Samsung looks to be taking a hard-line on recalling its Galaxy Note 7, with plans to remotely deactivate any handsets not returned by 30 September. Airline regulators such as the FAA and several airlines have asked passengers not to turn on or use the Galaxy Note 7 during flights.
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Samsung urged South Korean consumers Saturday to stop using its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, following a similar warning by the U.S. consumer agency and several airlines who fear battery explosions.
At least 12 airlines have banned the Samsung Galaxy Note7 phone from checked luggage after reports of exploding batteries in the phone model. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 owners in the USA will be able to exchange their phones for a number of models, in addition to receiving a $25 gift card.
Device users can collect rental phones on a temporary basis from the company’s service centres.
Samsung is preparing to replace more than two million units and is advising users to replace their Samsung Galaxy Note 7’s with the replacement program.
US and Japanese aviation authorities have urged passengers not to turn on or charge the large-screen phones on aircraft, while the US Federal Aviation Administration has told passengers not to stow the device in checked baggage.
There have been at least 35 cases of the lithium-ion batteries in the device catching fire since the Note7 was released last month.
India has joined the United States, Australia, Singapore and others in prohibiting the use of Samsung’s Galaxy Note7 on its airlines. The batteries Samsung has used in these phones are said to be “fire-prone”.
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The mobile division accounts for the lion’s share of Samsung’s business, but has been increasingly squeezed by competition both from Apple’s iPhone and by lower-end devices from Chinese rivals such as Huawei.
