Phone Radiation: What Your Manufacturer Actually Recommends
TOCA · KNOWLEDGE
By TOCA Editorial · 2026 · 5 min read
Your smartphone comes with a manual. Most people have never read it. Among other things, it contains a notice that almost every manufacturer includes without exception: maintain a minimum distance from the body when using the device.
Apple, Samsung, Google — they all say it. Not as a precaution added by an overzealous lawyer, but because SAR values — the specific absorption rate of electromagnetic radiation by body tissue — are measured under defined test conditions. And those conditions assume the device is not directly against the body.
"Hardly anyone reads what manufacturers write in their manuals. But there is something worth knowing in there."
What the SAR value means
The SAR value indicates how much electromagnetic energy per kilogram of body tissue is absorbed when a phone is used near the body. In the EU, the legal maximum is 2 watts per kilogram, measured separately at the head and body.
All smartphones legally sold in Germany fall below this limit. That means they are within the legally permitted range. It does not mean that radiation levels remain the same when the device is in direct contact with the body as when tested with a gap.
Measurements are taken with a defined minimum distance between the device and the body, typically 5 to 15 millimetres. That is the small but important difference: the SAR value in your product description was not measured while the phone was sitting in your trouser pocket.
"The SAR value applies under test conditions. Carrying your phone in your pocket changes those conditions."
What manufacturers actually say
The wording varies slightly by manufacturer but is similar in substance. The German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) notes that smartphone manufacturers advise maintaining sufficient distance when carrying the device on the body, and recommends not letting the device rest directly against the skin but keeping a minimum distance of a few millimetres.
That sounds technical. In practice it means: your phone should not rest permanently directly against your body, whether in a trouser pocket, a shirt breast pocket or a shoulder holster, if you take the manufacturer's guidance seriously.
What this means in practice
The scientific debate about the long-term effects of mobile phone radiation is not settled. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection itself recommends precaution without documenting a concrete health risk. Studies show mixed results. Those who want to take precautionary measures in the face of this uncertainty will find a basis for doing so in the manufacturers' own guidance.
The simplest measure is distance. Not carrying your phone in your trouser pocket reduces exposure without restricting how you use the device.
Another option is directional shielding. Products like the TOCA Shield Pouch and the TOCA EMF Waist Bag are lined with a conductive shielding material on the body-facing side. This reduces radiation on the body side while the device stays connected and fully functional. These products do not block signals completely and are not a Faraday solution. They are designed as a precautionary product for people who carry their device close to the body and want to reduce body-side exposure.
"Distance is the simplest protective measure. If you still carry your device close to the body, you can shield the body-facing side selectively."
Who is this relevant for?
Most people who occasionally carry their phone in a pocket have no concrete reason for concern. Those who carry their device close to the body all day, for example at work, during sport or while travelling, may have a greater interest in precautionary measures.
The topic is also relevant for pregnant women who carry their device near the abdomen, as well as for anyone who generally prefers to minimise unnecessary radiation exposure.
TOCA produces and designs directional shielding products for smartphones. The TOCA Shield Pouch and EMF Waist Bag reduce EMF exposure on the body-facing side while the device stays connected. Designed in Germany. Built for everyday use. Find out more.