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Samsung's unprecedented recall of the Galaxy Note 7

Samsung has recalled 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones just a couple of weeks after they went on sale due to safety concerns with the battery. There have been 35 reported cases of phones either exploding or catching fire, and Samsung is recalling all of the units it has produced so far. The company says it has identified a problem with the battery cell and will be rectifying it in the coming weeks. That means that if you've already bought a Note 7, you should probably return it or exchange it when Samsung has released an updated model that's considered safe.

  • James Vincent

    Apr 26, 2017

    James Vincent

    Samsung's refurbished Galaxy Note 7 will reportedly go on sale in June

    Photo by James Bareham / The Verge

    Last month, Samsung confirmed it would be selling refurbished Note 7 devices, and now we know where and when the phones will go on sale. According to a report from ET News (via SamMobile) the recycled Note 7 will be available in South Korea from three carriers this June.

    Branding and pricing are still being negotiated, but the handset will reportedly go on sale as the Galaxy Note 7 R with a price tag of around 700,000 won. That’s about $620, or 300,000 won ($266) cheaper than the original. Around 300,000 units of the 3 million to 4 million Note 7 phones recalled in the region will reportedly go on sale.

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  • Feb 26, 2017

    Andrew Liptak

    Greenpeace protesters interrupted Samsung’s MWC presentation

    Consumer Product Safety Commission Announces Recall Of Samsung's New Galaxy Note 7
    Photo by George Frey/Getty Images

    During Samsung’s presentation at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today, Greenpeace protesters unfurled banners to call attention to the company’s handling of the disposal of millions of recalled Galaxy Note 7 phones.

    A protester stood on the steps of the stage while Samsung Electronics Europe’s chief marketing officer, David Lowes, made his opening remarks, according to Sam Mobile. The yellow banner was emblazoned with Samsung’s logo, the recycling logo, #GalaxyNote7, and the words “Rethink, Reuse, Recycle,” which prompted Lowes to address the protester, “You’ve made your point.”

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  • Nick Statt

    Jan 24, 2017

    Nick Statt

    Samsung bounces back from Note 7 recall with its best quarter in three years

    Photo by James Bareham

    It turns out that Samsung’s business is doing just fine following one of its most embarrassing product fumbles in recent memory. The company posted fiscal fourth-quarter earnings today in line with expectations outlined this month, earning 9.2 trillion won (about $7.2 billion) in profit on sales of 53.3 trillion won (about $45.8 billion). That’s a more than 50 percent jump in profit from the same period a year ago. It also makes this quarter Samsung’s most profitable in more than three years, despite the Galaxy Note 7 recall that has embroiled the South Korean company in controversy for the last five months.

    Just this past Sunday, Samsung released its report on the Note 7 that detailed how a rushed manufacturing schedule and irregularly sized batteries from one of its own subsidiaries caused some units to overheat and, in some cases, catch fire. The Note 7 recall did in fact drag on Samsung’s earnings in the fiscal third quarter of last year, causing the company to earn about $2.2 billion less than its projected $6.6 billion in profit for Q3 2016. However, this dip appears to have been temporary.

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  • Sam Byford

    Jan 23, 2017

    Sam Byford

    Samsung says bad batteries and rushed manufacturing doomed the Galaxy Note 7

    Samsung has finally released the results of the inquiry it commissioned into exactly what went wrong with the Galaxy Note 7, an acclaimed smartphone that had to be pulled from the market entirely last year after widespread reports of fires caused by the device.

    The company says there were two separate flaws with the Galaxy Note 7’s batteries. The first battery had a design flaw in the upper right corner that could cause a short circuit, according to Recode, while the second battery — used for replacement units — had a manufacturing issue that could lead to fires because of a welding defect. Some units of the second battery were also missing insulation tape.

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  • James Vincent

    Jan 20, 2017

    James Vincent

    Samsung Note 7 investigation will blame ‘irregularly sized’ batteries and manufacturing flaws, says WSJ

    James Bareham / The Verge

    Samsung’s official investigation into the cause of widespread faults with the Galaxy Note 7 will blame “irregularly sized” batteries and manufacturing faults, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The company is set to announce the results of its inquiry this weekend, but the WSJ claims to have revealed its conclusions early, citing information from “people familiar with the matter.”

    The WSJ says Samsung hired three independent “quality-control and supply-chain analysis firms” to conduct its investigation, with these firms concluding that two separate faults affected the Note 7.

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  • Nick Statt

    Jan 19, 2017

    Nick Statt

    Samsung will reveal the cause of the Galaxy Note 7’s exploding battery this Sunday

    Photo by James Bareham / The Verge

    Samsung announced today that it would reveal its investigative findings on the recalled Galaxy Note 7 this Sunday evening. The press conference is taking place in Seoul, South Korea on Monday, January 23rd at 10AM. Due to the time difference, it will be live streamed for English speakers at 8PM ET on Sunday, January 22nd.

    The phone, which was prone to overheating and in some cases exploding, was first recalled back in September just weeks after it first went on sale following reports of battery-related issues. The ensuing debacle resulted in millions of returned phones, a FAA-mandated flight ban, and a convoluted return policy process that has Verizon still attempting to brick active Note 7 devices still being used in the wild. Throughout the months-long recall snafu, Samsung has given only vague and incomplete answers regarding the true cause of the problem, with some reports claiming the company hadn’t pinned down a concrete cause even as the recall was well underway.

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  • Chris Welch

    Jan 17, 2017

    Chris Welch

    Verizon still has ‘thousands’ of customers using the recalled Samsung Galaxy Note 7

    Verizon stock new logo 2017
    Chris Welch

    There are still “thousands” of Verizon customers in possession of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7, the carrier recently told Fortune. And that’s even after a very public recall, endless plane announcements, and a software update meant to permanently stop the smartphone from charging. "In spite of our best efforts, there are still customers using the recalled phones who have not returned or exchanged their Note 7 to the point of purchase," Verizon told Fortune. "The recalled Note 7s pose a safety risk to our customers and those around them."

    At this point, clearly some people are just intentionally holding onto the phone. So Verizon is taking yet more steps to make the Note 7 less useful. First, the company will soon redirect all calls placed from a Note 7 to its customer service department. The major exception to this is 911 calls, which will still reach emergency services. But if you’re calling grandma or a friend or your spouse, well, you’ll ultimately end up with a Verizon representative on the other end. And they’ll probably ask you — yet again — to turn in the phone already. There’s really no way to plead ignorance in that situation.

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  • Chris Welch

    Dec 22, 2016

    Chris Welch

    A flight was late because someone named their Wi-Fi hotspot ‘Galaxy Note 7’

    Consumer Product Safety Commission Announces Recall Of Samsung's New Galaxy Note 7
    Photo by George Frey/Getty Images

    Airlines aren’t taking the ban against Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 lightly. A clever but highly irresponsible troll by a passenger aboard a Virgin America flight out of San Francisco nearly resulted in the plane being grounded and searched for the recalled smartphone. According to BBC News, someone switched the name of their portable Wi-Fi hotspot to “Galaxy Note 7_1097,” which gave other passengers (and the flight’s crew) the impression that Samsung’s device was somewhere on the plane — and actively being used.

    This resulted in numerous urgent announcements from the crew demanding that the owner of the Note 7 speak up. The captain warned that the flight would need to be diverted and land in Wyoming (far from its Boston destination) for an emergency search if no one stepped forward.

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  • Chris Welch

    Dec 15, 2016

    Chris Welch

    Verizon changes its mind and will kill Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 on January 5th

    Verizon new logo stock

    Verizon has just announced that it plans to roll out Samsung’s upcoming Note 7 update, which permanently stops the recalled smartphone from charging and disables its wireless radios, on January 5th. Only last week, the leading US carrier took a controversial stance when it said it would “not be taking part in this update because of the added risk this could pose to Galaxy Note 7 users that do not have another device to switch to.”

    The company was particularly concerned about nuking the Note 7 during the holiday travel season, something that its US rivals also seemed to take into consideration when scheduling a roll-out date for the update. AT&T is waiting until the very same day. Sprint will release it on January 8th. And T-Mobile’s going first among major US carriers on December 27th. Verizon still seems to think it’s making the right decision pushing things off a bit for the same reasons. “We want to make sure you can contact family, first responders, and emergency medical professionals during the holiday travel season.”

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  • Chris Welch

    Dec 9, 2016

    Chris Welch

    Verizon refuses to release update that would kill Samsung’s Note 7

    Verizon logo
    Chris Welch

    Verizon will not be releasing a just-announced Galaxy Note 7 software update designed to stop the recalled smartphone from charging. In a statement, the leading US mobile carrier attributed the decision to concerns over safety for customers who might not have another mobile phone to use after the Note 7 has been crippled.

    “Verizon will not be taking part in this update because of the added risk this could pose to Galaxy Note 7 users that do not have another device to switch to,” the company’s statement reads. “We will not push a software upgrade that will eliminate the ability for the Note 7 to work as a mobile device in the heart of the holiday travel season. We do not want to make it impossible to contact family, first responders or medical professionals in an emergency situation.” The Galaxy Note 7 remains banned on airlines by the FAA and is prohibited from being used on many other public transit services in the United States as well.

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  • Chris Welch

    Dec 9, 2016

    Chris Welch

    Unlike US, Samsung isn’t (yet) bricking the Note 7 in Europe

    James Bareham / The Verge

    Moments after announcing an upcoming software update that will brick remaining Note 7s in the United States by permanently stopping them from charging, Samsung revealed it’s taking a slightly different strategy for customers in Europe. An update planned for release on December 15th across EU regions will reduce the Note 7’s maximum battery capacity to just 30 percent of its original charge.

    Samsung previously limited the Note 7’s battery to 60 percent, a move that it claims “helped to drive a high rate of return.” To date, Samsung says over 90 percent of Note 7s have been returned as part of the recall program. The phone also displays constant notices and warnings about the device’s safety risk. And in many areas, the Note 7 is no longer able to connect with cellular networks.

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  • Samsung confirms it will render the US Note 7 useless with next update

    James Bareham / The Verge

    Samsung will render remaining Galaxy Note 7s in the United States useless and inoperable with its next and final update for the recalled smartphone. Today the company confirmed that it plans to release an update on December 19th — to be distributed across all major carriers within 30 days — that will “prevent US Galaxy Note 7 devices from charging and will eliminate their ability to work as mobile devices.” 

    This final shutdown of the phone appears to be Samsung's last effort to get all Note 7s back in its possession. Samsung says that 93 percent of US-sold Note 7 units have now been returned, which puts about 133,000 phones unaccounted for. And with this next update meant to basically kill the device for good, Samsung will ramp up communication with customers still holding onto them for some reason:

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  • Samsung may permanently disable Galaxy Note 7 phones in the US as soon as next week

    Note 7
    James Bareham / The Verge

    Samsung appears to be planning to permanently disable Galaxy Note 7 units in the US with an update that would prevent the recalled phone from charging.

    According to an image obtained by The Verge, an alert went out to at least one Note 7 owner on US Cellular today stating that, “As of December 15th, Samsung will modify the software to prevent the Galaxy Note 7 from charging. The phone will no longer work.”

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  • Samsung is basically making the Note 7 unusable in Canada

    James Bareham / The Verge

    If you live in Canada and are still, somehow, for some ridiculous reason, hanging onto a Galaxy Note 7, your days of using the phone for pretty much anything will soon be over.

    Samsung plans to make the Note 7 effectively unusable in Canada from next week forward. The phone will still turn on, but it won’t be able to connect to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or any cellular networks. So if you were planning to do anything like browse the internet or even make a phone call on the device, you’re going to be out of luck in the very near future.

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  • Nick Statt

    Nov 8, 2016

    Nick Statt

    Samsung runs full-page apology ads over Galaxy Note 7 recall

    In an effort to restore some consumer goodwill after the discontinuation of the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung ran full page apology ads in three major US daily newspapers today. The letters, which appeared in Monday editions of The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, were aimed at English-speaking consumers, according to The Korean Herald. The letter is signed by Gregory Lee, the president and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America.

    "An important tenet of our mission is to offer best-in-class safety and quality. Recently, we fell short on this promise. For this we are truly sorry," the ad reads. "We will re-examine every aspect of the device, including all hardware, software, manufacturing and the overall battery structure. We will move as quickly as possible, but will take the time needed to get the right answers.”

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  • Samsung says ‘nearly 85 percent’ of Note 7s have been returned in US

    Note 7
    James Bareham / The Verge

    Samsung says that nearly 85 percent of Note 7s have now been returned in the US, meaning there are around 285,000 phones still unaccounted for.

    To get those remaining phones back, Samsung basically plans to annoy customers into returning them. It’s issuing a software update that will make a recall message pop up every time someone “turns on the screen of their Note 7.”

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  • James Vincent

    Nov 4, 2016

    James Vincent

    Samsung will ban the Note 7 from connecting to mobile networks in New Zealand

    James Bareham / The Verge

    Wi-Fi access will be be unaffected by the move, but it should get the attention of those dragging their heels on returning the phone. According to New Zealand site Stuff.co.nz, the country’s Telecommunications Forum chief executive Geoff Thorn said most of the devices had already been exchanged, but a few hundred were still out there.

    "Numerous attempts by all providers have been made to contact owners and ask them to bring the phones in for replacement or refund. This action should further aid the return of the remaining handsets," said Thorn. "Anyone who is still in possession of a Samsung Note 7, please return it to your service provider as soon as possible."

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  • Rich McCormick

    Oct 27, 2016

    Rich McCormick

    Samsung’s Q3 profits are way down after Note 7 recall

    James Bareham / The Verge

    Samsung profits slipped significantly as a result of the Note 7 debacle, the company confirmed today in financial results for the third quarter of 2016. The results were in line with adjusted earnings guidance issued earlier this month, showing that the company made 5.2 trillion won (around $4.7 billion) in operating profit for Q3 — a year-on-year decrease of 2.19 trillion won (around $1.93 billion) — on revenues of 47.82 trillion won (around $42.1 billion).

    The year-on-year drop of more than a third marks the first decline in profits in a year for Samsung, which started to turn around a stagnant financial situation in the third quarter of 2015. The Note 7 situation makes today’s results something of an anomaly in the company’s record — it points specifically to the phone’s very public problems as the cause of the decrease — but it’s yet to be seen whether the fallout from the recall will affect Samsung’s future profits, too.

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  • James Vincent

    Oct 24, 2016

    James Vincent

    Samsung promises Korean Note 7 owners a 50 percent discount on the Note 8

    Samsung is offering Note 7 owners in South Korea the chance to upgrade their phone to a Note 8 for half the price when the as-yet-unannounced handset becomes available next year. The company announced the deal as part of an ongoing exchange program for the Note 7 in its home country, but according to Reuters, there's no word on whether the same offer will be made in the US.

    Here's Reuters describing the (Korean language) press release from Samsung:

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  • Oct 23, 2016

    Andrew Liptak

    Samsung's rush to save the Galaxy Note 7 may have hastened its demise

    Samsung Galaxy Note 7 pictures

    Samsung continues to deal with the aftermath of its decision to eliminate its Galaxy Note 7 phone. According to an article published today in The Wall Street Journal, the company’s efforts to save the device might have hindered regulators from closely investigating it.

    Weeks after the initial recall and the elimination of the phone line, "Samsung still doesn’t have a conclusive answer for what’s causing some Note 7s to catch fire," reports The Wall Street Journal.

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  • James Vincent

    Oct 20, 2016

    James Vincent

    Galaxy Note 7 owners are angry Samsung is refusing to pay compensation

    The Note 7 recall has already passed into Halloween costume territory, but for owners of the phone who experienced its dangers firsthand, it's not as funny. According to a report from The Guardian, a number of individuals who suffered property damage when their Note 7 exploded say Samsung is resisting paying compensation.

    In one story in the report, Note 7 owner John Barwick was awoken in the middle of the night by the smartphone bursting into flames on his nightstand. He says the resulting fire damaged the furniture, along with his bed, carpet, and curtains, resulting in repair bills of around $9,000. However, Barwick says Samsung isn't willing to pay the full amount. From The Guardian:

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  • Chris Welch

    Oct 19, 2016

    Chris Welch

    Samsung made YouTube remove video of GTA mod that turns Note 7 into a bomb

    Samsung apparently doesn't see much humor in a Grand Theft Auto V mod that turns the recalled, hazardous Galaxy Note 7 into an in-game weapon. In fact, the company is trying to erase it from the internet completely. Samsung has issued a DMCA takedown targeting a YouTube video that showcased the mod, which gives the Note 7 explosive, grenade-like capabilities. It was a pretty great way of poking fun at Samsung's ongoing PR crisis — and now the company is responding in a terrible way: ridiculous overreach and misuse of the DMCA tool.

    The Note-as-bomb mod, created by HitmanNiko, is clearly a parody of a rather unfortunate real world situation. He didn't copy anything. But that didn't stop Samsung from filing a bogus copyright claim. As a result, the video that we originally linked to earlier this month has been pulled from YouTube, and there's little mystery about the party responsible.

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  • James Vincent

    Oct 18, 2016

    James Vincent

    Samsung is setting up Note 7 exchange booths at airports around the world

    Samsung is setting up Galaxy Note 7 exchange booths in airports around the world, hoping to stop customers taking the dangerous device onto flights at the last minute. The first of these new "customer service points" appear to have been introduced in South Korean airports, but Samsung has confirmed the booths are opening in airports across Australia, with reports of the desks appearing in the US as well.

    The booths are located in "high-traffic terminals" before security screening, says Samsung, and allow Note 7 owners to swap their phone for an unspecified exchange device. According to a report from ABC7News in San Francisco — where a Samsung exchange desk has appeared at the city's international airport — employees for the tech company are on hand to help customers transfer their data onto a new phone.

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  • Oct 16, 2016

    Andrew Liptak

    It is now a federal crime to bring a Galaxy Note 7 onto an airplane

    James Bareham / The Verge

    The Federal Aviation Administration officially banned Galaxy Note 7s from being brought onto airplanes earlier this week, and under a new Emergency Restriction / Prohibition Order, it’s now a federal crime to fly with the device.

    The FAA issued Emergency Restriction/Prohibition Order No. FAA-2016- 9288 on Friday, which states that as of noon on October 15th, fliers are prohibited from bringing the device onto an aircraft. The order restricts passengers from carrying the phone "on their person, in carry-on baggage, in checked baggage, or as cargo," and says that anyone who inadvertently brings one on a plane must power it down immediately. Carriers are also required to "deny boarding to a passenger in possession" of the phone.

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  • Jordan Golson

    Oct 14, 2016

    Jordan Golson

    Samsung will tell Note 7 owners of flight ban via text message

    James Bareham / The Verge

    Samsung says it will send a text message to all Galaxy Note 7 owners in the US, informing them that the phones will be forbidden on board US aircraft starting tomorrow.

    Notifying Note 7 owners, who should really have replaced their phones by now, that the devices are banned from aircraft will be key — uninformed passengers who are told that they must choose between their smartphone or boarding their flight will likely be furious, and it will be up to airlines, the government, and Samsung to spread this information as widely as possible in the next 20 hours before the ban goes into effect.

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