There was never any chance that things would get better for Sony any time soon over debacle of the fire-risk batteries it's been selling to laptop PC makers, so the only question is, how much worse can things get?
Well, quite a bit worse it would seem, judging by a couple of recent news stories. TIMESONLINE reports today that Toshiba - whose combined laptop-battery recalls now look to exceed a million units - is strongly considering suing Sony for lost sales opportunities and a decline in its brand value.
If that story - based on alleged leaks by Toshiba executives - is true, it would open the floodgates for every affected maker of laptops to sue Sony, not just stick to their currently modest demands that it covers all the costs of recalls.
Reuters, meanwhile, reports that Sony is to recall 90,000 batteries for its own Vaio notebook PCs. This recall, though, is said to involve only models sold in Japan and China.
That news, we're sure, will give no comfort to anyone elsewhere in the world who's bought a Vaio. Afterall, it's only natural to think that Sony's PC division is going easy on its sister battery division and not taking up the option that has been offered to all laptop makers to recall every battery that might possibly be at risk.
And, of course, if there really are only 90,000 at-risk Sony batteries (did we really say, "only"?), wouldn't that suggest to Apple, Dell and every other badly-affected laptop maker, that Sony cared more about the quality of the batteries it supplied to its own divisions than to them?
Oh, and the Reuters story also says that Sony is considering cutting its full-year earnings forecast, partly as a result of the battery recalls but also because of the price cut it's deemed it necessary to make on one model of its forthcoming PlayStation 3 console.
Seemingly, though, Sony doesn't think that all the grief that it's suffering with delays to Blu-ray Disc hardware - and the off-puttingly high cost of that kit - is going to impact on its bottom line.
Or may be Sony knew all along that Blu-ray Disc was going to be an uphill struggle and had factored into its financial forecast the massive cost of development and attempting to make the format viable.
Check out some other Sony hard-luck stories below and comment in this thread in the HEXUS.lifestyle news forum.
HEXUS.links
HEXUS.community :: discussion thread about this articleHEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Fujitsu among first to join global Sony-battery recall scheme
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Sony gets pro-active with global laptop-battery recall
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: IBM and Lenovo recall half a million fire-hazard, Sony-made batteries
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Money-back possibilities for UK Toshiba laptop buyers
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Toshiba's turn to recall laptop batteries - but 'no safety risks'
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Apple recalls 1.8 million laptop batteries. But who's next? And what about UK-based laptop makers?
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Dell recalls 4.1 million notebook batteries worldwide
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Oz airline tells Dell owners to whip 'em out and tape 'em up
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Sony BMG settles CD root-kit class-action suits
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Microsoft targets Sony DRM and other rootkit malware
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Sony BMG stops production of XCP copy-protected CDs
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Bands sue Sony for massively underpaying music-download royalties
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Pressure from EFF on CD copy-protection firm SunnComm pays off
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: Rip-off priced Sony Blu-ray Disc burner can't play BD movies
HEXUS.net :: All Blu-ray Disc-related
HEXUS.gaming.headlines :: PS3 launch delayed until March 2007
HEXUS.net :: All PS3-related
External.links
Fujitsu - Notice Regarding Sony Battery Pack Replacement Program (September 30, 2006)
Fujitsu - Notebook Battery Exchange Program (June 2005)
Sony Corporation - Sony to Initiate Global Replacement Program for Notebook Computer Battery Packs
Toshiba - battery recall page (September 28 - addition recall imminent)
Toshiba - battery recall page (September 19 recall)
Lenovo - battery recall page
Lenovo - battery recall FAQ
US Consumer Product Safety Commission - Lenovo and IBM Announce Recall of ThinkPad Notebook Computer Batteries Due to Fire Hazard
US Consumer Product Safety Commission - Recalls and product safety news
US Consumer Product Safety Commission - Apple Announces Recall of Batteries Used in Previous iBook and PowerBook Computers Due To Fire Hazard
Apple - Battery Exchange Program iBook G4 and PowerBook G4
Apple - FAQ - Battery Exchange Program iBook G4 and PowerBook G4
Dell USA - Battery Recall page
