After a day where Apple Inc. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares climbed 6.43% to $127.39, today the shares were nearly flat most of the session despite the plethora of news surrounding the company.

First, we found out that Japan is investigating a possible defect in the iPod nano after "the digital music players reportedly shot out sparks while recharging." These kind of potential problems with lithium-ion batteries are not new; throughout 2006-2007 consumers experienced many recalls of mostly laptops -- including Macs -- equipped with such batteries. But the question this time around is whether Apple had knowledge of the problem and delayed reporting it, as Apple's filing with the ministry came two months after the reported incident in Japan.

Mind you, Engadget has been reporting on such incidents for quite a while, all relating to the same model. Almost a year ago, a first generation iPod nano was reported by an Australian to go up in flames, then in October of last year an iPod spewed chest-high flames from trousers, and earlier this month an iPod sparked a bedroom fire. So the problem was known, the question is what Apple plans to do about it now, if anything?

But there was some good news today as well.

Apple announced "that more than 100,000 iPhone developers have downloaded the beta iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK) in the first four days since its launch on March 6." With the SDK, developers can create iPhone and iPod Touch tools and applications. Apple reported on quite a few companies that have downloaded and are already working on applications, many of which are gaming developers like Electronic Arts, Sega and PAC_MAN, but not just, like Salesforce.com and Netsuite.

This is good news as it will only serve to spruce up demand for the iPhone, especially as Apple tries to market the device to the business clientele.

Alas, in late trading Apple shares have gained momentum to the downside, looking about to close around $125.84, or 1.2% lower.