"Maintain a distance of at least .98 inches from your body."

Now, where did that number come from? I'll tell you exactly.

First, somebody responsible for something decided the cell phone company would recommend keeping the phone an inch away.

Then somebody was assigned the job of writing the manual. That person saw the one inch suggestion and expressed it in a way that was comfortable for people in that locale - 2.5 centimeters - about an inch, close enough.

Next somebody was assigned the job of translating the manual for use in the U.S. That person saw 2.5 centimeters, somehow converted it or otherwise found out it was just about .98 inches, and dutifully wrote .98 inches in the manual.

We live in a country where people responsible for writing instruction manuals tell people to keep the cell phone .98 inches away. Then the typesetters typeset it, the proof readers proof it, the quality control people control it, the legal department goes over it with a fine tooth comb, and it all gets checked again. Not one person along the way thinks it's strange to recommend a .98 inch distance from a cell phone to a face. Are we poorly educated or just stupid? Maybe our cell phones fried our brains.