Update May 15, 2021 : The US regulator FDA has investigated MagSafe and concluded that the risk for pacemakers is small. The Food and Drug Administration does advise caution. Apple also warned about this in January and indicated not to carry the iPhone near a pacemaker. In practice, this means that it is better not to put the iPhone in a breast pocket if you have a pacemaker. The FDA has now conducted its own testing and says that while users should be careful, the chances of problems occurring are very slim.
The FDA does warn that strong magnets are increasingly used in consumer electronics. Therefore, people who have implanted a medical device should talk to their healthcare provider so that they are well aware of the potential risks. Then the doctor must of course be aware of how strong the magnets are. Apple itself advises to keep the iPhone at least 15 centimeters from the pacemaker and at least 30 centimeters when charging. The FDA agrees with that advice, citing the same recommended distance.
Below is our original article dated January 25, 2021.
Pacemakers and magnets: not a golden combination
Apple says in a new support article that you should keep the iPhone 12 at least 6 inches away from pacemakers. When charging, it is best to maintain a distance of 30 centimeters between the body and the iPhone and the charger. That advice applies to Apple's own MagSafe Charger and chargers from other brands. There is no immediate danger, but the distance is best assumed to be on the safe side. It is therefore not recommended to put the iPhone in a breast pocket.
& lsquo; iPhone 12 can disable pacemaker & rsquo;
The support document is probably a response to a publication in which cardiologists warned about a disturbance of pacemakers by holding an iPhone 12 close to it, for example in a breast pocket. Apple is now following the advice of pacemaker manufacturers, who previously also recommended a distance of 15 centimeters.
The study in the Heart Rhythm Journal gave the impression that MagSafe was unsafe for heart patients: the pacemaker could even be turned off in some situations. It could also adversely affect implanted defibrillators. Apple insists that the iPhone 12 does not pose a greater risk of magnetic interference to medical devices than previous iPhone models, even though it contains more magnets. The advice also applies to the MagSafe Charger, which is sold separately.
The support article has been around since the iPhone 12 was released, but in the English version a new section has now been added on implanted medical devices. In the Dutch version, the text has yet to be supplemented and only mentions consulting doctors and maintaining & ldquo; a safe distance & rdquo ;, without giving concrete information.
Medical devices such as implanted pacemakers and defibrillators might contain sensors that respond to magnets and radios when in close contact. To avoid any potential interactions with these devices, keep your iPhone and MagSafe accessories a safe distance away from your device (more than 6 inches/15 cm apart or more than 12 inches/30 cm apart if wirelessly charging). But consult with your physician and your device manufacturer for specific guidelines.
Incidentally, the iPhone 12 itself is not the problem, but the magnets in it. Any magnet strong enough can affect pacemakers and people who have one implanted will often already know that they should not hold strong magnets to their chest. The magnets in the iPhone are relatively weak.
Review History:
- 2021 – May 15, 9:29 AM: FDA information added in an update at the top of the article.