Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Latest SAR Ratings for smartphones - Radiation Exposure

AustinIllini

AustinIllini

macrumors G5
Oct 20, 2011
12,699
10,567
Austin, TX
Hernan4651 said:
Yes, but remember that we started to use our phones all day a few years ago. So it's to early to discard some bad effects of the radiation.
Remember what they said about smoking? So, if other brands could lower the SAR, Apple should do it too.
Click to expand...
We've had phones in our pockets broadcasting signals for between 10-15 years. That's still quite a long time. Cancer rates in that period have remained consistent.

The other thing worth mentioning: the massive rat study which tied radio waves to Cancer created a cancer specific to rats that humans don't normally develop (something like 3 or four cases ever).
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire
I7guy

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
35,155
25,262
Gotta be in it to win it
mi7chy said:
When in doubt minimize your exposure. Good to know two that are in the low category are on my personal approved vendors list. Have to give LG another try since last one was the Nexus 4.
Click to expand...
I would rethink your personal approved vendor list.
BigMcGuire said:
Wow what a read. https://www.saferemr.com/2016/10/do-iphones-emit-more-radiation-than_24.html?m=1

If this is true - then SAR ratings are confusing to the consumer and manipulative.

“The iPhones were tested at 5 millimeters, and the Galaxy phones were tested at 15 millimeters. If the Galaxy phones had been tested at 5 millimeters, the SAR values would likely have been between 1.73 and 2.78 W/kg.”

“Some phones may even fail the SAR test with a 5 millimeter body separation distance. For example, the Samsung Galaxy 7 phones would not likely have been certified for sale because the maximum SAR allowed in the U.S. or Korea is 1.60 W/kg, and the body SARs would have exceeded this limit if the phones were tested at 5 millimeters.”

Definitely agree with article writer that tests need to be standardized. Either way, I rarely talk on my phone and when I do it is really short. Uploading photos, sending photos, and reading is mostly what I do.
Click to expand...
Seems like these test are in no way helpful to the consumer. I do a lot of talking, but that happens either through b/t headsets or earpods. Either way my phone is not next to my body.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 5105973 and BigMcGuire
jamezr

jamezr

macrumors P6
Aug 7, 2011
16,073
19,070
US
willmtaylor said:
@BigMcGuire & @I7guy, since you disagree with previous posters in this thread, from my experience, you’re obvious both either Apple shills or fanboys blindly following the Apple cult. How dare you!!!
Click to expand...
wow...the only ones calling names in this thread has been Apple fans....
Looks at the thread history....look at who makes this personal and who doesn't. I think that speaks for itself.

Just look at the data....@BigMcGuire and @AustinIllini seems to be able to just discuss the data......others not so much.
 
  • Like
Reactions: iSilas, AustinIllini and 1050792
1

1050792

Suspended
Oct 2, 2016
2,515
3,991
jamezr said:
wow...the only ones calling names in this thread has been Apple fans....
Looks at the thread history....look at who makes this personal and who doesn't. I think that speaks for itself.

Just look at the data....@BigMcGuire and @AustinIllini seems to be able to just discuss the data......others not so much.
Click to expand...
Some fans actually try to discuss and have civil conversations while sharing their experiences across different platforms, others not so much... they come here trying to show pride in their Apple Logo avatars, and no facts to their arguments, they start attacking and insulting. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: iSilas, Mendota and jamezr
B

BigMcGuire

Cancelled
Jan 10, 2012
9,832
14,032
1050792 said:
Some fans actually try to discuss and have civil conversations while sharing their experiences across different platforms, others not so much... they come here trying to show pride in their Apple Logo avatars, and no facts to their arguments, they start attacking and insulting. :)
Click to expand...

I realize this is off topic, but I have the habit of trying to inject some jest/positivity into stressful/potentially negative situations so I apologize if it is not wanted but...

Speaking of the Apple Logo. I really miss that see-through Apple Logo that my MBA 2015 had ... Call me weird but I really miss that logo. :( I don't like the silver back that the new laptops have. Don't get me started on the startup noise being removed too :(. That Wall-E startup noise was iconic and I loved it. Ok, I think I qualify for the Apple Logo pride wearer now. I'll shut up. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: koigirl, iSilas, spacemnspiff and 4 others
AustinIllini

AustinIllini

macrumors G5
Oct 20, 2011
12,699
10,567
Austin, TX
1050792 said:
Some fans actually try to discuss and have civil conversations while sharing their experiences across different platforms, others not so much... they come here trying to show pride in their Apple Logo avatars, and no facts to their arguments, they start attacking and insulting. :)
Click to expand...
I'll be honest with you: I change my avatar all the time but I love the classic Apple logo. I think people judging arguments based on avatars is pretty low rent and I have done nothing but calmly and practically look at this issue.

I'm not saying Apple should be careless with the radiation leaked from the phone, I'm simply saying we shouldn't get so worried about it and it's not really a measure of phone quality.
[doublepost=1550509335][/doublepost]And just like that, I changed my avatar because why the heck not?
 
  • Like
Reactions: eltoslightfoot, willmtaylor, jamezr and 1 other person
T

Tech198

Cancelled
Mar 21, 2011
15,915
2,151
If becomes irrelevant which SAR has the lower value compared to iPhones when the whole syen cancer causing is unproven anyway.
.

SAR value represents how low phone radiation emits.. Since its low anyway, that is enough for me. It becomes the least important factor,

Weather i buy an iPhone XS Max or stick to my iPhone 6s Plus.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
R

Ruggy

macrumors 65816
Jan 11, 2017
1,024
665
Have you any idea just how tiny that is compared to, say, sitting in the sun. And sunlight does cause cancer.

I spent some time looking into this a few years back and to be honest, I've forgotten all the details.

I got some measuring equipment and did a survey of the output of several hundred phones (because I was lecturing at the time and got everyone involved.)
Iphones were middling in output at the time but there was way too much variation from one device to another to draw really good conclusions. They are a lot less now because there are more masts.
But as others have said, this isn't ionising radiation.

If you really want to see some high figures, then the output of cordless phones is higher, as is a microwave ovens (these are not microwaves of course but it still produces EMR at these frequencies and they get out) and worst of all, sit in a subway train if there's no signal. Every phone pumping out on max and bouncing around in a faraday cage.

But the bottom line was, the output of these things is very small and the frequency isn't one that does damage to cells anyway. Unlike sunlight.

Plus, that's at 5mm but the inverse square law applies so it's undetectable at about 9 inches.

So texting or holding the machine in your hand and looking at the screen are going to be unmeasurable on your brain.
And it's probably only brain and gonads you 'might' need to worry about (so probably don't put your phone in your jeans pocket)

You should probably be more worried about. wearing bluetooth headphones. But I'm not.

Then of course you're living in a soup of radio waves, UHF waves from TV etc. wifi They are all elecro-magnetic waves.
Then if you start checking around you'll find loads of things that give of both low and high frequency radiation.
Hairdryers, electric fans, flourescent lights...

The highest reading I found was from a gas main because the earth also has an electro-magnetic field too. Very low frequency of course but so is the natural radiation frequency of the human body.
Yes we give off EMR too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire, iSilas, Tsepz and 1 other person
eltoslightfoot

eltoslightfoot

macrumors 68030
Feb 25, 2011
2,556
3,104
Ruggy said:
Have you any idea just how tiny that is compared to, say, sitting in the sun. And sunlight does cause cancer.

I spent some time looking into this a few years back and to be honest, I've forgotten all the details.

I got some measuring equipment and did a survey of the output of several hundred phones (because I was lecturing at the time and got everyone involved.)
Iphones were middling in output at the time but there was way too much variation from one device to another to draw really good conclusions. They are a lot less now because there are more masts.
But as others have said, this isn't ionising radiation.

If you really want to see some high figures, then the output of cordless phones is higher, as is a microwave ovens (these are not microwaves of course but it still produces EMR at these frequencies and they get out) and worst of all, sit in a subway train if there's no signal. Every phone pumping out on max and bouncing around in a faraday cage.

But the bottom line was, the output of these things is very small and the frequency isn't one that does damage to cells anyway. Unlike sunlight.

Plus, that's at 5mm but the inverse square law applies so it's undetectable at about 9 inches.

So texting or holding the machine in your hand and looking at the screen are going to be unmeasurable on your brain.
And it's probably only brain and gonads you 'might' need to worry about (so probably don't put your phone in your jeans pocket)

You should probably be more worried about. wearing bluetooth headphones. But I'm not.

Then of course you're living in a soup of radio waves, UHF waves from TV etc. wifi They are all elecro-magnetic waves.
Then if you start checking around you'll find loads of things that give of both low and high frequency radiation.
Hairdryers, electric fans, flourescent lights...

The highest reading I found was from a gas main because the earth also has an electro-magnetic field too. Very low frequency of course but so is the natural radiation frequency of the human body.
Yes we give off EMR too.
Click to expand...
I want to marry this post.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire
J

jtara

macrumors 68020
Mar 23, 2009
2,008
536
Somebody should make a phone specifically designed for the paranoid people who I see walking down the street holding their phones in front of them parallel to the ground, speaking into the bottom edge of the phone.

They look SO silly.

I wonder how often they drop their phones? It looks precarious. (AND silly, did I mention that?)

P.S. It's already been designed. It's called a "flip phone"!

----
FWIW, I did not make this comment in this thread, though it is relevant.

It was "moved" from a post on another thread. I did not ask that it be "moved".

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...sing-radiation-than-competing-brands.1955851/
 
Last edited:
R

Ruggy

macrumors 65816
Jan 11, 2017
1,024
665
eltoslightfoot said:
I want to marry this post.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I don't look in very often to see replies because too often, the trolls are out but that is really nice thanks.
To add something, the reason I couldn't draw any conclusions finally was the results were too variable.
I had one guy that had two identical phones connected to the same operator and the same mail box (one was work and one personal- so he said). The difference between them was huge so and that was pretty much what I found everywhere so I abandoned trying to draw conclusions.
 
willmtaylor

willmtaylor

macrumors G4
Oct 31, 2009
10,314
8,198
Here(-ish)
Zwhaler said:
Curious, would you have made that exact post if Samsung had scored higher on the list and iPhones got 0.29 ?
Click to expand...
Yup. I don’t care whose bull the **** belongs to—B.S. is B.S.

Regardless, the entire thing is bunk, as manufacturers chose how far away their devices are when taking their measurements.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire
jamezr

jamezr

macrumors P6
Aug 7, 2011
16,073
19,070
US
  • Like
Reactions: iSilas and 1050792
I7guy

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
35,155
25,262
Gotta be in it to win it
  • Like
Reactions: BigMcGuire and willmtaylor
kdarling

kdarling

macrumors P6
Jun 9, 2007
17,373
5,925
First university coding class = 47 years ago
ghanwani said:
According to the following site, manufacturers get to choose the distance at which the SAR is measured.
Click to expand...

Only for the lower body, where the main effect is on fat cells.

Measurement against the head / brain area is mandated as zero distance.

Which is why many phones try to transmit mostly from their chin, so as to have less EM near the ear.

Interestingly, those articles said that Apple uses its head proximity sensor to not only disable the screen, but to lower the transmission power when it senses the iPhone is closer to your head.

So... if you have trouble getting out, don't jam the phone tighter to you!
 
  • Like
Reactions: iSilas, BigMcGuire and jamezr
jamezr

jamezr

macrumors P6
Aug 7, 2011
16,073
19,070
US
kdarling said:
Only for the lower body, where the main effect is on fat cells.

Measurement against the head / brain area is mandated as zero distance.

Which is why many phones try to transmit mostly from their chin, so as to have less EM near the ear.

Interestingly, those articles said that Apple uses its head proximity sensor to not only disable the screen, but to lower the transmission power when it senses the iPhone is closer to your head.

So... if you have trouble getting out, don't jam the phone tighter to you!
Click to expand...
Thank you for clarifying the difference for us!
So they are all subject to the same testing protocol to the area that has been suspect of causing brain cancer, the head/ear and brain area.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom