With the IPod craze around the world, it would then come as a surprise to discover the old IPod Nano device sparking up in Japan, Kanagawa Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo, whilst the owner was recharging the battery. The device shot out sparks, causing a small fire fortunately without harming anyone. Apple is now investigating the incident, having received instructions from the Japanese trade and industry ministry.
It is believed that the cause of the sparks could be as a result of a defective lithium ion battery, which is known to overheat when used in other electronic devices. Around 425,000 of the models were shipped between September 2005 and September 2006, however, it is not clear on how many were sold. The models with number MA099J/A, has since been discontinued.
The same incident had happened previously in the past when an airport worker in Georgia, USA, claimed that his IPod nano, at the time only one and a half years old, had suddenly caught fire in his pocket and burned for nearly 15 seconds. If the reports are confirmed then this would be the second time the IPod nano has caught fire.
There have also been other electronic devices recalled containing lithium ion batteries following wide concerns that they were defective. Manufacturers use this battery as it serves as a lightweight and longer lasting battery life. However, product recalls have included Sony, Dell, Apple, Toshiba and Lenova.
Approximately 46 million batteries made for Nokia were recalled following the issues of overheating when the phones have been recharged a couple of hundred times. Furthermore, in California, 30,000 remote-controlled helicopters were recalled as they were seen to have caught fire after recharging and at times whilst in mid-flight.
It is however, believed that the problem may be caused from the dust particles left on the lithium ion batteries during the manufacturing process, causing it to overheat. US Consumer Product Safety Commission have expressed their concerns over using this product, and have even indicated that they will take action against companies who have recalled products using this battery without making sure they were safe from the beginning.
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