According to Apple’s documentation on the 17″ MacBook Pro, the battery that comes with the notebook computer is designed to provide reliable service over about 5 years. The Apple documentation states that this single battery is so well constructed that a similar 5-year lifespan would normally require three batteries. Unfortunately, the real-world experiences of end-users demonstrate that the battery has a manufacturer defect of some kind that results in severe expanding and bursting. The images below are an example of what can happen with this battery.
“I called technical support and was told that batteries are expected to last for a year, and after that, this kind of expanding and rupturing of the battery cells is expected. Customers just need to purchase new batteries when this happens. That’s what I was told. Yet, I think it’s odd considering that I know of no other notebook products that have this problem with older batteries.” ~ Greg Johnson
Best Practices. For just about any notebook computer, it’s best to leave the battery disconnected while in storage.
