Apple recalls faulty first generation iPod nano players in Korea

While Apple may have moved on to selling the 4th generation iPod nano, consumer protection agencies are still focused on gen-1. For good reason too, apparently, as there's mounting evidence that those early white and black plastic players have a tendency to overheat, swell, and possibly burst into a nasty chemical fire. Responding to four formal consumer complaints made between December and June, the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards sent a request to Apple on June 25th recommending that Apple "aggressively" collects first generation iPod nano with Lithium Ion batteries made by the Chinese company ATL. Initially, Apple agreed to replace faulty units as they did in Japan upon request by the consumer. However, KATS is now reporting that Apple will recall the players under its own initiative making this the first formal iPod nano recall we can, uh, recall.

[justanotherperson @ Jul 9th 2009 2:18AM]

omg!
apple?!

[coolbho3000 @ Jul 9th 2009 2:22AM]

Oh no! Whatever shall we do? How could have our beloved dear holy Company that we so dearly worship have made such a grave mistake? How could Apple betray us so? How could the Apple logo be forever tarnished with such a horrendous error? As the fanboys of Engadget, we demand answers!

[Me4u2 @ Jul 9th 2009 2:32AM]

Apple rules!!! all you Microsoft, linux and google fanbois are perverts... This recall won't make a single dent on apple's profit... So suck it fanbois and get a Mac....

[ChrisTheFeral @ Jul 9th 2009 2:42AM]

@Me4u2 Please don't tell us to get a mac, seriously. OS X, Windows, Linux etc all have their advantages and disadvantages - there is no superior operating system. It depends on the user. Full stop, end of story.

[manifest3r @ Jul 9th 2009 2:50AM]

Google Chrome O__O

[justanotherperson @ Jul 9th 2009 2:52AM]

but... what if my mac explodes?
=(

[ishism @ Jul 9th 2009 3:36AM]

@Papayaman
Not yet.
I got the original zune30. It's great. But, I could use an upgrade.

[tyler @ Jul 9th 2009 10:15AM]

@ manifest3r :: you got it all wrong.. O|||||||O

(it's a jeep thing)

[Jon Doe. @ Jul 9th 2009 11:37AM]

Next up the iPhone.

[John @ Jul 9th 2009 1:01PM]

Dear Engadget,

I would like to inform you that your website has been hacked. Obviously you would never post a negative story about Apple.

Love,
88% of your readership

[ZZMitch @ Jul 9th 2009 2:20AM]

Apple has had a lot of problems with those 1st Generation Nanos, first the problem with the easily scratch able backs where they had to repay 25$ back to early adopters and now this!

Happy to have the 4th Gen Nano :p

[Smart People Play Tuba @ Jul 9th 2009 8:39AM]

It's the North Korean cyber-attacks, I tell you!

love,
Steve J.

[samson_gama @ Jul 9th 2009 2:36AM]

nice

[Decoy @ Jul 9th 2009 2:36AM]

Circle the wagons! Zak and Paul, assemble!

[BigB @ Jul 9th 2009 3:40AM]

I'm a big apple fan, but even that made me laugh my ass off.

[Zak @ Jul 9th 2009 12:16PM]

I'm flattered, but you obviously aren't paying attention when I respond to posts here. Why would I be upset because ATL made a batch of faulty batteries? Obviously they need to be recalled.

[Decoy @ Jul 9th 2009 3:12PM]

Oh, you GOT me! I don't pay attention to your posts!

[Mark @ Jul 9th 2009 2:41AM]

All tech news is better when Fight Club is somehow tangentially involved.

[Cameron @ Jul 9th 2009 11:46AM]

This is a chemical burn. It'll hurt worse than anything you've ever felt.

[manifest3r @ Jul 9th 2009 2:49AM]

Why is everyone trippin? It was just the sun, and people are stupid and placed it in 48 degree celsius temperature! Thats how hawt my PC runs

[MoodyNotMe @ Jul 9th 2009 2:50AM]

Fist rule of apple recalls: Do not talk about apple recalls.

[MoodyNotMe @ Jul 9th 2009 2:56AM]

Fist? Must have been a freudian slip.

[James @ Jul 9th 2009 4:52AM]

No i think it really is the "fist rule of apple recalls" because if you talk about them Steve Jobs is going to punch you in the face. But of course engadget will deny it when confronted about the bruises and say it just slipped down the stares. Engadget really needs to get out of this abusive relationship.

[agustin @ Jul 9th 2009 2:52AM]

why cant the shamwow guy stay away from the hookers?

[Lando Calrissian @ Jul 9th 2009 2:54AM]

That's not Vince Offer, that's Brad Pitt.

[Vic De Zen @ Jul 9th 2009 2:42PM]

Really? I thought it Scout from TF2. /s

[Gregorian @ Jul 9th 2009 2:52AM]

Sounds like some lucky Koreans are going to get nice new iPod upgrades.

[James @ Jul 9th 2009 4:48AM]

If any of them kept their original receipt and proof of purchase that is.

[Richard @ Jul 9th 2009 12:35PM]

Yeah, all twelve of them.

Koreans don't buy Apple.

[David @ Jul 9th 2009 2:43PM]

Who is Tyler Durden?

[qwert @ Jul 9th 2009 3:16AM]

Nice.
Apple, can you please make this a worldwide recall, my 1st gen nano is getting rather old, and i cant really spend money for a new one.
Also my ibook battery is getting old. Doesnt hold much of a charge anymore, so how about a recall there again? I would love to get a new battery. And while youre at it, please also recall the trackpads, they seem not to be made for yearlong use.

[Miles @ Jul 9th 2009 4:02AM]

Why should they have to recall from Korea?
Isn't Korea always making fake iPods and stuff?
Let them face their own mistakes.

[JZ @ Jul 9th 2009 4:23AM]

Caus Korea courthsystem apparantly functioned faster then everywhere else where people complain about the Nano. The nano was a worldwide fuckup and in most countries Apple managed to hold a callback off at the cost of the costumers. I don´t get also how come people eitherway say it doesn´t matter or complain it actually happens. Companies who deliver faulty hard/software should be forced faster to correct their mistakes instead of like Apple managed todo here, delay the action over 5 years when most Nano´s are probably already broken or forgotten.

[cj @ Jul 9th 2009 10:03AM]

Why would Koreans copy products that is not at all popular in Korea?
Koreans not only want slick design but also features like recording, sector repeats, as well as many supporting audio and video codecs.
Always surprised me how Apple can hold almost monopoly in North American audio player market, cuz the only good thing I can say about them is the design (I hate nano's UI).

[EB @ Jul 9th 2009 10:16AM]

It's China with all the knockoff iPods, not Korea

[putree @ Jul 9th 2009 4:25AM]

the guy in the picture. is it really Brad Pitt?

[James @ Jul 9th 2009 4:47AM]

Yes it is.

[Patrick @ Jul 9th 2009 7:18AM]

Mark, everything is better when Fight Club is involved.

[John @ Jul 9th 2009 10:51AM]

You're breaking the first and second rules!!

btw, I love that shirt, had one just like it when I was a kid.

[neofolklore @ Jul 9th 2009 8:17AM]

ATL HO!

[10minutehobo @ Jul 9th 2009 8:20AM]

Probably means they have some 6 year old stock of first gen nanos that they can't get rid of. So they exchange it for goodwill.

[Jordan @ Jul 9th 2009 9:10AM]

If it took this long for Apple to recall the first gen nano, how long will it take them to recall the 3Gs?

[Shenanigans @ Jul 9th 2009 9:27AM]

So Korea is harboring weapons of mass destruction.

[Quikboy @ Jul 9th 2009 12:31PM]

But, but I thought Apple always made such quality products!

[Zak @ Jul 9th 2009 12:44PM]

And I thought trolls generally knew how to read, but obviously the part about the Li batteries made by ATL completely escaped your notice. You understand that the batteries are the problem right? If your car battery explodes do you blame the people who made the car?

Well you might, but no rational person would. But Apple hating trolls aren't known for their ability to reason, are they?

[John @ Jul 9th 2009 1:06PM]

If my car battery exploded and my car maker was the one who put the battery in there, AND made it impossible to change the battery without voiding my warranty, then yes, I would blame the car maker.

[Decoy @ Jul 9th 2009 3:21PM]

I didn't kill the hooker, the knife in my hands did.

[EB @ Jul 9th 2009 7:10PM]

I hope Quikboy was being sarcastic ...

[Quikboy @ Jul 10th 2009 12:00PM]

Hey guys, I was just being sarcastic.

@Zac: It's also Apple's responsibility to ensure the materials they're using are also fit for their products. It's the same as if I bought a bike that looked great and worked great, but the manufacturer used a really cheap faulty part, and I end up on the ground with a few bruises because the darn faulty part broke, then I'm going to be blaming the company that created this bike. It's this company's job to ensure their products work great, and take all issues in mind when creating the bike. Just as much as it is Apple's.

It's so funny how the Apple fanboys are so defensive about Apple's part in this, but when the Zune 30 had a New Year's glitch, they go ranting about Microsoft and low quality. Just so you know, I also feel Microsoft was responsible for that glitch, even though Toshiba manufactured the device.

[tommy @ Jul 9th 2009 1:59PM]

I can't believe that Brad Pitt is wearing the same shirt I had when I was 6! I'm blown away (btw, I am older, and that shirt is 1976ish).