iPhone 12's magnets shouldn't impact medical devices more than older models

Iphone 12 Pro Review
Iphone 12 Pro Review (Image credit: Daniel Bader / Android Central)

What you need to know

  • Apple's iPhone 12 lineup has a ton of magnets in it.
  • More than any other iPhone, in fact.
  • Apple says that those magnets shouldn't impact medical devices more than older models, though.

Apple's iPhone 12 lineup makes heavier use of magnets than any iPhone that came before. The addition of MagSafe is a big deal, not only for its utility but the potential for those magnets to interfere with other things – like medical equipment. Thankfully, Apple says we needn't worry.

In an updated support document spotted by MacRumors, Apple says that the new iPhones aren't a bigger risk to medical equipment – like pacemakers – than older models.

Phone contains magnets as well as components and radios that emit electromagnetic fields. These magnets and electromagnetic fields may interfere with medical devices, such as pacemakers and defibrillators.Though all iPhone 12 models contain more magnets than prior iPhone models, they're not expected to pose a greater risk of magnetic interference to medical devices than prior iPhone models.

That's good news indeed. Although Apple goes go on to say that people should probably ready out to the manufacturer of their own devices to make sure everything is above board.

Consult your physician and medical device manufacturer for information specific to your medical device and whether you need to maintain a safe distance of separation between your medical device and iPhone.

Hopefully, that's more a sign of the lawyers doing lawyer things than any real potential for issues relating to MagSafe and its many, many magnets.

Apple's MagSafe uses magnets to attach wireless chargers, cases, and even card wallets. Third-party accessory makers are also getting in on the act as well. If there isn't a MagSafe device for you yet, there probably will be soon enough.

Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.