Apple is offering replacements for its first-generation iPod nano, which includes a battery that might overheat.Affected devices were sold between September 2005 and December 2006, Apple said in a note on its Web site. But according to Cupertino, the overheating has occurred only in “very rare cases.”
Other versions of the iPod are not affected. The first-generation devices have a black or white plastic front and a silver metal back.
“This issue has been traced to a single battery supplier that produced batteries with a manufacturing defect,” Apple said. “While the possibility of an incident is rare, the likelihood increases as the battery ages.”
The company urged users to stop using their first-generation iPod nano and order a replacementonline. You’ll need your iPod nano serial number to verify eligibility, and Apple will send a replacement unit about six weeks after it receives the current model.
But as Beatweak noted, Apple stopped selling its first-generation devices about five years ago; we’re now on our seventh iteration.
“The company likely kept some stock around for inventory replacement for at least another year, but any trace of first gen nano inventory is long gone by now,” the blog said. “So unless Apple has taken the extraordinary (and expensive) step of putting the original nano back into limited production just to fulfill this replacement program, participants are likely to receive something much more modern in return.”
If you have a personalized iPod, the replacement will not have the same details. Apple also urged users to back up their data before sending in their devices.
Affected users will receive emails about the replacement program, according to MacRumors.
The issue actually dates back to 2008, when Japan’s Trade Ministry announced that the devices had caused three fires and minor burns. In July 2009, Apple agreed to a recall of its first-generation nano in South Korea, and expanded that to include Japan in August 2010.
Batteries have not been Apple’s friend in recent weeks. A bug in iOS 5 caused a problem that drained the battery on the iPhone 4S at a speedy clip for some users. Apple released what it said was a fix for the problem via iOS 5.0.1, but users still complained about battery issues and Apple later acknowledged that the update might not have done the trick.
In other iPod news, meanwhile, Patently Apple reports that a recent patent application suggests that Apple might be crafting an iPod nano speaker clip. “Apple’s proposal is to add a speaker to the media players attachment clip,” the blog said. “Apple points out how they may use a space age material in the design of the speaker that was once used in NASA’s Apollo lunar module.”
[pc mag]
