Nokia offers to replace 46 million phone batteries

Nokia, the world's largest mobile phone vendor, has announced that it will replace 46 million batteries, free of charge. The batteries in question (all of which bear the model number BL-5C) were manufactured by Japanese company Matsushita between December 2005 and November 2006 and in some instances, can pose a safety hazard. Apparently, a short circuit can occur while the battery is charging, causing the battery to overheat and expand. According to Nokia, 100 cases of overheating have been reported thus far, though "[n]o serious injuries or property damage have been reported."

For more on the issue:
- see this press release

Check to see if your battery is affected:
- see this product advisory