AppleInsider StaffAccording to The Mainichi Daily News, Japan's Ministroy of Economy, Trade and Industry reported that Apple replaced 4,994 batteries in the month after the company modified its website, making it easier for customers to find information on accidents where the device caught fire while recharging. For the entire month of August, Apple replaced 5,527 batteries, up from 232 in July and 62 in June.
On Aug. 11, Apple announced that it would replace iPod nanos that, in some cases, could overheat and catch fire. METI said that the hardware, sold between September 2005 and December 2006, is responsible for about 60 cases of overheating, four of them resulting in minor burns.
A few months ago, the trade ministry had declared the first-generation iPod nano a fire hazard. It ordered Apple to publicize a fix for the issue on its website.
Apple originally initiated a battery replacement program for the devices in 2008, but the renewed attention from METI clearly had an effect in August, when more than 5,500 device owners sought repairs. Apple has said that the defective batteries only overheat in "very rare cases."
METI has chastised Apple, with the trade ministry publicly saying it was "truly regrettable" that Apple waited until August to report about 30 incidents of overheating. Apple has not revealed how many of the first-generation iPod nano were sold in Japan.
The iPod nano has come a long way since the first iteration was released in 2005. Last week, the company announced a drastically redesigned model that sports a tiny 1.54-inch multi-touch display with a 240-by-240 pixel resolution.
Wesley Hilliard
Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
Andrew Orr
William Gallagher
13 Comments
Who still uses a 1st Gen iPod Nano?
Why just Japan? Do they have to get sued to do the right thing in other countries?
understand, they probably sold 100k of those units and had perhaps 100 such incidents, some of which could have been caused by the unit being left in a hot car for hours if not days, improper recharging, being dropped several times, had something spilled on it. Even someone taking it apart and not putting it back together.
japan basically told Apple it was their fault even if it wasn't. And is making them replace all units even if the original never had a problem. They might have done this even if only 1 unit anywhere in the world had an issue. .
And Apple is not above 'doing the right thing'. A few weeks back I got a notice that I could get a free harddrive replacement in a laptop that is well out of warranty and Apple care despite never having any trouble with it all because a percent of drives in my batch went bad and the level was above what Apple feels was acceptable risk. Apparently those that paid to have out of warranty replacement got their money back also.
A few of my co workers at google still do (still use them daily and have iPhones as well)
Btw didn't they get sued for the same model being too scratchable?
And Apple is not above 'doing the right thing'. A few weeks back I got a notice that I could get a free harddrive replacement in a laptop that is well out of warranty and Apple care despite never having any trouble with it all because a percent of drives in my batch went bad and the level was above what Apple feels was acceptable risk. Apparently those that paid to have out of warranty replacement got their money back also.
Apple has been great about battery replacements, even well after the basic warranty has expired. I?ve had many devices replaced due to battery issues over the years. Most comapnies give you a hard time but Apple is pretty straightforward about it. The longest I?ve personally seen was 3.5 years for a MacBook.
They don?t make the batteries. Sony used to supply them and it?s quite possibly that the issue with Japan is limited to a select batch that may be greater than the 5500 Nanos or expanded to make sure that they cover their asses in case there were some questionable batches, but I?d wager that they went low for an item that is so long in the tooth.
Hell, I read a report on these forums just this weekend about a G5 Nano battery failing and the user made no mention of trying to get it replaced. They seemed to just accept it, so I can?t imagine many throwing a fit over a device 5-6 years old with a faulty battery.
The bottom line is batteries will be faulty and this seems to happen in batches and is only discovered after the fact, which tells me it?s due to some impurity or manufacturing issue that is not readily noticeable at time of production.
A few of my co workers at google still do (still use them daily and have iPhones as well)
Btw didn't they get sued for the same model being too scratchable?
If Apple and Sarah Jessica Parker can get sued for stealing the iPod idea and name then I wouldn?t doubt they could get sued for a physical item being scratchable.