Apple initiating a "silent" recall of batteries?

So PCSIntel is reporting that Apple's effecting a "silent" recall and replacement of first and second week MacBook Pro batteries (which start with the serial numbers W8607 and W8608) due to such symptoms as failure, power cutoffs, mis-reporting of remaining power, and unresponsiveness to status polling. You know, the usual for a 1.0 product. We didn't hear either way from Apple PR (yet -- we'll let you know if we do), but a quick call to Apple support -- which according to PCSIntel should have yielded a quick blanket-return of any part with a serial that started as stated above -- yielded no recommendation for return. In fact the support rep we spoke with researched it and told us he had no documentation or instructions to initiate any such blanket return on MBP batteries -- which we're told is why it's a "silent" recall. So that doesn't necessarily mean the batteries from the first and second weeks aren't (often) defective, or that Apple isn't necessarily silently recalling them, but, well, it kind of goes without saying that if your new system is having problems you'll be giving them a call no matter what you read here or anywhere else.

[Via The Apple Core]

Update: Apple's Director of Product PR called to let us know that there's no such recall of MBP batteries they're aware of -- so take that how you will. We'll take that as "there's no such recall of MBP batteries they're aware of."

[rizali @ May 3rd 2006 9:40PM]

Good product, i like it

[Alex @ May 3rd 2006 9:40PM]

How many times has Apple had battery issues with its products?

[7of7 @ May 3rd 2006 10:01PM]

I can't believe how many quality problems there are with the Macbook Pros. You'd think at that price Apple could create something that would perform without burning up, whining, or blowing up. Unfortunately Apple has never been about quality and has always been about marketing. The problem is that people are too susceptible to Apple's marketing prowess to realize the volume of junk that Apple releases.

[Rivendale286 @ May 3rd 2006 10:12PM]

7 of 7, i agree... Apple's not about creating something new and better, which everyone always says they are. They are about taking someone else's idea, putting in a sleek container, and selling it for double what it's worth... Any respect for Apple that I had was completely lost when they released the iPod shuffle. They took the old idea of a small flash player, didn't put a screen on it and sold it for far more than it's worth. It's all about marketing: instead of "we were too cheap to put a screen on it", it was "the Shuffle is a whole new way to listen to music, random and unknown; like a cool person's life"... And reviewers and people still bought and liked it. Why? Because it's from Apple, and they can't do anything wrong in the eyes of their geeky fans.

[crescentdave @ May 3rd 2006 10:26PM]

I'd stay away from Apple bashing and just note all manufacturers have problems with their lines at some point or another- the issue is one of taking responsibility and providing a solution in a timely manner.

Apple certainly is no saint when it comes to battery issues.

[John Doe @ May 3rd 2006 10:45PM]

But remember everyone. Apple's hardware is the best in the industry....I kid I kid....seriously....My 2nd week MBP is prob going to explode to spite me now. o.O

[Perrey Z. @ May 3rd 2006 10:54PM]

#5: Sorry cannot agree with your comment, Apple is LEGENDARY when it comes to faulty battery packs on their products. No other manufacture have so many defective issues in such a short period of time. In the last 24-months Apple has had 10-confirmed quality problems. And is not limited to just battery issues, but overal quality issues aswell.

[frank @ May 3rd 2006 10:56PM]

Yeah, this isn't really an apple thing. I work in desktop support for a pretty big company. We have HP/Compaq and Sony laptops. Both (but mostly HP) have had horrendous problems with batteries over the last 3 years. We had major battery problems with the Compaq N610c and about 60% of the batteries failed completely, before the warranty was up luckily. That experience influenced the decision to order an extra battery with every NC6000 we purchased last year. So far, not only have hundreds gone bad in less than 6 months (some were part of a recall) but something like 1/3 of all the spares we had in stock went completely dead before ever having been used! And I'm talking DEAD, as in the machine doesn't even recognize that there's a battery attached.

I know this is a broad generalization but commodity items like lithium ion cells all come from just a handful of manufacturers. OEM's package them into their own battery pack but the cells are all from the same few places in China.

[fahmi @ May 4th 2006 12:08AM]

when microsoft released faulty xbox360, everyone jumped at their neck screaming "M$ SUCKZO00RRZZ!!"..

when apple did it.. everyone will praise how quick apple solve their problems.

[nizzy1115 @ May 4th 2006 12:32AM]

to frank:

batteries have to be used inorder to last! this goes for all manufacturers. You must power cycle your battery atleast once a month or you will see loss of battery life, or no recognized battery at all! Yes this means keep it off of power until the battery goes competly dead. Then fully recharge it and your good to go for a while. You can not just let laptop batteries always stay fully charged at your desk, or not used at all.

[Camperton @ May 4th 2006 1:43AM]

What Apple is legendary for is being hen pecked by haters every time there is a build flaw, or as this article states the mere possibilty of one.

As someone stated above, all manufacturers have issues, Apple just gets all the attention because their products create such extreme reactions and polarization.

[jon @ May 4th 2006 1:52AM]

Apple gets such a reaction because they portray themselves as being above such problems and charge you dearly for such a utopian idea. So for the concept of the perfect platform where everything just works...Apples failures are glaring.

[Arochone @ May 4th 2006 6:06AM]

My ipod battery does the exact same thing. Never got a recall of that.
Then again, it's not the battery with that, it's the whole goddamn ipod...'cause I replaced the battery, and it's still screwy.

[Bazza @ May 4th 2006 6:07AM]

They get henpecked cos' comments like "roll royce of lapps" and "superior build quality" from the apple community is constantly shoved in every non Apple user's face.

This article doesnt seem to have the same hate and side swipes as it would get if say Dell or other PC manufacturers would get over a similar issue. Yet when its Apple and their notabely "silent" recals, you always get the "oh, every manufacturer has the same problem".

The sooner this elitist nonsense stops, the better it will be for everyone.

[milhaus @ May 4th 2006 7:56AM]

Apple product: five people get new batteries. OMG OMG, a battery recall is in place. Shoddy worksmanship and design. The sky is falling!!

PC laptops: five people get new batteries. Only five, eh? Not much of a story then, is it?

Give me a break, Engadget. Look at the source and evaluate the information before posting this garbage.

[Intrepid @ May 4th 2006 8:49AM]

#14 Bazza.

People like you are people I like. Apple is not above any other manfacturer, in fact I sell many laptops where I work and Toshiba has the lowest fault rate... not Apple. And do you know how many iPods have been returned DOA or faulty???

[pixelator @ May 4th 2006 8:53AM]

Overpriced, Underfeatured iPOD Shuffle: $99.99

(My) laggy, crashprone, SLOW 60GB iPOD Video: $399.99

Mac fanboys defending Apple to the last... Priceless.

...Actual Apple slogans for the iPOD Shuffle:

"Give chance a chance."
"Enjoy uncertainty."

You Mac freaks would take a large spiked dildo in the ass and lick Holy Steve's shoes in thanks, begging for more, as long as said dildo was white with a glossy coating with Apple logo.

"Give assrape a chance."
"Enjoy our corporate buggering of your wallet."

[pixelator @ May 4th 2006 9:14AM]

Screenless iPOD Shuffle: $99.99

(My) Buggy, Laggy, SLOW iPOD Video 60GB: $399.99

Mac fanatics' hysterical defense of any negative Apple comments: Priceless

PS: Real iPOD Shuffle ad copy from Apple's site...
"Give chance a chance."
"Enjoy uncertainty."

Fact: Apple Faithful would take a big spiked dildo up the ass and lick Saint Steve's shoes while mewling thanks. Just so long as that dildo is sleek and stylish with an Apple logo, that is.

How about...

"Give assrape a chance."
"Enjoy paying more for less."

[mcloki @ May 4th 2006 10:21AM]

http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2006/5/3/3832

Engadget you're picking up another piece of bad journalism and running it as fact. In this age of the internet and fast as light reporting it would help everyone involved if you took the time to discover if the arcticle you referenced was a factual piece or just another hatchet job disguised as editorial. By reporting it you're just hurting Engadget credibility. I don't care about Apple or Microsoft but I've always liked this site because of it's even handedness I hope your recent expansions isn't going to harm that.

[Ryan Block @ May 4th 2006 6:28PM]

I couldn't disagree more, mcloki. We presented both sides, and were highly skeptical of PCS Intel's claims, as is immediately evident by reading the piece.

[Christopher Price @ May 5th 2006 4:21AM]

We reported the story as AppleCare employees told it to us. Skeptical or not, I have a new battery sitting in a W8607 MacBook Pro, and others have reported similar actions taken quickly by AppleCare. I have updated the article clarifying the difference in the corporate world between what consumers consider a Silent Recall and a "known issue affecting a broad range of units". I stand by everything that has been said there, and do not see how AppleCare could have created a TSB out of thin air... and have other users follow up receiving the same treatment.

[shan @ May 5th 2006 5:08AM]

Guys, I had worked for apple technical support some time back. I myself have processed atleast 60 battery replacement orders at the time Powerbook was in full swing. We have had customers yelling at us for a period of 3 months when this was done. Take my word that news is correct

[c.Lake @ May 5th 2006 5:08PM]

What the Hell? There's either a recall, or there's not! Making a statement like, "that they're aware of" is the same as saying "there IS a battery recall, but I'm lying about it."

[Christopher Price @ May 6th 2006 12:40AM]

c.Lake, you have just striked on the core (or at least what I think is the core of this problem). Companies do not see captuing known-issue units as a recall, consumers do. Companies will deny that there is a recall whenever possible. We, the media and the consumers viewing it, must hold them accountable to that they are in fact recalling units. There is no middle ground, no grey area in this debate. The fact that Apple did not deny a known issue speaks volumes in my opinion. I really, (believe me, really), wish they would so this could all be ended.