Sony Corp (ADR)(NYSE:SNE) has asked its customers not to use a Vaio model, which was launched in February, as the company fears that the battery would catch fire. According to Sony, around 25,905 units of Vaio Fit 11A have been sold in 52 countries since its launch. The company reported that three PC’s caught fire close to batteries, manufactured by Panasonic.
13 inch Vaio are they safe?
There is no confirmation whether just 11 inches models are at risk or 13-inch Vaio customers should also be cautious. Vaio Fit 13A has a spectacular design and build, but the price is high as the laptop has one key differentiating feature. Customers will not be willing to purchase Vaio Fit 13A till the issue is fixed.
In its statement, Sony Corp (ADR) (NYSE:SNE) held that the batteries were provided by a third party supplier.”The safety of our customers is of the utmost importance, so we are advising those with affected models to switch off the unit and discontinue use.”
Sony UK advised its customers to look for hotline and serial number checker so that they can know what to do.
Battery issues not new
Last year, there were a number of battery issues due to which many companies had to recall their products. Recently Lenovo, leading PC manufacturer recalled over 150,000 battery packs for its ThinkPad after it came to know the issues similar to the one Vaio F11 is facing now. Phone batteries, also, have their own issues every year causing manufacturers to recall the product.
Recently, Sony Corp (ADR) (NYSE:SNE) said that it would sell its VAIO PC business to focus on mobiles. Japan Industrial Partners are expected to buy the segment for an undisclosed amount after which Sony will stop planning, design and development of PC products.
The Japanese company is not developing and designing the PC products. Manufacturing and sales will be closed after shipping its final VAIO range globally. Sony will focus on yep, smartphones and tablets after selling PC products. It seems like the company will shutter down its less successful segment to focus on the better ones. In the third quarter, there were “significant profit improvements” as against the corresponding period last year. The company posted a year on year sales increase for its mobile arm, but also posted an annual loss of around $1.1 billion for full year.
