Apple warns of magnet risk to pacemakers for most of its major products
Apple has published a list of its products that could cause enough magnetic interference to impact medical devices, a page stemming from reports about MagSafe's potential to affect pacemakers.
Apple's MagSafe has been the subject of scrutiny in medical circles since its launch, due to the possibility that its magnets could trigger a pacemaker to perform unwanted actions if held close enough. Following those reports, Apple has published an update to its page warning about medical device interference with more information.
The update, published on Friday and spotted by MacRumors, refreshes an existing support page warning about the increased number of magnets in MagSafe-enabled devices, like the iPhone 12. Rather than just being about iPhone 12 models, the page now talks about magnetic interference by Apple products in a more general sense.
The page retains the warning to users that magnets can affect implanted pacemakers and defibrillators, for example, and to keep Apple products a safe distance away from the medical hardware.
The biggest change to the page is that Apple now lists product ranges that "contain magnets," and to keep the products a "safe distance away from your medical device." The list covers the previously-established iPhone 12 models, as well as MagSafe accessories, but it also covers many more product families.
The list of magnet-containing devices include iPad products and accessories, the Apple Watch and accessories, AirPods and charging cases, HomePod, Macs, MacBooks, and some Beats products.
While covering a majority of Apple's main products, the company also states the list is absent of some other products that do contain magnets, but are "unlikely to interfere with medical devices."
The concern over MagSafe started in January, after three Michigan doctors tested its effects on an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, which changed mode when within range of an iPhone.
In May an investigation by the FDA concluded that the risk to patients with pacemakers is low, but advises caution. However in June, the American Heart Foundation said MagSafe poses a "clinically significant" risk to cardiac devices.
Keep up with everything Apple in the weekly AppleInsider Podcast -- and get a fast news update from AppleInsider Daily. Just say, "Hey, Siri," to your HomePod mini and ask for these podcasts, and our latest HomeKit Insider episode too.If you want an ad-free main AppleInsider Podcast experience, you can support the AppleInsider podcast by subscribing for $5 per month through Apple's Podcasts app, or via Patreon if you prefer any other podcast player.
Apple's MagSafe has been the subject of scrutiny in medical circles since its launch, due to the possibility that its magnets could trigger a pacemaker to perform unwanted actions if held close enough. Following those reports, Apple has published an update to its page warning about medical device interference with more information.
The update, published on Friday and spotted by MacRumors, refreshes an existing support page warning about the increased number of magnets in MagSafe-enabled devices, like the iPhone 12. Rather than just being about iPhone 12 models, the page now talks about magnetic interference by Apple products in a more general sense.
The page retains the warning to users that magnets can affect implanted pacemakers and defibrillators, for example, and to keep Apple products a safe distance away from the medical hardware.
The biggest change to the page is that Apple now lists product ranges that "contain magnets," and to keep the products a "safe distance away from your medical device." The list covers the previously-established iPhone 12 models, as well as MagSafe accessories, but it also covers many more product families.
The list of magnet-containing devices include iPad products and accessories, the Apple Watch and accessories, AirPods and charging cases, HomePod, Macs, MacBooks, and some Beats products.
While covering a majority of Apple's main products, the company also states the list is absent of some other products that do contain magnets, but are "unlikely to interfere with medical devices."
The concern over MagSafe started in January, after three Michigan doctors tested its effects on an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, which changed mode when within range of an iPhone.
In May an investigation by the FDA concluded that the risk to patients with pacemakers is low, but advises caution. However in June, the American Heart Foundation said MagSafe poses a "clinically significant" risk to cardiac devices.
Keep up with everything Apple in the weekly AppleInsider Podcast -- and get a fast news update from AppleInsider Daily. Just say, "Hey, Siri," to your HomePod mini and ask for these podcasts, and our latest HomeKit Insider episode too.If you want an ad-free main AppleInsider Podcast experience, you can support the AppleInsider podcast by subscribing for $5 per month through Apple's Podcasts app, or via Patreon if you prefer any other podcast player.
Comments
as I have said before, a suit has to show damages to be successful. Even if a phone was close enough for a device to sense it, virtually all pacemakers activate a backup mode when a magnet is placed and revert to their previous programming once it’s removed. For ICDs, the antiarrhythmic functions are deactivated while the magnet is in place, but the only way that would matter is if someone happened to have a shockable arrhythmia while the magnet was in place. In the remote event it should happen it isn’t a class-action case because there isn’t an entire class of people who’ve been harmed.