Feds clear Apple's MacBook Pro batteries
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has examined substandard batteries for Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro notebooks and determined they don't pose a safety risk.
Apple last month voluntarily launched an exchange program for batteries sold as part of its 15-inch notebook line, explaining on its Web site that some of batteries did not meet its "high standards for battery performance."
The program was believed to be in response to reports of 15-inch MacBook Pro batteries that had swollen or become deformed due an excessive amount of heat.
Apple said the affected batteries may have been included in 15-inch MacBook Pro systems that were sold from February 2006 through May 2006. The affected batteries have model number A1175 and a 12-digit serial number that ends with U7SA, U7SB or U7SC.
A CPSC's spokesman declined to say whether Sony was involved in the manufacturing of the MacBook Pro batteries in question.
Earlier this month, Dell said it was recalling 4.1 million of its own laptop batteries -- which include cells manufactured by Sony -- because they could potentially overheat and spark a fire. The Dell recall was the largest consumer electronics recall ever.
Apple last month voluntarily launched an exchange program for batteries sold as part of its 15-inch notebook line, explaining on its Web site that some of batteries did not meet its "high standards for battery performance."
The program was believed to be in response to reports of 15-inch MacBook Pro batteries that had swollen or become deformed due an excessive amount of heat.
Apple said the affected batteries may have been included in 15-inch MacBook Pro systems that were sold from February 2006 through May 2006. The affected batteries have model number A1175 and a 12-digit serial number that ends with U7SA, U7SB or U7SC.
A CPSC's spokesman declined to say whether Sony was involved in the manufacturing of the MacBook Pro batteries in question.
Earlier this month, Dell said it was recalling 4.1 million of its own laptop batteries -- which include cells manufactured by Sony -- because they could potentially overheat and spark a fire. The Dell recall was the largest consumer electronics recall ever.
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The details are not in yet, but CNN is reporting that Apple is recalling 1.1 million laptop batteries.
Dammit! You just beat me to it! And doesn't that AP report conflict with AI's story?
EDIT: Maybe CNN's got it mixed up?
Apple Announces Recall of Batteries Used in Previous iBook and PowerBook Computers Due To Fire Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Rechargeable, lithium-ion batteries with cells manufactured by Sony for certain previous iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 notebook computers only.
Units: About 1.1 million battery packs (an additional 700,000 battery packs were sold outside the U.S.)
Battery Cell Manufacturer: Sony Energy Devices Corp., of Japan
Computer Manufacturer: Apple Computer Inc., of Cupertino, Calif.
Hazard: These lithium-ion batteries can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Apple has received nine reports of batteries overheating, including two reports of minor burns from handling overheated computers and other reports of minor property damage. No serious injuries were reported.
Description: The recalled lithium-ion batteries were used with the following computers: 12-inch iBook G4, 12-inch PowerBook G4 and 15-inch PowerBook G4. Consumers should remove the battery from the computer to view the model and serial numbers labeled on the bottom of the unit.
Computer model name\tBattery model number\tBattery serial numbers
12-inch iBook G4\tA1061\tZZ338 through ZZ427
3K429 through 3K611
6C510 through 6C626
12-inch PowerBook G4\tA1079\tZZ411 through ZZ427
3K428 through 3K611
15-inch PowerBook G4\tA1078 and A1148\t3K425 through 3K601
6N530 through 6N551
6N601
No other Apple notebook computers are involved in this recall.
Sold Through: Apple?s online store, Apple retail stores nationwide, and Apple Authorized Resellers from October 2003 through August 2006 for between $900 and $2300. The batteries also were sold separately for about $130.
Assembled in: Japan, Taiwan and China
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled batteries immediately and contact Apple to arrange for a replacement battery, free of charge. After removing the recalled battery from their iBook or PowerBook, consumers should plug in the AC adapter to power the computer until a replacement battery arrives.
Consumer Contact: : Contact Apple at (800) 275-2273 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. CT Monday through Sunday or log on to Apple?s Web site at http://support.apple.com/batteryprogram to check the battery?s serial number and request a replacement battery.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission just made the Apple battery recall official. It'll affect 1.1 million Sony-made batteries in the US alone.
Name of Product: Rechargeable, lithium-ion batteries with cells manufactured by Sony for certain previous iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 notebook computers only.
Units: About 1.1 million battery packs (an additional 700,000 battery packs were sold outside the U.S.)
Battery Cell Manufacturer: Sony Energy Devices Corp., of Japan
Computer Manufacturer: Apple Computer Inc., of Cupertino, Calif.
Hazard: These lithium-ion batteries can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Apple has received nine reports of batteries overheating, including two reports of minor burns from handling overheated computers and other reports of minor property damage. No serious injuries were reported.
Description: The recalled lithium-ion batteries were used with the following computers: 12-inch iBook G4, 12-inch PowerBook G4 and 15-inch PowerBook G4. Consumers should remove the battery from the computer to view the model and serial numbers labeled on the bottom of the unit.
More details, including how to know if yours is defective, and how to get a new battery, after the jump.? Brian Lam
Computer model name\tBattery model number\tBattery serial numbers 12-inch iBook G4\tA1061\tZZ338 through ZZ427 3K429 through 3K611 6C510 through 6C626 12-inch PowerBook G4\tA1079\tZZ411 through ZZ427 3K428 through 3K611 15-inch PowerBook G4\tA1078 and A1148\t3K425 through 3K601 6N530 through 6N551 6N601 No other Apple notebook computers are involved in this recall.
Sold Through: Apple's online store, Apple retail stores nationwide, and Apple Authorized Resellers from October 2003 through August 2006 for between $900 and $2300. The batteries also were sold separately for about $130.
Assembled in: Japan, Taiwan and China
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled batteries immediately and contact Apple to arrange for a replacement battery, free of charge. After removing the recalled battery from their iBook or PowerBook, consumers should plug in the AC adapter to power the computer until a replacement battery arrives.
Consumer Contact: : Contact Apple at (800) 275-2273 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. CT Monday through Sunday or log on to Apple's Web site at http://support.apple.com/batteryprogram to check the battery's serial number and request a replacement battery.
As for the battery exchange website - it looks like it is being updated. I went earlier and it was for the last battery recall by LG Chem. Now the page is blank.
Maybe I'll sell one of them.. hmm.
A CPSC's spokesman declined to say whether Sony was involved in the manufacturing of the MacBook Pro batteries in question.
From CNN:
The cells in the lithium-ion batteries were produced by Sony, which also produced the batteries that forced Dell to recall 4.1 million notebooks earlier in August.
CPSC no. CNN yes.
Edit: So is the no toward Macbook Pro batteries and the yes toward Powerbook/iBook batteries?
Now, it turns out my old iBook gets a new battery, too. It's too bad Apple is having these problems, but I do appreciate how easily and quickly they took care of the MacBook.
Bad because Apple has a lot of those affected Sony batteries. Good news because it doesn't seen to affect their current product lines. If it did, that would be a problem. Think looooong delays.
This is where we get the bad news, and then the good news.
Bad because Apple has a lot of those affected Sony batteries. Good news because it doesn't seen to affect their current product lines. If it did, that would be a problem. Think looooong delays.
The charge back to Sony is tremendous... how many total millions of bad batts from both Dell and Apple... oh, my!
The charge back to Sony is tremendous... how many total millions of bad batts from both Dell and Apple... oh, my!
I've been wondering just how much of this recall Dell will have to pay for?
Now I wonder the same about Apple.
I suppose I can expect Sony to take the entire cost of replacing the batteries, unless there is some reason why the OEMs must share it. But what about the cost of the recall itself? This is going to cost big bucks to get these batteries back to Apple and Dell. It's going to cost for them to record all of the numbers and owners for replacement. It's going to cost to store, and then ship said batteries back to Sony (I assume they will be going back to them), or properly destroy and recycle them. It will cost to get the new batteries, and distribute and ship them. Plus, again, all of the paperwork.
There are likely things involved that I'm not even thinking about that will add to the cost.
Who pays for all of that?
I've been wondering just how much of this recall Dell will have to pay for?
Now I wonder the same about Apple.
I suppose I can expect Sony to take the entire cost of replacing the batteries, unless there is some reason why the OEMs must share it. But what about the cost of the recall itself? This is going to cost big bucks to get these batteries back to Apple and Dell. It's going to cost for them to record all of the numbers and owners for replacement. It's going to cost to store, and then ship said batteries back to Sony (I assume they will be going back to them), or properly destroy and recycle them. It will cost to get the new batteries, and distribute and ship them. Plus, again, all of the paperwork.
There are likely things involved that I'm not even thinking about that will add to the cost.
Who pays for all of that?
Yes, all of those things, PLUS the Creative lawsuit settlement... this is an expensive quarter for all involved.
Unless Apple just forwards all the requests directly to Sony, and has the replacements shipped by Sony to the customers, and the customers ship the old batteries back to Sony. I wonder why they don't do that.
That could be an administrative nightmare. You also don't want your customers going somewhere else for service, even for something such as this.