Samsung has already issued a recall of sorts, “advising” customers to take their Galaxy Note 7 devices to a store and exchange them for a temporary phone, and eventually a non-exploding device.
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On Friday, a Safety agency of US Government requested all consumers to stop using new smartphone of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the advice is being extended to the other eight countries where Samsung is recalling the Note 7. Customers who have Galaxy Note7 devices can replace their current device with a new device under the terms of the US Note7 Exchange Program.
The technology giant announced plans of recalling almost 2.5 million phones after it found that the rechargeable lithium batteries provided by one of its suppliers were faulty.
Samsung last week admitted the problem was caused by a faulty battery cell and announced the recall – the first large-scale recall of one of Samsung’s top of the range phones. That move came after Samsung’s investigation into reports of fires found that rechargeable lithium batteries manufactured by one of its suppliers were at fault.
It also said it was working with Samsung and hoped to have an official recall “as soon as possible”. New Note 7 phones will need CPSC approval before they can be released in the U.S. In its statement, the agency asked owners of the Note 7 “to power them down and stop charging or using the device” in the meantime.
Earlier this year, the International Civil Aviation Organization, a United Nations agency that sets global aviation safety standards, banned bulk shipments of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries as cargo on passenger planes until better packaging can be developed to prevent a fire from spreading and potentially destroying the plane.
Singapore Airlines, Australia’s Qantas, and Virgin Australia have announced similar bans.
Passengers are advised not to turn on or charge Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 onboard the aircraft and not to stow them in checked baggage, Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, director general of the General Civil Aviation Authority, said in a statement.
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