Nokia coughs to ballooning batteries

Nokia has admitted that some customers are seeing BP-6M batteries, as used in the N73 handset, ballooning to several times their original size, and in some cases to such an extent that the phone case won't close. El Reg first heard about the problem from a reader just after Christmas, and Nokia has been investigating since. …

[Anonymous Coward]

errm...

Wouldn't like this to happen on a slot loader like the SE K850i

maybe thats just a design feature to encourage replacement...

[Anonymous Coward]

"several times their original size"

And yet they still fit in the 'phone? Amazing what they can do these days...

[Jerome]

Huge battery compartments?

"ballooning to several times their original size, and in some cases to such an extent that the phone case won't close"

The battery is expanding to several times its original size, yet this only prevents the compartment closing "in some cases"? I guess these particular phones must have an enormous amount of empty space in their battery compartment.

[Nick Bentley]

Where is the link?

Can you link a nokia press release or anything for this? I have 2 of these balooned batteries and they dont want to replace them :(

[Anonymous Coward]

Ballooning

This problem of batteries ballooning out of the back of the phone could be simply dealt with the same way I have dealt with my ballooning rear - use an elasticated material to cover the back side. I'm sure manufacturers of the maternity wear I've taken to buying would happily supply material with enough give in it.

[Anonymous Coward]

(untitled)

I see I was not the only one who had to check twice at the claim of "swelling several times original size". Amazing ability to stretch and still hold onto the insides !

Meanwhile, what an appalling case of built in obsolescence. Still; wish my savings would do the same.

[Anonymous Coward]

Ballooning to "several times their normal size"

.

Tomorrow's press release from Nokia will inform the world of its hasty patent for a new form of Viagra!

[Chris Pearson]

My N73 battery is fine...

...but if only Nokia would admit the firmwares pooched on it so I could hook up to my mac via bluetooth like I used to be able too.

They have known about this for a long time but blame apple despite eggheads tracing the fault to the Nokias firmware.

[Anonymous Coward]

Can anyone explain

exactly what causes this swelling?

[jmccoy]

I have one

I currently have an N73 that I got as an upgrade from 3 Ireland. It is one of the worst phones I have had. The battery on occasion gets hot and discharges, I have exchanged it, and as simple thing like opening the GMail app takes an age. I am traveling to France in a week and a half, so I am being careful with the money, but on my return I'm getting rid.

[pctechxp]

@AC re: K850i

I think this handset is supplied with a Lithium Polymer rather than Ion.

Note sure whether these are affected in the same way but are a different chemistry.

[Walker]

The reason GMail takes an age to load on your N73...

...is because 3 install loads of apps (some which autostart with the phone) which eat a considerable proportion of the memory. 3 are one of the worst phone companies for doing this. Flash that phone with a generic firmware and do a factory reset, and the Gmail app will load in 2-3 seconds.

[Anonymous Coward]

No replacement here, either

Like Nick Bentley, my experience is that Nokia aren't admitting to anything, let alone giving replacements. Suspect this is because there hasn't been a formal advisory like there is for the BL-5C, so the customer service people don't know anything about it. I was advised to just take my phone to a Care Point to be looked at (for a few days?). It's pretty obvious what's happened - the battery hasn't swelled more than a few mm, but it's enough to look like the Incredible Hulk as he starts to burst out of his clothes....

pctechxp - the BP-6M is a lithium polymer battery, at least that's what it says on the back.....