“Apple Computer Inc. is issuing its own big recall of laptop computer batteries, on the heels of a recall by rival Dell Inc. that cast a harsh light on the perils of a widely used battery technology,” Don Clark and Nick Wingfield report for The Wall Street Journal.
“The Consumer Product Safety Commission said Apple plans to recall 1.1 million batteries in the United States, plus 700,000 batteries sold in other countries. The batteries were made for Apple by a unit Sony Corp.,” Clark and Wingfield report.
“A CPSC spokesman said Apple’s move is the second-largest recall on record in the computer and consumer-electronics sectors,” Clark and Wingfield report. “The recall affects lithium-ion batteries, which have been linked to reports of overheating and fires. The batteries were designed for Apple iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 models that were purchased between October 2003 and August 2006, the CPSC spokesman said.”
“Dell said last week that it planned to recall 4.1 million laptop-computer batteries made by Sony, citing the possibility that they could possibly overheat and catch fire. Analysts put the cost of the Dell recall in the range of $200 million to $400 million; Sony is expected to share at least part of that cost,” Clark and Wingfield report.
Clark and Wingfield report, “Dell and Apple had issued battery recalls before, but on a smaller scale. In May 2005, for example, Apple issued a recall of about 128,000 units manufactured by LG Chem Ltd. of South Korea, according to the CPSC. In August, 2004, it had recalled 28,000 batteries that were also made by LG Chem.”
Full article (subscription required) here.
“Apple said it doesn’t expect any more of its computers to be affected by the recall. Apple recently stopped producing its iBook and PowerBook computers, and replaced those with the new MacBook and MacBook Pro models,” Rex Crum reports for MarketWatch. “Sony officials said, in a statement, that they expect the Apple and Dell recalls to cost the company between $171 million and $257 million based on current exchange rates.”
Full article here.
Apple “said it sees no ‘material’ financial impact from the recall,” The Financial Standard reports.
MacDailyNews Take: Sony really has to be hating life. Who’ll recall Sony batteries next? As we said in our original Take when the story of the Dell laptop exploding in Japan was reported, “Almost always, this is an issue of shoddily-produced batteries. Virtually every PC company, including Apple, have not been immune to such issues in the past. Hopefully, this will never happen on a plane (or anywhere else again). Generally, we’re of the opinion that as PC companies race to the bottom in a desperate price race, we feel much safer with Apple’s quality vs. all others as Apple is not dependent on operating on razor-thin margins that might affect product quality.” We continue to stand by that Take 100%.
MacDailyNews Note: Apple’s discontinued iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 models are the two Apple products affected by this battery recall. Those models – which used lithium-ion batteries – have since been replaced by the lithium-polymer battery-powered MacBook and MacBook Pro products respectively.
Apple products affected:
Computer model name – Battery model number – Battery serial numbers
12-inch iBook G4 – A1061 – ZZ338 through ZZ427, 3K429 through 3K611, 6C519 through 6C626 (Note: For last range, CPSC’s site says 6C510, Apple’s says 6C519.)
12-inch PowerBook G4 – A1079 – ZZ411 through ZZ427, 3K428 through 3K611
15-inch PowerBook G4 – A1078 and A1148 – 3K425 through 3K601, 6N530 through 6N551, 6N601
More info: Battery Exchange Program iBook G4 and PowerBook G4
See also: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Apple Announces Recall of Batteries Used in Previous iBook and PowerBook Computers
{UPDATE: 2:11pm EDT: Added to Take.]
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Feds clear Apple MacBook Pro batteries of safety defects – August 24, 2006
Dell issues largest safety recall in history: 4.1 million laptop batteries due to fire threat – August 14, 2006
Apple initiates worldwide 15-inch MacBook Pro battery exchange program – July 31, 2006
Dell laptop explodes into flames at Japanese conference – June 21, 2006
the site isn’t validating my battery serial # and the support line is no longer accepting calls due to call volume…….i expect more then this from apple, but i have to admit this is more then alot of call centers can handle all the sudden…..1.8 million batteries, yeowch
i’d hate to have sony stock right now
“Apple’s discontinued iBook G4 and PowerBook G4 models are the only two Apple products affected by this battery recall. Those models – which used lithium-ion batteries – have since been replaced by the lithium-polymer battery-powered MacBook and MacBook Pro products respectively.”
All the more reason to switch from PPC to Intel! LOL
Why, it’s obvious that Michael Dell and Bill Gates planted those exploding batteries in the Mac laptops! Certainly Apple is incapable of any wrongdoing whatsoever.
All hail Steve Jobs!
-Average MacDailyNews reader
Another fiasco for beleagured Sony. Time to shut it down and give the money back to the investors.
Why, for the same reason it’s obvious that Steve Jobs planted those exploding batteries in the Dell laptops silly! Certainly Dell and Microsoft are incapable of any wrongdoing whatsoever.
All hail Michael Dell & Bill Gates!
-Average MacDailyNews Troll
So… 14″ iBooks are OK??
Looks like my 14″ iBook is safe…but I’d like to be doubly sure — can’t get the battery replacement page to load. 🙁
Oh well, gives me an excuse to go hang out at the Apple Store today… 😀
It’s only 12″ iBook G4 and 12″/15″ PowerBook G4 models.
No 14″ iBooks, no 17″ PowerBooks, no iBook G3s, nor any MacBooks or MacBook Pros either.
Sorry….but this funny. I’m an Apple user but if some of you would read your posts from last week about how ignorant Dell was to ignore these faulty batteries….well it IS time to eat some crow.
Apple builds decent machines but the bottom line is this….PROFIT. They ain’t no differnet from the rest in that regard.
Awesome! I get a new PB battery! I sure hope the site is back up and running by the time I get home after work…
I’m smellin’ a lot of “if” comin’ off this plan . . .
Man now I have to replace two of my batteries. School is starting soon this better not take long.
“MDN has stated in the past that this could affect other companies as well, why should they eat crow?”
Because they said Dells were crap because of this battery problem. Not that Sony sucked, and Dell was an innocent victim, but that Dells were absolute complete and utter crap because of this.
They said people who had Apples were much better off.
Now we know Apples have the same problem. Now we know that people with Apples are not better off in this regard.
In fact, as a percentage of sales, you’re much more likely to have been shipped a bad battery by Apple.
Are they slamming Apple and saying that Apples are Crap? No, that would be too consistent.
Apparently Apple is an innocent victim and Sony is the source of all Apple’s woes in this area and Apple is still a good company.
Get over it. Apple uses the same battery supplier as Dell. The batteries both use have the same problem. If Dell is Crap in this regard then Apple is Crap in this regard. If Apple is wonderful and the fault is all Sony’s, then the same applies for Dell.
MDN Word: Problems. as in MDN’s editorial content has credibility problems.
Wait what am I talking about my one battery is old now I get two new ones for my PB!!!!!!!!!!!
“Interesting that Apple is almost 1/2 the size of the Dell recall….”
Yeah…market share, anyone?
This is a strategy masterstroke by Steve. Steve must have pre-anticipated the Dell battery meltdowns.
He made sure Apple used the same faulty batteries, so then rather than let Dell look Responsible all on their own by recalling 4.1 million batteries, Apple could also step in there and recall 1.8 million batteries of their own, appearing to care for their customers just as much as Dell does.
That Steve, he’s always one step ahead…
Well thats just great my new battery is getting recalled but the original isn’t. Why can’t it be the other way around
Recall City USA,
Here is the MDN Take from the posting of “Dell issues largest safety recall in history:…” as well as previous Dell battery related posts:
MacDailyNews Take: Ouch. 4.1 million is a lot of anything. As we stated in response to the Dell laptop fire in Japan: “Almost always, this is an issue of shoddily-produced batteries. Virtually every PC company, including Apple, have not been immune to such issues in the past. Hopefully, this will never happen on a plane (or anywhere else again). Generally, we’re of the opinion that as PC companies race to the bottom in a desperate price race, we feel much safer with Apple’s quality vs. all others as Apple is not dependent on operating on razor-thin margins that might affect product quality.”
…So I think you’re getting the MDN confused with the various people making comments on here.
Umm, Sony is paying for this battery recall, not Apple. So I’m sorry to disappoint the Apple haters out there, but Apple won’t be out any money on this. Apple wasn’t “ignoring” the problem, because this recall won’t impact their profits in any way whatsoever anyway…
Both my iBook G4 batteries are the right type and fall within the serial number range. When I finally got through to the Apple site, it processed the information and then said that neither battery was eligible.
It’s probably something I’m doing wrong, but I double- and triple-checked the entries. WTF?
MDN Quotes
“MDN: First, Dell laptops running Windows are not safe on the Internet, now they’re not even safe on planes. “
Presumably Apples are now not safe on planes either.
“MDN: Have fun reading the in-flight magazine and overpriced catalog, Dell users. After that, enjoy staring at the seat-back (or listening to your iPod, of course). You didn’t blow your cash on a discontinued Dell DJ or DJ Ditty, too, did you?!
Imagine being a hapless Dell laptop sufferer, stuck in the middle seat, surrounded by gorgeous (and operating) Apple MacBooks and MacBook Pros.”
Presumably those Apples won’t be operating either. Presumably you’re now an “Apple sufferer”
“MDN: Who in their right mind buys an OS-limited Dell nowadays anyway? Unless, perhaps, you want to toast marshmallows on-the-go.”
Presumably now Apples are equally as good marshmallow toasters and should not be purchased either.
Anyway, there’s a bit of revisionist history going on on the MDN site right now. All the “Takes” in all the articles on this Dell issue are being deleted and updated.
HA HA HA. Can’t even stand behind thier own comments.
I’ll bet this post doesn’t hang around long before it’s deleted.
Recall City USA,
MDN: “First, Dell laptops running Windows are not safe on the Internet, now they’re not even safe on planes. “
Recall City USA: Presumably Apples are now not safe on planes either.
Apple MacBooks and MacBook Pros unaffected. The affected iBook and PowerBook batteries aren’t exploding like Dells’. None of Apple’s notebooks are restricted by any airline. All of Apple’s notebooks are safe on the Internet and in the air. Apple is the company, Macs are the computers. Apple hasn’t sold “Apples” for decades.
MDN: “Have fun reading the in-flight magazine and overpriced catalog, Dell users. After that, enjoy staring at the seat-back (or listening to your iPod, of course). You didn’t blow your cash on a discontinued Dell DJ or DJ Ditty, too, did you?! Imagine being a hapless Dell laptop sufferer, stuck in the middle seat, surrounded by gorgeous (and operating) Apple MacBooks and MacBook Pros.”
Recall City USA: Presumably those Apples won’t be operating either. Presumably you’re now an “Apple sufferer”
Apple MacBooks and MacBook Pros unaffected. The affected iBook and PowerBook batteries aren’t exploding like Dells’. None of Apple’s notebooks are restricted by any airline. Apple is the company, Macs are the computers. Apple hasn’t sold “Apples” for decades.
MDN: “Who in their right mind buys an OS-limited Dell nowadays anyway? Unless, perhaps, you want to toast marshmallows on-the-go.”
Recall City USA: Presumably now Apples are equally as good marshmallow toasters and should not be purchased either.
Apple MacBooks and MacBook Pros unaffected. The affected iBook and PowerBook batteries aren’t exploding like Dells’. Only Apple Macs are OS-unlimited. Apple is the company, Macs are the computers. Apple hasn’t sold “Apples” for decades.
Recall City USA: Anyway, there’s a bit of revisionist history going on on the MDN site right now. All the “Takes” in all the articles on this Dell issue are being deleted and updated. HA HA HA. Can’t even stand behind thier own comments.
Please provide proof, please. Since you’ve provided nothing else factual, I won’t hold my breath.
Recall City USA: I’ll bet this post doesn’t hang around long before it’s deleted.
Wrong again, moron. At least you’re consistent.
Ok. So here’s the deal. Apple has TWO different pages showing recall serial numbers! They show totally different ranges of battery serials for my 12″ Powerbook G4… And like GB above, the site rejects my serial as “not qualifying” even though it is clearly within the range on ONE of the listings…
This is very frustrating! I’ve tried twice to call the support, but both times been kicked off after waiting over a half hour.
Here are the two links with differrent serial ranges for the 12″ Powerbooks:
https://support.apple.com/ibook_powerbook/batteryexchange/index.html
https://depot.info.apple.com/batteryexchange/index.html
“Apple MacBooks and MacBook Pros unaffected.”
Wow, so you say the latest models are OK. I guess that makes it OK that the previous ones were rubbish.
“Please provide proof, please. Since you’ve provided nothing else factual, I won’t hold my breath.”
Go back, look for yourself. Remember what you read when it was first posted, see what it says now. Either there’s nothing there or it’s been re-written. Strange that all the Dell articles were the only ones MDN chose not to have take on or posted identical takes for? Actually most of them did have takes… Soon I’m sure all the “Takes” will be updated.
“All of Apple’s notebooks are safe on the Internet and in the air”
Given that Apple has on file numerous overheating incidents, your statement just doesn’t add up.
“Apple hasn’t sold “Apples” for decades.”
So your strongest argument rests on the fact that some people may call Apple notebooks Apples, and others may call Apple notebooks Macs? pick a better argument.
“Wrong again, moron. At least you’re consistent.”
Consistently right. Yes.
Recall City USA,
Son, you’re one seriously paranoid son of a bitch.
MacDailyNews consistently provides UPDATE notes wherever they update anything.
If you think Apple iBooks and PowerBooks were rubbish, you must think the word “rubbish” means “excellent quality with an unmatched operating system and best-in-class applications.” If so, you’re right, but you have no idea what the word “rubbish” means.
If you weren’t stuck on Dell trash trying to run Windows garbage, you could use Mac OS X’s system-wide Dictionary to look it up, that is, if it wasn’t on fire, you freakishly retarded motherfscking asshole.