Earlier this week, Samsung confirmed it was delaying shipments of the recently released Galaxy Note 7 phone following a handful of reports from customers about the battery exploding or catching fire while charging. Now the tech giant says an official recall of the Note 7 is coming.
“It has been confirmed that it was a battery cell problem,” the head of Samsung’s handset division, told the Wall Street Journal.
When Samsung canceled shipments of the Note 7 on Wednesday, it said the delay was “due to additional tests being conducted for product quality,” while South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that the company knew of at least five claims of the phone, which was only released in some markets a few weeks ago, exploding or catching fire while plugged in for charging.
Now Samsung tells the Wall Street Journal that it has thus far heard of 35 cases of this battery problem. It estimates that around 24 phones out of every million units is faulty.
Though the exact details and timeline for the recall have not been announced, Samsung says customers will receive a full refund for their device. The company estimates it will take around two weeks to replace the phones. The company will offer the replacement program in all 10 countries where the Note 7 is sold.
While it’s never good for business to have to recall a high-profile product, the timing is particularly bad for Samsung. Its main competitor in the smartphone market, Apple, is set to announce the latest iPhones next week on Sept. 7. Meanwhile, Hanjin, Korea’s largest shipping company, has filed for bankruptcy, leaving ships full of products destined for holiday sales stranded or seized while Samsung, LG and many others scramble to find new shipping partners in time.
Samsung to Recall Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Over Reports of Fires [WSJ]
Samsung Stops Galaxy Note7 Sales, Will Replace Phones on Market [Consumer Reports]
by Meg Marco via Consumerist
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