SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Samsung Electronics on Saturday urged consumers to stop using Galaxy Note 7 smartphones immediately and exchange them as soon as possible, as more reports of the phones catching fire emerged even after the company’s global recall.
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“The powering up and charging of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 mobile phones is prohibited on all our flights”, SIA said in a statement yesterday.
Samsung has told South Korean consumers to use replacement phones which it would provide on a temporary loan until a new Galaxy Note 7 equipped with fault-free batteries is available.
A new Note 7 device with a new battery would be provided to South Korean consumers beginning September 19.
Earlier this month, Samsung announced an unprecedented recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7s worldwide just two weeks after the phone was launched. On Friday (local time), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) advised consumers against using Galaxy Note7, warning of serious results from overheat and burst.
The sharp fall on the Korean stock market comes after USA aviation authorities warned travellers not to turn on or charge the Note 7 during flights or store them in checked bags. It also said it was working with Samsung and hoped to have an official recall “as soon as possible”. “We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note 7s and exchange them now”.
The U.S. government action heralds more fallout for the South Korean manufacturer, which may take a financial hit from the recall and lose customers who are concerned about the quality of its flagship phones.
One pain point is that the devices are now off limits in a typically high-use setting: aboard planes.Aviation authorities and airlines from North America to Europe and Asia have issued bans or guidance on the phones.
The FAA also advised passengers not to stow Galaxy Note 7 devices in checked baggage to avoid the risk of fires in the cargo holds of the aircraft. Companies ranging from Singapore Airlines Ltd and Qantas Airways Ltd to Air France KLM SA have instituted similar bans on the device.
Reportedly, Samsung used to get 70 per cent of its batteries from its subsidiary while 30 percent was from ATL for Galaxy Note 7 devices.
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Samsung released the Galaxy Note 7 on August 19.
