The iPhone 12 has been banned from sale in France because it emits too much electromagnetic radiation.
On Tuesday, the tech giant received a similar directive from the French agency in charge of radio frequency regulation.
Apple has been notified by the ANFR that it must recall every iPhone 12 ever sold in the country if the problem cannot be fixed with a software update.
However, the World Health Organisation has in the past worked to alleviate concerns about the radiation that mobile phones generate.
It claims on its website that there is insufficient data to draw the conclusion that human exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields is detrimental.
Since its first introduction in September 2020, the iPhone 12 has continued to be sold all across the world.
Asserting that the iPhone complies with all applicable regulations, Apple told the BBC that it was challenging the ANFR's examination and had given the regulator lab data from both the tech giant and outside sources.
It claimed that the iPhone 12 was acknowledged as complying with radiation standards around the globe.
According to Reuters, France's digital minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, stated to the French daily Le Parisien that the decision was made because radiation levels were too high.
He claimed that the specific absorption rate (SAR) of the iPhone 12 was higher than what is permitted by law.
He stated, "Apple is anticipated to respond within two weeks."
"If they don't, I'm ready to issue a recall for all iPhone 12s now in use. Everyone must follow the same rules, including the big names in technology.
As Barrot predicted, there may be "a snowball effect" as a result of France sharing its findings with authorities around the trade bloc.
The ANFR mandates that the SAR of devices be compared to two distinct ways that a phone is used.
When a phone is in close proximity to a person's body, such as when it is handled or put in a pocket of clothing, there is first a "membre" or limb check. For this, the SAR ceiling is four watts per kilogram.
The device's "membre" SAR, according to the regulator, was 5.74 watts per kilogram, which was over the allowed value.
The SAR measurement for the iPhone 12 was below the cutoff for when a phone is significantly farther away, such as when it is in a bag or jacket pocket.
The news first broke on Tuesday in France, the same day that Apple unveiled its new iPhone 15.