Should new mobile phone batteries come fully charged?

I just purchased a new battery for my Sony Ericsson Z600 mobile phone. I put it in and it was completely in the red. There was just a slither of red showing on the charge icon. I have put it on charge, but was just wondering, is this normal when you buy a new battery.

batteries are not always charged when you get them. This is why they tell you in the documents to charge the battery fully. Most Li-On batteries are shipped with a small charge, which they require. Li-Ons usually hold a small (1 or 2%) charge in reserve.

In fact, instead of charging it, you should actually let it run down to power down as soon as possible, then recharge it fully. This helps calibrate the battery. You should do this about once every 30-40 charges.

HOW TO GUIDE: Universal Cell Phone Battery Charger