Dell's battery recall: MacBook Pro batteries shipped from the same manufacturer?

Dell has initiated a recall of up to 4 million batteries used in its notebook computers. The reason for the recall? The batteries can "overheat and catch fire."

Several news outlets reporting the recall have also noted that the same Sony batteries were used by Apple. In fact, Channel NewsAsia reports "A spokeswoman said Apple was looking into the issue."

This leads to speculation that the same faulty components were shipped with some MacBook Pros. Apple initiated a "battery exchange program" for some MacBook Pros shipped from February 2006 through May 2006, but has not acknowledged that this is the same issue that is forcing Dell's recall.

Apple states only that the affected batteries "do not meet our high standards for battery performance. To give our users the best experience possible, we will replace these batteries for customers free of charge. Note: The affected batteries do not pose a safety risk. You may continue to use your current battery until a replacement arrives."

We extensively reported on an issue where some MacBook Pro batteries overheat, swell, and cease to function properly.

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