There is a high chance that you will be using an Apple device every day. It could be your phone, since almost half of all smartphone users in the country use an Apple iPhone in 2021, according to Statista. But there may be cause for concern for some of the 113 million iPhone users in the country. Apple recently released a warning about the latest iPhones and how certain people can be affected by one of the device’s key features. Read on to find out if your phone could be putting you in danger and, for more words of warning, if you’re charging your iPhone like this, Apple says stop immediately.
Apple released a notice on February 25 detailing how Apple products can interfere with medical devices used by some people with heart problems. According to the statement, all MagSafe accessories – which were created to allow and help the iPhone 12 wirelessly charge – contain magnets, while the MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger also contain radios.
“Medical devices such as implanted pacemakers and defibrillators may contain sensors that respond to magnets and radios when in close contact,” explained Apple in its statement. “To avoid any potential interaction with these devices, keep your iPhone and MagSafe accessories at a safe distance from your device.” According to Apple, this safe distance is more than 6 inches away and more than 12 inches away during wireless charging. And to learn more about this smartphone, there is a big problem with the new iPhone, users say.
According to Apple, all iPhones contain magnets, components and radios that “emit electromagnetic fields”, which can interfere with medical devices. While the company acknowledged in its statement that the new iPhone 12 models “contain more magnets” than previous iPhones, they do not expect the newer device to increase risk. “Although all iPhone 12 models contain more magnets than previous iPhone models, they are not expected to pose a greater risk of magnetic interference in medical devices than previous iPhone models,” emphasized an Apple spokesman. . Better life on March 19th.
Gurjit Singh, MD, cardiologist at the Henry Ford Heart & Vascular Institute, conducted an experiment with his colleagues to see how an iPhone 12 Pro affected a patient with an implantable defibrillator, publishing his findings on January 4 in Heart rhythm Medical Journal. According to Singh, cardiac devices have switches that respond to external magnets to control their functioning, since surgery cannot be performed whenever the doctor needs to control a person’s device.
“When we brought the iPhone closer to the patient’s chest, the defibrillator was disabled. We saw in the programmer of the external defibrillator that the functions of the device were suspended and remained suspended. When we removed the phone from the patient’s chest, the defibrillator immediately returned to its normal function, “Singh said in a statement.” We were perplexed. We assumed that the magnet would be too weak on a phone to trigger the defibrillator’s magnetic switch. “And for more heart concerns, if you can’t do that in 90 seconds, your heart is in danger, the study says.
In his statement, Singh noted that strong magnets can cause a pacemaker to release electrical impulses that cause the heart to beat out of sync, which can result in a potentially lethal condition called ventricular fibrillation. “We believe that our findings have far-reaching implications on a large scale for people who live daily with these devices, who, without thinking, put the phone in their shirt pocket or in their top pocket or jacket – unaware that it can cause their defibrillator or pacemaker to function in a way that could be potentially lethal, “he said. Singh and his colleagues are preparing to launch a larger study of all the major brands of defibrillators and pacemakers to find out if they are affected by the strong magnets on the iPhone 12 and other portable devices.
Apple recommends that people using medical devices consult their physician and the manufacturer of the medical device for “specific information about your medical device and whether you need to maintain a safe separation distance between your medical device and the iPhone or any MagSafe accessory. . “
“Manufacturers often provide recommendations on the safe use of their devices in wireless or magnetic products to avoid possible interference. If you suspect that the iPhone or any MagSafe accessory is interfering with your medical device, stop using your iPhone or MagSafe accessories” , said Apple in its warning. And for more Apple updates, if you have an Apple device, you need to do that right away.