By Layan Damanhouri
Sadui Gazette
ABOUT 1 million Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices were being replaced in the US since Wednesday after they were reported their batteries catching fire, according to the Associated Press.
The latest Galaxy Note 7, which went on sale last month, was prone to overheating and had a safety risk. Soon after Samsung stated they identified the faulty rechargeable lithium batteries and halted sales worldwide.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has not been launched in Saudi Arabia yet. However, Samsung in the Gulf advised in a statement that consumers with a Note 7 device are advised to exchange it.
Consumers in the US reported their smart phones exploding. 26 cases of individuals were burned while 55 cases reported to have caused property damage such as fires in garages and cars, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The latest Samsung device features a fast charging feature that could also put the battery under additional stress. The Note 7 is bigger than its previous product at 5.7 inches.
Samsung announced the US Note 7 Exchange Program where consumers were advised to immediately exchange their devices bought before Sept. 15 since the device had a risk of overheating and posing safety issues.
The statement issued an apology and further said: “We take every incident acknowledged by our valued customers very seriously. In response to recently reported cases of the Galaxy Note7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found an isolated battery cell issue. Although there have been only a small number of reported incidents, Samsung is taking great care to provide customers with necessary support.”
Some 2.5 million of the devices were sold at the time the exchange offer was announced, according to USA Today.
Those who will undergo the exchange for the S7 were promised by the South Korean company to receive other benefits including a $25 gift card, in-store credit, in-store accessory credit or bill credit from select carrier retail outlets.
However, consumers were also offered a refund for the device that was sold in the market for around $850.
One expert explained the layer of electrodes stacked in the phone battery to create the smart device’s sleek design could have caused the problem.
Despite the recall issue, however, US carriers Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T are already selling the new devices again.
No other devices were reported to have the same issue.
Also Verge reported that a week after issuing a statement “strongly advising” airline passengers not to use or charge Note 7 — which has been formally recalled — the Federal Aviation Administration has officially banned use of the device during flight. “Passengers may not turn on or charge the devices when they carry them on board a plane,” the FAA said in a statement. “Passengers must also protect the devices from accidental activation, including disabling any features that may turn on the device, such as alarm clocks, and must not pack them in checked luggage.”
