NTT DoCoMo pulls BlackBerry Bold

Overheating issue sparks safety concerns

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27 February 2009 18:03 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

NTT DoCoMo, the Japanese mobile phone operator, has announced that it has stopped sales of RIM's BlackBerry Bold.

The high-end mobile is getting pulled from the Japanese market over fears the device can overheat while the battery is being charged.

DoCoMo revealed it has sold around 4000 Bolds, with "about" 30 users complaining that the phone's keyboard had heated up while they were recharging.

With no reports of fires or burn injuries yet, RIM says the issue appears to be unique to the Japanese market.

"This issue appears to be specifically limited to the BlackBerry Bold devices sold in Japan since last week and sales of BlackBerry Bold devices in other countries are unaffected by this matter", RIM said in a statement.

Last year UK operator Orange pulled the BlackBerry Bold for software issues, with many reporting the phone was "buggy".

BlackBerry's co-CEO Jim Balsillie has since said, referring to issues with the Storm, that such "software glitches" are part of the "new reality" of making complex cellphones in large volumes.

UPDATE: RIM insists the Bold issue is not a battery problem, stating "Although RIM’s analysis of the devices in question has allowed it to rule out a battery problem, the root cause remains under investigation".