If you or someone you know has an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), you can avoid using an iPhone 12. According to a recent study in the Heart Rhythm Journal, the iPhone 12 and its accessories can interfere with the behavior of an ICD, and even prevent it from working.
The study found that several components in the iPhone 12 can interfere with a patient’s life-saving therapy, especially if the phone is carried in the top pockets. This alert applies to all iPhone 12 devices including iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Max and iPhone 12 Max Plus. The iPhone 12’s MagSafe accessories are also a risk, specifically the MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger, due to their magnets and NFC radios.
According to the study, the magnetic charging coils and RF emitting components in these products are strong enough to interfere with the internal mechanisms of an ICD, which responds to magnetic fields. Researchers immediately noticed the heart-regulating operations of the ICD when an iPhone was “brought near the ICD over the left chest area.” The disturbance “continued for the duration of the test.”
It poses serious health risks, including the possibility of heart failure or cardiac arrest. To help inform users about the potential risks, Apple has updated its iPhone 12 health and safety documentation with new guidelines based on the proposals of the report. Apple now recommends that users keep their iPhone 12 and MagSafe accessories more than six inches away from their chest at all times and more than 12 inches away when charging your phone wirelessly. Definitely do not put your iPhone in your shirt or jacket pocket.
While these warnings apply specifically to the iPhone 12 line and the magnetic accessories, they are not the only products that could affect medical devices. A similar case study shows that smartwatches and fitness trackers can interfere with ICDs if they get within 2.4 inches of the ICD’s place in a patient’s chest. The storage of the iPhone 12 is worse – especially if you charge wirelessly – but you need to be careful when using it any smart devices near someone with an ICD.
G / O Media can get a commission