Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Recall: Replacement Units Arrive in the US on Wednesday

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Recall: Replacement Units Arrive in the US on Wednesday
Highlights
  • Samsung had officially recalled Galaxy Note 7 units in US
  • The replacements are now available in US markets
  • Samsung has been hit with Galaxy Note 7 explosion encounters worldwide
Advertisement

Samsung says new Galaxy Note 7 smartphones will be available in US stores starting Wednesday to replace about 1 million devices that are being recalled because their batteries can catch fire.

The South Korean company has been scrambling to fix problems caused by faulty batteries in the latest version of its top-of-the-line smartphone, which first went on sale last month.

When it first offered on September 2 to replace the affected Note 7 phones, Samsung said it would swap them for models of its other phones, such as the Galaxy S7, until supplies of replacement Note 7 devices became available.

(Also see: Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Recall: Here's How to Check If Your Unit Is Safe)

Samsung followed up last week by announcing that US consumers who had purchased one of the recalled phones could choose between a replacement or a refund for the device, which sells for about $850. That offer was jointly announced with officials at the US Consumer Product Safety Commission after Samsung was criticized for not coordinating more closely with the commission.

Safety officials have urged Note 7 owners to turn off their phones and return them immediately. They cited reports of Note 7 batteries overheating in the United States, including 26 instances where individuals were burned and 55 that caused property damage.

(Also see:  Can You Trust the Lithium-Ion Battery in Your Pocket?)

The problem doesn't affect all Note 7 phones, because Samsung uses batteries from different suppliers. But the company has said about 2.5 million devices may be affected worldwide, including 1 million sold in the United States.

Samsung also said it's pushing out two software updates through wireless carriers. One will show a green battery icon to confirm that a Note 7 device is a new one that doesn't have the battery problem. The other will display a short notice to owners of older phones covered by the recall, telling them to turn off their device and take it in for a replacement.

About a quarter of affected phones had been exchanged in the United States by Tuesday, according to a spokeswoman for Samsung's US subsidiary. She was unable to say how many Note 7 buyers sought refunds, but said "the vast majority" received a different Samsung phone as a replacement.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Google Allo Is Out Now We Used It for a Week to Find Out What Makes It Different
Share on Facebook Gadgets360 Twitter Share Tweet Snapchat Share Reddit Comment google-newsGoogle News
 
 

Advertisement

Follow Us

Advertisement

© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2024. All rights reserved.
Trending Products »
Latest Tech News »