Following reports of defective batteries exploding in some units, Samsung has announced a global recall of Galaxy Note 7 handsets.
Samsung states that 35 cases of overheating, fire or explosions have been noted so far, adding “we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market.”
All Note7’s that have been sold to consumers are to replaced “over the coming weeks,” and unsold units will also be recalled for testing.
Obviously, Samsung has halted sales of the phone and the company says it’s working with carrier partners to announce details of a product exchange program “as soon as today.”
The recall will also delay the coming European launch of the Galaxy Note 7, which had been slated for September 2.
Samsung’s official statement:
Samsung is committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident report from our valued customers very seriously. In response to recently reported cases of the new Galaxy Note7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue.
To date (as of September 1) there have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market. However, because our customers’ safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have stopped sales of the Galaxy Note7.
For customers who already have Galaxy Note7 devices, we will voluntarily replace their current device with a new one over the coming weeks.
We acknowledge the inconvenience this may cause in the market but this is to ensure that Samsung continues to deliver the highest quality products to our customers. We are working closely with our partners to ensure the replacement experience is as convenient and efficient as possible.
Here in the UK, Samsung halted sales before the Note 7’s street date of September 2. However, some carriers ran promotional deals where pre-order customers could receive devices early.
Like all other Note 7s, Samsung will replace these in the coming weeks. For more information, Samsung directs UK customers to its customer service line at 0330 7261000.
