Report: Bad Sony batteries will burn up to $280 million out of laptop industry

October 2, 2006, 5:10 PM UTC


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Here’s an estimate from the iSuppli research group that might stoke tempers among some already irate PC makers: The fallout from the company’s battery recall could cost between $140 million and $280 million.

That number comes from a report iSuppli made public today. It wasn’t clear how iSuppli came up with the number; Apple Computer and Dell alone recalled 5.5 million batteries this summer, and then Fujitsu, Lenovo Group, Toshiba and Dell last week recalled close to another 1 million units.

In any case, you can bet Sony itself will be shouldering many of the costs. Apple made that much very clear at the time of its initial recall announcement.