Galaxy Note 7 battery supplier Samsung SDI factory in China catches fire

By tech2 News Staff /  09 Feb 2017 , 09:23

The factory of Samsung SDI, one of the battery suppliers for the dangerously explosive Samsung Galaxy Note 7, caught fire in China. Pictures of the fire were circulated on Weibo, a social networking and micro-blogging platform known as the Chinese alternative to Twitter. The fire was relatively minor, was at a waste disposal facility, and did not affect production, according to a report in Bloomberg.

Samsung SDI was responsible for providing about 60 percent of the batteries to the discontinued Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, the other supplier being Amperex Technology Ltd. Following the explosions of the smartphones, Samsung SDI investigated their batteries in other smartphones, and found them to be safe. Samsung SDI is expected to provide at least a portion of the batteries in future Samsung phones. An executive of the company said that the issue was restricted to just the batteries used in the Galaxy Note 7.

Samsung recently revealed the results of its investigation into the cause of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 fires. The company identified the battery as the problematic component that caused the fires. Independent investigations have showed that the body of the smartphone, and its curvature, left little space for natural expansion and contraction of the batteries, compressing them when charged and leading to the fires. South Korea also investigated the issue, and is fortifying the regulations for lithium-ion batteries, in the interest of consumer safety.

Samsung still has more Galaxy Note 7 units in use than LG V20 and OnePlus 3T combined

The burnt Samsung Galaxy Note 7 in an aircraft

By tech2 News Staff /  20 Dec 2016 , 18:13

Samsung’s mobile division had a good start this year with the Galaxy S7 and the S7 Edge. However, their flagship phablet, the Note 7 turned to be a disaster as it faulty batteries that started blowing up. The Note 7 was recalled and killed about two months back. Samsung also took further action by pushing updates to all the Note 7s which restricted the smartphone to a certain amount of battery charge.

While the company had recently confirmed that about 90 percent of the units have been taken off the market, a research firm called Apteligent has reported that as of last week, the number of Galaxy Note 7 units in use were more than the LG V20 and OnePlus 3T combined, which also a few units less than the Moto Z. This means that the 10 percent that Samsung has not managed to pull out, is definitely a large number.

Samsung still has a lot to do if it wants to completely clean up the mess caused by the Note 7.  There is obviously a big difference between how many units were on the market compared to now, but there is also the factor of units sold in the grey markets and through other illegal means. Hopefully Samsung will fully clean up all the Note 7 units by pushing an update that would brick the device.

Oooh🚧Apple iPhone 7 Plus exploded like galaxy note7 after a 50 centimetre fall

#APPLE

Image: Leikeji

By tech2 News Staff /  11 Nov 2016 , 17:43

According to a report on Chinese web site Leikeji, the battery of a brand new iPhone 7 exploded, with the cracked screen violently separating from chassis. The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 fiasco lead to the largest fire and burn hazard related product recall in United States history. But with the iPhone 7 Plus, there seems to be a trigger to the explosion – a fall. Lithium based smartphone batteries are extremely volatile, and exposure to either moisture or heat can make them explode. This is what happens when you puncture a modern smartphone battery.

Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 explosions though, the reported incident in China was not a case of spontaneous smartphone combustion. The battery reportedly exploded after a fall. However, a fall of just 50 centimeters is not a large height, and is not an encouraging sign. The phone shocked the user, started emitting smoke, and then caught fire. The user apparently had opted to purchase an Apple iPhone 7 Plus, after reading news reports of exploding Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones.

In August, a man riding a motorcycle in Australia got the shock of his life when he fell off his bike and his iPhone exploded in his pocket. The heat fused the model to his leg, and he had to punch the phone free. In September an iPhone apparently exploded while still in the box. There were no follow up posts or information after the initial reddit post, but the user manual in the box indicates that the phone was not the latest iPhone 7. In October, an iPhone 7 wrapped in clothes and kept in the back seat of a closed car in a sunny beach, caught fire because of the heat. The entire vehicle was engulfed in flames.

By comparison, over 30 Samsung Galaxy Note 7 incidents were reported over the last week in August.

Galaxy Note 7 fiasco: Samsung exchanged ‘nearly 85 percent’ units, but what about the other 15 percent?

Image: Hui Renjie

By Naina Khedekar /  07 Nov 2016 , 10:01

Imagine owning a ticking time bomb? Well, that’s exactly how Samsung Galaxy Note 7owners must feel. But, the good news is, Samsung has confirmed that ‘nearly 85 percent’ have already exchanged their units via the Note 7 Refund and Exchange Program. And, it also claims that most of these users have opted for another Samsung device. The other devices could most likely be the Galaxy S7 models, but this goes against what analyst had claimed about Note 7 users opting for iPhone instead.

All in all, it is good to know that majority of the Note 7 units have been returned. But, what about the 15 percent units that have been lurking in the dark. While these users haven’t reached out to Samsung yet, the company is trying to make amendments to put a hold to its scarring reputation.

So, the company has begun issuing the software update that will limit the device battery to 60 percent. While we have been hearing about the update for sometime now, we wonder what took the company so long to push it out. Meanwhile, there are already other problems burgeoning for the South Korean firm. After the premium handset, the company is said to have recalled 2.8 million washing machines after reports said that some of the units were exploding.

Read the complete statement from Samsung about the Note 7 recall numbers below:

As of today, nearly 85 percent of all recalled Galaxy Note 7 devices have been replaced through the U.S. Note7 Refund and Exchange Program, with the majority of the participants opting to receive another Samsung smartphone.

We remain focused on collecting the outstanding Galaxy Note 7 phones in the market. To further drive participation, we will be releasing a software update in the coming days that will limit the phone’s ability to charge beyond 60 percent, as well as issue a reminder pop-up notification every time a consumer charges, reboots or turns on the screen of their Note 7 device.

Any Galaxy Note7 owner who has not yet participated in the U.S. Note 7 Refund and Exchange Program should immediately power down their phone and contact their carrier or retailer today.

Its been a while since the Note 7 fiasco started, and getting its devices off people’s hand should have been (and we believe it is) the company’s top priority. However, a considerable amount of units are still out there somewhere. Whether its lack of awareness or other problems (like we saw with the Note 7 ‘available’ in India, which is actually a market that didn’t see the device go on sale officially) that have become a roadblock, but it is essential for users to get rid of the Note 7 as soon as possible. If you still own a Note 7 or know someone who owns it, get in touch with Samsung. And if you don’t want to, just bury the device!

50 percent Samsung Galaxy Note 7 owners may switch to iPhone 7: IDC

Image: Hui Renjie

By tech2 News Staff /  01 Nov 2016 , 10:42

Who will gain from Samsung’s loss? This has been on everyone’s mind ever since Samsung Note 7 fiasco hit headlines compelling the company to recall Note 7 completely (in a fireproof box) and offer refund to users. It has paved way to other Android premium device, but the most obvious answer has been the iPhone 7. There have been reports claiming 5-7 million users may switch to iPhone 7. Now, a new IDC report about those who owned the exploding Galaxy Note 7 states that half of these users may switch to the iPhone 7.

IDC has surveyed 1,082 US consumers via an online survey on 17 and 18 October, which was mere four days after Samsung pulled the plug on Note 7. It was conducted on  507 current Samsung users, 347 who have owned the device and 228 who have never owned Samsung device. It included 24 Note 7 users. However, out of these 24 users, half said they have or will choose an iPhone to replace the recalled Samsung device, while 17 percent said they would choose another Samsung device.

Apple iPhone sales during the quarter is 45.5 million units, but it is down from 48 million in the same quarter last year. However, in Q4 earnings call Apple had already reported a record number of Android switchers. The Note 7 fiasco might just help further increase the numbers for Apple.

It was just recently that prolific analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI (via 9To5Mac) said Apple will be eating into Samsung’s share with at least 5-7 million ex-Note 7 users will switch to the iPhone 7, and majorly to the larger iPhone 7 Plus.

The Galaxy Note 7 was Samsung’s big bet to take on the Google Pixel and iPhone 7. Unfortunately, it never really went on sale in India. Samsung is now trying to appease users with the older Galaxy S7 and S7 edge models. However, a Galaxy S8 is said to be in the making and the company is trying to push it out as soon as it can to make up for the losses. However, we hope Samsung takes the extra time for a thorough security check, this time.

Samsung CEO Kwon Oh-Hyun says firm must learn from Galaxy Note 7 Crisis

Kwon Oh-Hyun, chief executive officer of Samsung Electronics Co., speaks during the companyÕs extraordinary general meeting of shareholders at the Seocho office building in Seoul, South Korea, on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016. REUTERS/SeongJoon Cho/Pool - RTX2QMR5

  01 Nov 2016 , 08:13

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd Chief Executive Kwon Oh-hyun on Tuesday said the South Korean tech giant must improve, as it reels from the costly withdrawal of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone. Without referring directly to the failure of the fire-prone Note 7s, Kwon said in a statement Samsung employees should look back and ask whether they had been complacent in their work.

“We have a long history of overcoming crises,” Kwon said. “Let us use this crisis as a chance to make another leap by re-examining and thoroughly improving how we work, how we think about innovation and our perspective of our customers.”

The global smartphone leader and Apple Inc rival last week said it aimed to recover quickly from the withdrawal of the fire-prone Note 7 in October. The debacle raised concerns about Samsung’s quality control systems and dragged its third-quarter mobile earnings to their lowest level in nearly eight years, but so far no one at the firm has been publicly held responsible.

Samsung is expanding its probe into the Note 7 fires beyond batteries, as it tries to get to the bottom of one of the worst product failures in tech history.

Reuters

Samsung engineers still working to find Note 7 fault; to delay Galaxy S8 by two weeks: Report

Image: Hui Renjie

By tech2 News Staff /  24 Oct 2016 , 17:10

The Note 7, once destined to be the top selling high-end device from Samsung, will definitely go down go into the company’s history as the most talked about device, but for all the wrong reasons . The company probably rushed into decisions without concrete evidence about what had gone wrong with the device. A WSJ report points out how the Galaxy S8 could be delayed by two weeks, citing a person from the S8 development team, as its engineers still scramble to get to the bottom of the whole Note 7 fiasco.

According to the report, the newly appointed mobile chief DJ Koh thought the company knew enough to recall and replace 2.5 million units, and was backed by Lee Jae-yong. Probably, it’s this decision, without getting into the depth of the matter that is causing the company all this grief. It was only weeks after the recall and the replaced batch bursting into flames that Samsung realised it hadn’t reached the root cause of the problem.

A Samsung spokesperson told the news site, “The company worked quickly with regulators and took immediate action when problems arose with the phone. We recognised that we did not correctly identify the issue the first time and remain committed to finding the root cause. Our top priority remains the safety of our customers and retrieving 100 percent of the Galaxy Note 7 devices in the market.”

The flammable Note 7, the big recall and then the decision to kill the device, has put the other high-end devices from the company to the forefront. For instance, Samsung is wooing audiences with alternatives like the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge, while trying to combat competitor such as Pixel and iPhone 7, among others. This may not go on for long as the  company will have to dish out something new and is said to be working on the flagship that is most likely to be launched in February dubbed Galaxy S8, which is also delayed due to the Note 7 issues. Now, all we can say is a slight delay is better than shipping devices with safety issues.

Meanwhile, the recall is believed to cost Samsung $5 billion or even more, which including the lost sales.

Galaxy Note 7 troubles worsen as 527 South Koreans to sue Samsung

Image Credit: REUTERS

  24 Oct 2016 , 14:14

Hundreds of South Korean Galaxy Note 7 smartphone owners were preparing Monday to file a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics over the fire-prone device. Attorney Peter Young-Yeel Ko, head of the Harvest Law Firm said Monday that 527 consumers want Samsung to compensate them for the costs to visit shops to exchange their phones, for the hours they had to wait while transferring data and for psychological harm from using a hazardous product.

His clients include a consumer who claims to have lost thousands of pictures from a family vacation and another who drove eight hours round-trip to return the phone. Samsung recalled the Galaxy Note 7 phone because it tends to overheat. It recalled replacement Note 7s after finding they also were prone to catch fire, the company stopped making or selling them.

The company did not immediately respond to called and emailed requests for comment. Ko, a longtime Samsung phone user, said he had to visit a mobile shop three times after buying the Note 7 in August, first to get the battery checked when reports of the devices catching fire first surfaced. He went back to get a replacement phone after Samsung’s first recall and again after the company’s second Note 7 recall.

Apparently in response to criticism over its handling of the recalls, Samsung announced Monday that Note 7 owners who switch to Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge smartphones can get 50 percent discounts on upgrades to Galaxy S8 or Note 8 smartphones next year if they return the S7 or S7 Edges.

Samsung earlier offered 30,000 won ($26) worth of coupons for the Samsung mobile shopping mall to all Note 7 users. Those switching to other Samsung phones were offered 70,000 won ($62) worth of coupons.

Kim Chae Yong, who joined the lawsuit, said he spent nearly $100 on gas and highway fees to return a Note 7 phone after the first recall. Kim drove about 300 kilometres (185 miles) from his home in Cheonan to Busan, where he had bought the Note 7. “I feel betrayed,” the 26-year-old plant engineer said. “I am angry and I don’t ever want to use it again.”

Associated Press

Apple iPhone 7 hits South Korean stores in Note 7’s absence

  21 Oct 2016 , 14:24

The Apple iPhone 7 went on sale in South Korea, seeking to fill a void left by arch-rival Samsung on its home turf following a damaging recall fiasco over the Note 7 smartphone.

The South Korean electronics giant discontinued the Note 7 — one of its key iPhone challengers — on October 11 following reports that replacements for combustible models were also catching fire.

The decision is set to cost Samsung billions in lost profits, and there are already signs that Apple is reaping some of the benefits.

An official at mobile carrier Korea Telecom (KT) said the first batch of 50,000 iPhone 7s they put up for pre-order a week ago sold out in 15 minutes. “I would attribute part of that to the Note 7 effect,” said the official, who declined to be identified because he was not authorised to talk to the media.

Customer defection is one of Samsung’s biggest concerns, especially as the Note 7 was specifically aimed at taking on the iPhone in the premium handset market. In the hope of retaining customer loyalty, Samsung had offered Note 7 users a 70,000 won ($60) phone bill credit if they swapped their faulty phones with another Samsung handset.

The half-dozen customers buying the new iPhone at a KT store in central Seoul on Friday were all long-time Apple users who had pre-ordered their handsets. Office worker Lee Kyung-Hee, 34, said she had moved fast when the pre-order service opened, fearing a surge of interest from unhappy Note 7 owners.

“I set an alarm and was very quick,” Lee said. In South Korea, retail prices for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus start from 869,000 won and 1.02 million won respectively, for their basic 32GB models.

AFP

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 woes continue; 5-7 million users may switch to iPhone 7

A burnt Samsung Galaxy Note 7 in an aircraft

By tech2 News Staff /  18 Oct 2016 , 16:42

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is dead! The new replacement devices began catching fire, and finally the company decided on a recall and provide users refund or other device options. This conundrum is believed to be beneficial to arch-rival Apple.

With slowing smartphone markets, everyone knew how important the new device was for Samsung. But, as luck would have it, Apple will be eating into Samsung’s share as prolific analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI (via 9To5Mac) says atleast 5-7 million ex-Note 7 users will switch to the iPhone 7, and majorly to the larger iPhone 7 Plus.

Kuo explains the new dual camera would prove to be an attractive feature for users. Moreover, the report adds that the intersection of users has shown very little loyalty to any particular manufacture, and many may choose to switch to iOS, who may have previously used the iPhone devices.

However, the analyst does add that the impact of Note 7 will not last for too long. But, Kuo does warn that repetition of such an event may destroy the Samsung brand. However, iPhone 7 isn’t the only alternative, and there are others in the queue too, such as the all-new Google Pixel and Galaxy S7 edge. In fact, Samsung is already known to be offeringalternatives like Galaxy S7, S7 Edge to appease India customers.

Potential class action lawsuit against Samsung in US over exploding Note 7

Image Credit: REUTERS

  19 Oct 2016 , 08:55

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd’s U.S. unit is facing a proposed class action lawsuit from three Galaxy Note 7 customers, according to a filing in a federal court in Newark, New Jersey. The complaint against Samsung Electronics America Inc seeks to represent a nationwide class of Note 7 customers in Nevada, Pennsylvania and California.The world’s top smartphone maker last week permanently ended sales of the fire-prone Note 7 smartphone less than two months after its launch.

The world’s top smartphone maker last week permanently ended sales of the fire-prone Note 7 smartphone less than two months after its launch. Samsung announced the recall of 2.5 million Note 7s in early September following numerous reports of the phones catching fire in what could be one of the costliest product safety failures in tech history.

A spokeswoman for Samsung Electronics America declined to comment on the pending litigation. The complaint, filed on October 16, alleges that the consumers discontinued using the phones after the recall, but were asked to wait days or weeks for a replacement phone.

The complaint states that the consumers continued to incur monthly device and plan charges for phones they could not use. This comes after the company opened up Samsung Galaxy Note 7 exchange and return stalls on airports from South Korea to United states of America. The USA has made carrying Note 7 in flights, a federal crime to deter people from carrying the phones.

With inputs from Reuters