Apple recalls 1.8 million laptop batteries due to overheating

APPLE Computer has recalled 1.8 million Sony-built laptop batteries that could overheat and catch fire.

The California-based company has received nine reports of batteries overheating, including two consumers who received minor burns after handling overheated computers.

Apple’s announcement comes 10 days after Dell Inc’s recall of 4.1 million faulty laptop batteries — the largest involving electronics in the history of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Both companies’ batteries were made by Sony Energy Devices Corp of Japan. Apple has also received reports of minor property damage.

In a statement, Sony said the problems arise “on rare occasions” when microscopic metal particles in the recalled battery cells hit other parts of the cell and lead to a short circuit.

The recalls are expected to cost Sony between $172m and $278m (€135m-€218m).

Apple’s recall covers 1.1m lithium-ion batteries in the 12-inch iBook G4, 12-inch PowerBook G4 and 15-inch PowerBook G4 laptops sold in the US from October 2003 through August 2006. It also covers an additional 700,000 laptops sold abroad, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The Apple recall only affects laptops that run PowerPC chips built by IBM Corp and Freescale Semiconductor Inc. It does not affect Apple’s Intel Corp-based models, including the MacBook and MacBook Pro.

The Dell recall was the largest electronics recall in the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s history.

Dell’s recall covers about 14% of the Latitude, Inspiron, XPS and Precision notebooks sold between April 1, 2004, and July 18 of this year.