Since it started shipping its latest high-end smartphone, the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung has been confronted by multiple reports of the device misbehaving and in extreme cases even exploding and catching fire. The issue has for a while now been blamed on the device’s faulty batteries and there were reports that, as a result, several shipment delays were being experienced, something Samsung is now confirming.
A statement from the company says, “In response to recently reported cases of the new Galaxy Note7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue.”
According to the company, so far, there have been 35 reported instances of the Galaxy Note 7 not performing as expected as a result of the battery issues. This has necessitated the company’s drastic move to halt any further shipments and delaying planned launches of the device in several markets. Additionally, the company has stated that it will be replacing any faulty Galaxy Note 7 units.
The company has not revealed when it plans to start shipping the device again which means that for the most part, sales remain suspended.
Korean publication Yonhap had earlier reported that Samsung was going to recall all Galaxy Note 7 units sold worldwide. According to the official statement from the company, it seems that it is narrowing down to just the affected devices.
“For customers who already have Galaxy Note7 devices, we will voluntarily replace their current device with a new one over the coming weeks.” – Samsung
This is a first for Samsung as none of the company’s high-profile mobile product launches has ever been marred by such a fault. While it is clear that this will definitely eat into its revenues, how the company manages to navigate the matter and handle customers is what many will be watching keenly.
