Electronics News
- Fake Nokia, Motorola batteries may explode
Date: 10-Jul-2007 Sources: (Shenzhen Daily)
NOKIA Oyj and Motorola Inc., the world's biggest mobile-phone makers, said authorities in Guangdong found four counterfeit battery models that may explode in their handsets.
'We are cooperating with the Guangdong Provincial Government on further investigations,'' said Yang Boning, a Beijing-based spokesman for Motorola. Cai Yun, a Beijing-based spokeswoman for Nokia, said the Finnish company is willing to provide original batteries to authorities for testing.
A man was killed in northwestern Gansu Province when the battery in his Motorola handset exploded, the Lanzhou Morning Post reported last week.
'Fake batteries are very widespread in poorer areas, where people use their handsets longer and have to replace their batteries more often,'' Yang Yuxing, an analyst at researcher BDA China Ltd. An authentic Nokia or Motorola battery may be seven times more expensive than a fake one, he said.
Foshan Weierrui Telecommunications Equipment Ltd. sold two batteries for use in Motorola phones that could explode, according to a statement by the Guangdong Industry and Commerce Administration Office yesterday. The batteries were labeled as being made by Motorola, the agency said.
Guangzhou Jietong Telecommunications Equipment Ltd. also was named for selling a battery used in Motorola handsets that could explode. The power packs list Motorola as the maker, the agency said. Sales of the fake batteries have stopped, the agency said.
Foshan Weierrui also sold a battery model for use in Nokia handsets that could explode, according to the statement. The battery listed Japan's Sanyo Electric Co. as the manufacturer.
Nokia has never authorized a third party to make such a battery, Cai said. 'It is a fake battery for sure,'' she said.
Motorola's Yang said the company has no relationship with either of the Chinese companies.
Sanyo spokesman Akihiko Oiwa said the Osaka-based company is conducting its own investigation. 'We will announce the results as soon as it's completed,'' he said.
The statement from the regulator didn't mention any penalties against the Chinese companies.
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