There have been at least five cases of smoking Note7 devices and an aircraft had to be evacuated. Image: Samsung
A desperate Samsung has called on owners to stop using the Note7 smartphone, and it has also asked carriers and retail partners to halt sales and exchanges of the troubled device.
In what has to be one of the most disastrous product launches in tech industry history, Samsung’s recall and exchange of 2.5m devices has gone horribly wrong.
At the weekend, it emerged that there had been five cases of exchanged Note7 devices catching fire and in one case, a plane had to be evacuated because of smoke emanating from one of the phones.
‘Consumers with either an original Galaxy Note7 or replacement Galaxy Note7 device should power down and stop using the device’
– SAMSUNG
In a statement, the Korean tech giant said that it wants carriers to stop selling the faulty phablet and for owners to stop using it immediately.
Samsung speaks out
“We are working with relevant regulatory bodies to investigate the recently reported cases involving the Galaxy Note7,” the company said.
“Because consumers’ safety remains our top priority, Samsung will ask all carrier and retail partners globally to stop sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note7 while the investigation is taking place.
“We remain committed to working diligently with appropriate regulatory authorities to take all necessary steps to resolve the situation. 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 was forced to recall 2.5m of the original Note7 phablet devices a month ago, when lithium-ion batteries in some of the devices caught fire. Samsung described the problem as a battery cell issue.
In the time that the crisis unfolded over a month ago, the company has lost nearly $22bn in its stock value.
