Software Glitch Hits Sanyo Handsets

Japan’s Sanyo Electric Co. said Tuesday it will start repairing defective software in mobile phone handsets it now supplies for KDDI Corp.’s “au” phone service, resulting in an expense of Y1 billion this fiscal year. The Osaka-based electronics manufacturer said all 506,800 handsets of its “W32SA” model for the au service are subject to free repairs.

It said defective software controlling battery recharging may shorten the length of use, causing the battery package to expand with heat. The battery package may occasionally crack, it said. Sanyo Electric said users of these cellphones can bring the phones to KDDI shops for free repairs. They can also access KDDI’s Web site to fix the problem by downloading a modified version. Continue>>

[An over-the-air (OTA) update solution might have saved them some grief — Eds]