In the meantime, Samsung has issued statements to its various markets – including Ireland and the United Kingdom – whereby it has said it has stopped shipping the affected Galaxy Note 7 devices and that current owners will be able to exchange the device for a new one from 19 September. “We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note7s and exchange them as soon as possible”, says DJ Koh, President of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. This is a much higher number than the 35 global units previously claimed by Samsung as of September 1.
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Samsung announced September 9 that it is working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on a recall plan. If the battery problem turns out to be systemic problem of the Galaxy S7 as well, than Samsung got a big problem.
It would prevent the phones from overheating, and thus exploding, but would effectively mean a downgrade of the high-end device. This move is an active measure to get Note 7 owners to replace their device with a new one.
The software update appears to be a last-ditch effort to contain the crisis. The defective devices returned to Samsung will be replaced and will be able to fully charge, with no charging limit.
“Lithium is a very volatile metal and it’s very reactive and it causes a great deal of heat”, Battalion Chief Ricky Miles with Northport Fire Rescue said.
The South Korean company outlined the preliminary findings in a report to the country’s technology standards agency that hasn’t previously been released.
“This plan is for the safety of the customers”, the company said in a front-page ad in the newspaper Seoul Shinmun.
Samsung is the world’s largest smartphone maker, and analysts said the recall may leave a larger impact on its brand than earlier estimated. Already Chinese airlines including Hainan Airlines and Capital Airlines prohibited the users from carrying the Galaxy Note 7 devices.
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Canada issued a recall notice on Monday.
