US Note7 recall expands to replacement phones

Electronics said on Thursday it has expanded its recall of Galaxy Note7 smartphones in the US to include all replacement devices the company offered as a presumed safe alternative after the original Note7s were found prone to catch fire.

Seoul

Electronics said on Thursday it has expanded its recall of Galaxy Note7 smartphones in the US to include all replacement devices the company offered as a presumed safe alternative after the original Note7s were found prone to catch fire. (AP)

Electronics said on Thursday it has expanded its recall of Galaxy Note7 smartphones in the US to include all replacement devices the company offered as a presumed safe alternative after the original Note7s were found prone to catch fire.

The move announced on the websites of Samsung and the Consumer Product Safety Commission Thursday came after Samsung announced earlier this week that it was discontinuing the product following reports that the replacements also were overheating.

The product safety agency said that 1.9 million original and replacement Galaxy Note7 smartphones are subject to the expanded recall in the US, including 1 million Note7 phones sold after Samsung’s first round of recall on September 15.

The agency said there were 96 reports of batteries in Note7 phones overheating in the country, including 23 new reports since the first recall announcement last month. The company received 13 reports of burns and 47 reports of property damages associated with the phones.

The problem with the replacements is still unclear. Experts say Samsung may have rushed to conclude the Note7’s problem was a battery issue and it may take a long time to find the real cause.

Seeking to retain customers, Samsung is giving an incentive of a $100 (Rs 6,650) credit to Note 7 owners who switch to another Samsung phone.

The Note7, which was among the most expensive smartphones in the market, was sold for between $850 (₹55,525) and $890 (₹59,185).

Meanwhile, the chief of Samsung Electronics’ mobile division Koh Dong-jin is believed to have vowed restore confidence and trust in the quality of the firm’s products. Dong-jin sent an email “A letter to our executives and staff members” in which he noted that “as the chief of the division, I myself can’t help feeling frustrated.”

“I promise to identify the fundamental cause at any cost so that all of our customers can restore trust in Samsung’s products and use them pleasantly,” he said.

This was the first time an executive responsible for the Note7 commented publicly regarding the issue.