摘要：
美国苹果公司日前首次承认其刚推出不久、广受市场欢迎的便携Mp3播放器iPod Nano的电池及屏幕存在质量问题，并承诺对用户提供免费更换服务。
Apple today admitted that its new iPod Nano was subject to battery failure and scratched screens.
美国苹果公司日前首次承认其刚推出不久、广受市场欢迎的便携Mp3播放器iPod Nano的电池及屏幕存在质量问题，并承诺对用户提供免费更换服务。
据英国《卫报(http://www.xmyuanda.com》 网站9月28日报道，美国苹果公司生产的iPod Nano播放器以其小巧纤细的外形受到广大苹果爱好者的追捧。但美国苹果公司发言人菲尔·席勒27日晚承认，某批次的iPod Nano存在质量问题。他表示，用户可以要求完全退款，或者更换新的iPod Nano。但他没有透露有质量问题的播放器的具体数目，而只是称问题产品只占很小部分。此前，苹果公司一直拒绝承认于本月初刚上市的这款新产品存在任何质量问题。
一位名叫彼得森的用户不久前因为iPod Nano存在质量问题而开设了个人网站，号召其他购买了“问题”iPod Nano的用户一起展示其照片以示抗议。 28日早晨，他在网站发表帖子对苹果公司承认产品存在质量问题表示赞赏。
Apple today admitted that its new iPod Nano was subject to battery failure and scratched screens.
The electronics giant confirmed reports that the critically-acclaimed music player suffered from "unexpected failures" in its colour screen, and has offered a free replacement to all customers affected by faulty Nanos.
Apple refused to admit any problems with the small and sleek units after they were launched earlier this month, but an increasing number of complaints about the LCD screens forced today's climbdown.
One disgruntled Nano owner, Matthew Peterson, was so frustrated with the problems that he set up the website flawedmusicplayer.com, on which he invited other Nano owners to share their experiences and posted pictures of cracked screens.
The Nano has proved so popular that the high street retailer Dixons is reportedly selling five every minute.
However, an investigation by BBC's Watchdog programme revealed that customers were not being told that the rechargeable batteries used in most of the portable music players had a limited life span.
Last night, Apple acknowledged there was a problem with one particular shipment of Nanos, offering customers either a full refund or a replacement.
However, the company has not disclosed how many of the units have been affected, saying it was only "a tiny fraction" of the amount already sold.
"The iPod Nano screen-cracking problem is a real but minor issue involving a vendor quality problem in a small number of units," Phil Schiller, an Apple spokesman, said.
"It has affected less than one tenth of 1% of the total iPod Nano units we have shipped so far."
Apple says any customer with a defective screen should contact AppleCare and it will be replaced free of charge. The cost of replacing faulty units normally falls to the retailer.
Mr Schiller said the Nano screen was made of the same material as Apple's white fourth generation iPod, which had attracted no complaints about scratching.
"We have received very few calls from customers reporting this problem - we do not think this is a widespread issue," he said. "If customers are concerned about scratching, we suggest they use one of the many iPod Nano cases to protect their iPod."
Mr Peterson this morning posted a response to Apple's admission on his site. "I am very delighted to see Apple take this issue seriously," he said. "It is sad that it took a website and a lot of publicity before they finally investigated, but at least future Nano users with the same problem I had will not be subjected to the same treatment that I was. Thank you, Apple."
