# RKS: MOBILE PHONE EMISSION - Knowing About SAR

 

# RKS: MOBILE PHONE EMISSION

KNOWING ABOUT SAR

RKS / 2026-2027 / Ser 8 / Blog 1

1st April 2026

MOBILE PHONE HAZARDS DEFINED

INSTRUMENT + HABITS DICTATED

Dear Reader,

The mobile phone market is flooded by 10-15 global companies, regional players apart, but the number of brands have declined from over approximately 750 in 2017 to 250 active by 2023. The top 5 brands (Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, Vivo, OPPO) control a vast majority of the market, with "Others" accounting for about 32-33% of shipments.

The Indian mobile market is flooded with dozens of active brands, dominated heavily by Chinese manufacturers (Vivo, Xiaomi, Oppo, Realme, iQOO, OnePlus) and South Korea's Samsung, which together control most of the market share. The US$ 15 billion (bn) (INR 1,50,00 crore) market in India is comprised of 100 handset brands. 

In India, Android holds a 95.26% market share, while iOS trails at 4.44%. The country's wireless (mobile) subscriber base is approximately 1.15 to 1.17 bn (115 crores), with over 640 million (mn) (55%) smartphone users. Rural subscribers account for over 530 mn, while urban subscribers are around 640 mn – 1:1.2 ratio. To ensure safety of its population, India enforces a strict Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) limit of averaged over of human tissue, effective since 2013. It is indeed interesting to be enlightened regarding the SAR values of an individual’s mobile phone.

BASICS ABOUT SAR

Both mobile phones and their signals emit radiofrequency (RF) radiation. The phone converts the voice / data into digital signals, which are then modulated onto RF electromagnetic spectrum but are non-ionizing, meaning they lack enough energy to break atomic bonds. 

SAR values are calculated by measuring the maximum RF energy a phone emits into a "phantom" head/body model filled with tissue-simulating liquid, while operating at peak power. A robotic probe maps the electric field inside the liquid, and the highest absorption rate over or 1 g or 10 g of tissue is recorded as watts/kg (W/kg). In India and US [Federal Communications Commission (FCC)] the 1 g area of tissue area is considered and standards for upper SAR limits are fixed at 1.6 W/kg. This is a more stringent cut off since it is focusses on smaller more localized area than the European limit [ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection)] of 2 W/kg which measures SAR value over a larger 10 g of tissue mass.

FEATURE PHONE vs SMARTPHONE

The global mobile market is shifting rapidly toward 5G smartphones, with shipments of 5G devices in India reaching 79% in 2024, driven by falling prices and better connectivity. While feature phones are declining globally, they retain a niche market in India and Africa on account of affordability, long battery life and durability. 

Graph: Reasons for preferring feature phones.

Even though three-fourths of Indians still utilize feature phones, 75% of feature phone users are interested in switching over to smartphones.

INDIAN BRANDS OF MOBILE PHONES

List: Top Android Brands & Series in India.

• Samsung: Galaxy S25 Ultra, S25, A series, M07
• Realme: P3 Ultra, P4 Power, P4 Lite, GT 7
• Xiaomi/Redmi: Note 15, Redmi 13/14 series, A5
• OnePlus: Nord CE 5 5G, 13 series
• Vivo: T4 Pro, T4R, X Fold 5, X200
• Motorola: G67 Power, Edge 60/H60, Razr 60 Ultra
• Nothing: Phone 3a
• Infinix: Smart 8 HD, GD30 Pro
• Tecno: Pop X, Camon series
• iQOO: Z10R, 13 

List: Budget Android Phones (Under ₹10,000)

• Infinix Smart 8 HD: Popular, high-value choice
• Itel A50C: Budget-friendly
• POCO C71: Available around ₹6,799 - ₹7,499
• Redmi A5 / 8A Dual: Budget options
• Lava: Various budget models which include Agni 5G (Agni 4, 3), budget-friendly Blaze (Curve, 5G, X), entry-level Yuva (3, 3 Pro) along with the Storm and Bold series.

List: Other Brands Present

• Google: Pixel series 8, 9, 10 (including Pro, Pro XL, foldable versions)
• Nokia/HMD: HMD Global operates as the custodian for Nokia-branded (110, 2660 Flip, 3210 4G) mobile devices and also manufactures its own HMD-branded smartphones (HMD Fusion/Vibe/Crest series). 
• Honor: Now operates in India via HTech. Markets X Series (X9c, X7c 5G, X9b) as well as N Series (flagship) (HONOR 90 5G, Magic6 Pro 5G) smartphones.
• CMF by Nothing: Now spun off as CMF India Pvt. Ltd., it markets smartphones - CMF Phone 1 & 2 Pro.
• Indian Brands: Lava, Karbonn, Micromax, Lyf

10 BEST SELLING ANDROIDS IN INDIA

1. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
2. OnePlus1 3R
3. Motorola Edge 50 Ultra
4. iQOO Neo 10R
5. Nothing Phone (3a) Pro
6. Samsung Galaxy S24 FE
7. Xiaomi 15 Ultra
8. Vivo X200
9. Motorola Edge 60 Fusion
10. Oppo Reno 13 Pro

10 BEST SELLING iPHONES IN INDIA

1. iPhone 16: The top-selling, most popular model in 2025, praised for its balance of features and price.
2. iPhone 13: Continues to be one of the most used models in India, serving as the primary entry point into the Apple ecosystem for many.
3. iPhone 16 Pro: Popular among premium users for its advanced camera and performance.
4. iPhone 15: Remains a strong, high-volume seller, particularly during festive sales.
5. iPhone 16 Pro Max: Leads in demand for large-screen, premium Apple devices.
6. iPhone 16e: Gained popularity as a more affordable, compact entry in the new line-up.
7. iPhone 14: A consistent performer, often chosen for its reliability and price-to-performance ratio.
8. iPhone 11: Continues to be a popular budget-friendly option.
9. iPhone 12: A frequently purchased 5G-enabled, budget-conscious choice.
10. iPhone 17 Pro Max: 91Mobiles ranks high for top-tier specs, despite being the latest and most expensive.

The non-Pro models make up ~86% of sales of iPhone.

HEALTH HAZARDS

The health hazards of mobile phones are due to 2 reasons:

1. Screen brightness.
2. Emission of RF energy.

As far as screen brightness is concerned, the other gadgets such as projection screens, palmtops, laptops and desktops - besides televisions (TVs) are also culprits. 

SCREEN BRIGHTNESS

Nits (cd/m²) measure screen brightness (luminance), crucial for visibility in varied lighting, while Lux measures ambient light intensity on a surface. 

For screens, 200-400 nits suit indoor use, 400-700 nits suit mixed lighting, and over 1000+ nits are needed for direct sunlight. Higher nits improve readability and HDR, but increase battery consumption.

Lux is measured as lumens per square meter (1 lux = 1 lumen per square meter).

• Direct Sunlight: Extremely high, ranging from 32,000 to 100,000+ lux.
  
• Indirect/Ambient Daylight: Generally 10,000 to 25,000 lux.
  
• Indoor/Office Environment: Typically much lower, with 300 to 500 lux recommended for general office tasks.
  
• Shaded Indoor/Dim Areas: Often below 100-200 lux.

For general reading and computer work, 300-500 lux is sufficient but for detailed work/design 500-1000 lux is recommended. Optimal lighting to prevent eye strain is generally 300 to 500 lux, simulating a comfortable, well-lit workspace without harsh glare. Working in dim, <100 lux, or overly bright, >1000 lux, conditions increases fatigue.

Nits also need to be factored since it could dictate the eye strain. The screen brightness should be maintained between 200 and 400 nits for indoor use, and up to 1000 nits for bright, sunny environments. The rule is the screen should not be brighter than the surrounding light. 

Table: Screens and light and brightness.

To reduce strain from prolonged viewing, every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds - the 20-20-20 rule.

RF ENERGY

Computers and TVs emit low-level RF energy and other electromagnetic fields (EMF). These are non-ionizing, generally harmless, and well below safety limits. Sources of non-ionizing include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, internal components (mobile phones) and screen electronics. 

Devices like digital watches, medical implants and wearable technology components (like heart rate monitors) with <mW power are generally exempt from strict evaluation.

To check the SAR value of one’s mobile phone, the fastest method is to open the dialler app and enter the code *#07#. This immediately displays the legal, regulatory, and maximum SAR values for that individual device for head and body. 

Go to: Settings > About Phone > Legal Information > RF Exposure (or similar)

SAR value information is seen on the mobile handsets like IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) display. All the new design of mobile handsets shall comply with the SAR values of 1.6 W/kg averaged over 1 gram of human tissue effective from 1st September 2012. The mobile handsets with existing designs which are compliant with 2.0 W/kg averaged over 10 gram of human tissue, continue to co-exist up to 31st August 2013. From 1st September 2013, only the mobile handsets with revised SAR value of 1.6 W/kg have been permitted to be manufactured or imported in India.

SAR VALUES

Fig: Market share of mobile phone manufacturers in India.

Three best brands of each mobile phone manufacturer in India are:

• Vivo: Vivo X300/X300 Pro, the camera-focused Vivo V40/V50 series, and the value-for-money Vivo T4/T4 Pro.

• Xiaomi:  Redmi Note 15 Pro, Redmi Note 15, and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra.

• Samsung: The premium Galaxy S25 Ultra, along with high-demand models from the stylish Galaxy Z Flip7 and Z Fold7 foldable series.

• Realme: Realme P4 Power, Realme P4, and Realme P4x.

• Oppo: Oppo K13 Turbo Pro, Oppo Reno15 C, and Oppo F31 Pro Plus. 

• Apple:  iPhone 16, iPhone 15, and iPhone 14.

• Motorola: Motorola Signature/Edge 60 Pro, the foldable Razr 60 Ultra, and budget-friendly power options like the Moto G67 Power. 

• POCO: POCO F8 Ultra, the POCO F7 512GB, and the POCO F7. 

• OnePlus: OnePlus 15 and 13, alongside the mid-range OnePlus Nord CE 5 5G and 15R. 

• iQOO: iQOO 13 and iQOO 15, alongside the popular mid-range iQOO Neo 9 Pro.

Table: SAR values of popular Indian brands of mobile phones.

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A difference in SAR values between two mobile phones is generally considered significant if it is greater than 0.2 to 0.3 W/kg, especially when evaluating models at the higher end of the permissible spectrum.

CONCLUSION 

While SAR values are an important tool in judging the maximum possible exposure to RF energy from a particular model of cell phone, a single SAR value does not provide sufficient information about the amount of RF exposure under typical usage conditions to reliably compare individual cell phone models. 

SAR values depends on location and the same mobile phone can have differential readings. In fact, A mobile phone can have higher SAR values than B mobile phone but in a different location, the B instrument could be more harmful depending on the signals. Similarly the higher SAR value mobile phone A can more efficiently communicate and would be safer than a lower SAR reading mobile phone B which is lesser efficient. This is because mobile phone A may operate at lower power than the comparator B instrument which has in fact lower SAR values. 

Hence, for users who are concerned with the adequacy of this SAR standard or who otherwise wish to further reduce their exposure, the most effective means to reduce exposure are to hold the cell phone away from the head or body and to use a speakerphone or hands-free accessory. Also, there is a need to turn off devices at night and position Wi-Fi routers away from sleeping or working areas.

DR R K SANGHAVI

Prophesied Enabler

Experience & Expertise: Clinician & Healthcare Industry Adviser

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