Samsung is stopping sales and exchanges of all Note7 handsets

Samsung has asked carriers and retailers to stop selling and exchanging Galaxy Note7 devices until further notice.

"Samsung will ask all carrier and retail partners globally to stop sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note7 while the investigation is taking place," the company wrote in a statement published on its website Monday.

Citing safety concerns, the company is also advising anyone who has any Note7 handset -- including a replacement -- to stop using it. "Consumers with either an original Galaxy Note7 or replacement Galaxy Note7 device should power down and stop using the device and take advantage of the remedies available."

Samsung didn't say how long it expects the investigation to take but said it is working with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and other agencies "to investigate the recently reported cases involving the Galaxy Note7."

The update comes amid mounting pressure on the South Korean company following a wave of criticism over how it handled the initial recall and subsequent cases of replacement devices also exploding. South Korean news agency Yonhap News reported earlier Monday that Samsung had temporarily stopped production of the Note7 and the four biggest U.S. carriers, T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, previously announced they would stop all sales and exchanges of the Note7 amid reports of new incidents.

There have been at least five reported cases of replacement Note7 devices exploding. Samsung has yet to provide a detailed explanation of the problem.

BONUS: What it takes to blow up a Samsung Note7