Samsung smartphones can't seem to catch a break. Months after the South Korean technology giant put the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone debacle behind it, another Samsung phone went up in flames this week.
A Samsung Grand Duos model released in 2013 exploded in a man's shirt pocket, Channel News Asia reports. The man in Indonesia is seen falling onto the ground as he tries to remove his shirt after the phone exploded. A graphic CCTV footage of the video, embedded below, also captured the incident.
Samsung told CNET that the device in question had a third-party component. The battery on the used device was not manufactured by Samsung or a company authorised by Samsung, it said. "We sincerely wish for our customer's swift recovery, and strongly recommend all our consumers to use Samsung's genuine or approved batteries that have been specifically designed for use in Samsung products."
The explosion, though no fault of Samsung, is a stark reminder how dangerous these devices could become. Use of third-party batteries and other components is exceptionally common in developing nations, as they tend to be much more affordable than their original counterparts.
But for Samsung, which spent much of the late last year grappling with the Galaxy Note 7 debacle, the new incident could further hurt its brand value, something that contributes immensely on a buyer's purchase decision.
Last year, Samsung recalled the Galaxy Note 7 after several incidents were reported where the handset was going up in flames. The company later issued an apology and recalled the smartphone.
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