Official U.S. Recall Of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Claims 92 Overheating Incidents, 26 Burn Injuries And 55 Property Losses
It's taken longer than it should have getting to this point, but Samsung has finally cooperated with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to formally recall 1 million of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. As part of the recall, Samsung said it's received 92 reports of batteries overheating in the U.S., including 26 reports of burns and 55 incidents involving property damage, among them fires in cars and a garage.
"This recall involves the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone sold before September 15, 2016. The recalled devices have a 5.7-inch screen and were sold in the following colors: black onyx, blue coral, gold platinum and silver titanium with a matching stylus. Samsung is printed on the top front of the phone and Galaxy Note 7 is printed on the back of the phone," the CPSC states in its recall notice.
Consumers who own an affected Galaxy Note 7 model are advised to "immediately stop using and power down" the device, and to contact the place they purchased it from for a free replacement with a different battery. They can also request a refund or a "new replacement device," which we take to mean an alternative handset to the Galaxy Note 7.
The official recall follows weeks of reports of exploding Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. Three Australian airlines have banned the device on flights, while the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told passengers to turn off their Galaxy Note 7 handsets when flying. Following the official recall, the FAA revised its warning to require that passengers disable all applications that could inadvertently activate the phone, such as an alarm clock, and protect the power switch to prevent the handset from being unintentionally activated.
In the grand scheme of things, the number of affected devices compared to the 2.5 million that were sold worldwide is exceptionally small, but it's Samsung's handling of the recall that might have done the most damage. Samsung initially chose to handle things on its own, leaving the CPSC out of the loop. That decision led to an unnecessary delay in replacing devices and may have hurt consumer confidence in the South Korean electronics maker.
The good news is the recall is in full swing now. If you live in the U.S. and own an affected device, go here for more information on how to initiate a replacement or refund.
"This recall involves the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone sold before September 15, 2016. The recalled devices have a 5.7-inch screen and were sold in the following colors: black onyx, blue coral, gold platinum and silver titanium with a matching stylus. Samsung is printed on the top front of the phone and Galaxy Note 7 is printed on the back of the phone," the CPSC states in its recall notice.
Consumers who own an affected Galaxy Note 7 model are advised to "immediately stop using and power down" the device, and to contact the place they purchased it from for a free replacement with a different battery. They can also request a refund or a "new replacement device," which we take to mean an alternative handset to the Galaxy Note 7.
The official recall follows weeks of reports of exploding Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. Three Australian airlines have banned the device on flights, while the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told passengers to turn off their Galaxy Note 7 handsets when flying. Following the official recall, the FAA revised its warning to require that passengers disable all applications that could inadvertently activate the phone, such as an alarm clock, and protect the power switch to prevent the handset from being unintentionally activated.
In the grand scheme of things, the number of affected devices compared to the 2.5 million that were sold worldwide is exceptionally small, but it's Samsung's handling of the recall that might have done the most damage. Samsung initially chose to handle things on its own, leaving the CPSC out of the loop. That decision led to an unnecessary delay in replacing devices and may have hurt consumer confidence in the South Korean electronics maker.
The good news is the recall is in full swing now. If you live in the U.S. and own an affected device, go here for more information on how to initiate a replacement or refund.
