar over-limit results.

Apple told The Chicago Tribune that testing had not been conducted properly and was not "in accordance with procedures necessary to properly assess the ‌iPhone‌ models." Apple also said that it re-tested the smartphones and confirmed its devices meet all exposure guidelines.

"All iPhone models, including iPhone 7, are fully certified by the FCC and in every other country where iPhone is sold," the statement said. "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."

In response to the report, the United States Federal Communications Commission said that it will be doing its own retesting of smartphones in the coming months.

Fegan Scott provides no other details on the upcoming investigation or what testing will be done to verify the claims made by both The Chicago Tribune and Apple and other cell phone manufacturers. Those interested in learning more, says the law firm, can send an email with contact information.

Top Rated Comments

AppleFan91 Avatar
60 months ago
“This could be the Chernobyl of the cell phone industry”

Good Lord. Chill with the FUD and Hyperbole - it’s borderline nauseating.

(Or maybe that’s just the radiation I got from typing this post :eek:)
Score: 60 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cipher29 Avatar
60 months ago
"we know cell phone radiation is dangerous" - we do? Based on what scientific findings? Would love to see the study that is peer reviewed and accepted by the scientific community as sound.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
keysofanxiety Avatar
60 months ago
MacRumors should cut the phone lines and contain the spread of misinformation.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
costeta Avatar
60 months ago
not great, not terrible
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JPack Avatar
60 months ago
Look at what happens when Boeing is allowed to certify their own products on behalf of the FAA.

If you leave it to the manufacturer as the FCC does, some will play dirty.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jav6454 Avatar
60 months ago
Think of the children!!!
This BS needs to stop. If they use the children argument, then they need to present studies showing brain development hinderance due to this. Also, children do not have cellphones at 5mm or even 2mm from their brains, even when playing.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 16 Camera Lozenge 2 Perspective Gray

Five Key Upgrades Coming to iPhone 16

Friday March 15, 2024 1:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone is Apple's top-selling product, and it gets an update every year. In 2024, we're expecting the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro lineup, with an arguably more interesting feature set than we got with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Capture Button All four iPhone 16 models are set to get a whole new button, which will be...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Expected to Depreciate Heavily

Tuesday March 12, 2024 9:04 am PDT by
Resale value trends suggest the iPhone SE 4 may not hold its value as well as Apple's flagship models, according to SellCell. According to the report, Apple's iPhone SE models have historically depreciated much more rapidly than the company's more premium offerings. The third-generation iPhone SE, which launched in March 2022, experienced a significant drop in resale value, losing 42.6%...
apple wallet drivers license feature

Apple Said iPhone Driver's Licenses Would Expand to These 8 U.S. States… Two Years Ago

Thursday March 14, 2024 7:33 am PDT by
In just four U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports, businesses, and venues. Adoption of the feature has been slow since Apple first announced it in September 2021, with IDs in the Wallet app only available in Arizona,...
airpods 3 orange

Two New AirPods 4 Models Expected to Launch in September or October

Sunday March 17, 2024 7:56 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin production of two new fourth-generation AirPods models in May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Based on this production timeframe, he expects the headphones to be released in September or October. Gurman expects both fourth-generation AirPods models to feature a new design with better fit, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C...
When To Expect New iPads Feature 1

Apple to Announce New iPads on March 26, Rumors Claim

Monday March 18, 2024 4:02 am PDT by
Apple is widely expected to release new iPad Air and OLED iPad Pro models in the next few weeks. According to new rumors coming out of Asia, the company will announce its new iPads on Tuesday, March 26. Chinese leaker Instant Digital on Weibo this morning 日发布%23">claimed that the date will see some sort of announcement from Apple related to new iPads, but stopped short of calling it an...
OLED iPad Air

iPad Air Next on Apple's OLED Tablet Roadmap Following iPad Pro

Friday March 15, 2024 3:30 am PDT by
The iPad Air will be the next Apple tablet to adopt OLED display panel technology following its upcoming OLED iPad Pro models, according to an updated forecast from research firm Omdia (via The Elec). "In 2028, we expect the iPad Air to go OLED as well, with the iPad Air using single-stack and the iPad Pro using two-stack tandem OLEDs," said Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo, speaking on...
Walmart MacBook Air M1

Walmart Begins Selling MacBook Air With M1 Chip for $699 in U.S.

Friday March 15, 2024 6:57 am PDT by
Walmart today announced that it has started selling the MacBook Air with the M1 chip in the U.S., with pricing set at a very reasonable $699. The laptop can be ordered now on Walmart.com, and it will be available soon at select Walmart stores. This is the first time that customers can purchase a Mac that is sold directly by Walmart, the company said in a press release. Some other retailers...