Samsung makes critical decision on Galaxy Note7 due to reports of explosions
That sexy new Galaxy Note 7 you stood in line for will have to go back to Samsung, unfortunately, amid reports of devices catching fire while charging. The technology giant is planning a global recall of its latest flagship phablet and has confirmed it is aware of at least 35 incidents with handsets.
On Friday, Samsung released a statement saying it was halting further shipments while it carried out additional tests on the hardware.
The recall comes as the company was due for a glitzy launch of the phone on Friday in countries including the UK.
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Users in India, who had pre-ordered the handset, received text messages earlier in the day, saying that their phone shipments would be delayed.
The Note 7's hardware issues are most likely related to battery issues. Rechargeable batteries are the chief cause of explosions and overheating issues in a variety of devices, from smartphones to hoverboards.
The battery in the Note 7 is made by Samsung SDI, its battery arm.
Word started going around that the phone's batteries were faulty after a user named Ariel Gonzalez uploaded a video to YouTube earlier this week claiming that his phone caught fire after he unplugged it from the charger supplied with the handset.
Samsung's Facebook page in Singapore has been inundated with hysterical complaints demanding an explanation for the recall. Some users have also noted that battery life on their new Note 7 has not been lasting long and some are saying their devices get noticeably warmer to the touch while charging.
It will take two weeks to replace devices that have already gone out, Samsung said, but it's unclear if the two-week period applies globally.
Topics Samsung
Victoria Ho is Mashable's Asia Editor, based in Singapore. She previously reported on news and tech at The Business Times, TechCrunch and ZDNet. When she isn't writing, she's making music with her band
