Samsung said in a statement to Reuters it was “conducting a thorough inspection” with its partners on the Note 7 and would share its findings as soon as possible.
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Samsung said it’s stopping sales of its Galaxy Note7 smartphone after some phones exploded while charging.
The manufacturer plans to replace not only phones with faulty batteries sold to consumers, but also retailer inventories and units in transit.
There are two options: Customers can replace their current device with a new Galaxy Note 7 or exchange it for a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge, plus receive a refund of the price difference.
It’s unclear what consumers should do in the meantime with their phones. The company said it will take about two weeks to prepare the recall, and the date new products will be available will vary by country.
Reports emerged this week of the phones “exploding” or catching fire while charging, with photos of burnt phones being shared widely online. It said it had so far found 24 devices with problems for every million sold.
“I had thought of getting a Galaxy Note 7 when it first came out, but seeing all the bad things that have happened, I don’t think I will”. Samsung officials said they aim to complete the recall by next year, with the possibility of an extension.
“It is a big amount that is heartbreaking”, said Koh Dong-jin, president of Samsung’s mobile communications business.
South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported separately that Samsung Electronics had pushed back the launch of the Galaxy Note 7 in key European markets such as Britain and France.
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And the announcement comes just ahead of Apple’s launch of its latest smartphone. Apple is expected to announce its new iPhone next week and Samsung’s mobile division was counting on momentum from the Note 7’s strong reviews and higher-than-expected demand.
