shutterstock
- The Federal Communications Commission is reportedly investigating the claim that certain smartphones from Apple and Samsung emit higher levels of radiation than is allowed by the FCC, according to an independent test carried out by the Chicago Tribune.
- Specifically, the Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 - as well as the Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S9, and Galaxy J3 - were found to emit higher levels of radiation than they're supposed to.
- Apple and Samsung say they comply with FCC regulations.
- The health risks of smartphone radiation are still uncertain.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
The Federal Communications Commission is said to be conducting an investigation into certain Apple and Samsung smartphones that reportedly emit higher radiation levels than the FCC allows, the Chicago Tribune reported last week.
With the help of radiation testing lab RF Exposure Lab in California, the Tribune found that Apple's iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 emitted radiation levels beyond the FCC's limits.
It also found that the Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S9, and Galaxy J3 measured higher radiation levels than the FCC's limits allow.
The excessive radiation levels were mostly recorded in a test that simulated the phones at 2mm away from a human body - so, when a user holds up a phone to their ear during a phone calls, or when a phone is in a pocket.
The Chicago Tribune notes that it only conducted tests on 11 smartphones among the hundreds that are available to buy today.
The health risks associated with smartphone radiation are still uncertain. Some say that young children and teenagers can be exposed to more smartphone radiation than older generations, as smartphones are becoming more ubiquitous. At the same time, regular cell phones that also emit radiation have been around long before smartphones.
Apple told the Chicago Tribune that its testing was inaccurate compared to the company's own testing. Apple did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
"Samsung devices sold in the United States comply with FCC regulations. Our devices are tested according to the same test protocols that are used across the industry," Samsung told Business Insider in a statement.
The FCC did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
The RF Exposure Lab where the Chicago Tribune's tests were conducted is recognized by the FCC as accredited to test for radio frequency radiation from electronic devices, the Chicago Tribune said.
