Samsung considering recall of Note7 amid fire concerns: reports
Samsung’s Galaxy Note7 is one of the best smartphones on the market. It’s got a big, beautiful display, fantastic camera and great stylus functionality. But the tech giant is halting shipments of its highly anticipated handset over quality control concerns, and there are unconfirmed reports that it is considering a recall.
In a statement to Reuters, Samsung representatives said the company is delaying shipments of the Note7, “due to additional tests being conducted for product quality.” The Reuters report, however, doesn’t mention what the quality issues are.
Since the handset maker made its announcement, the company’s market value has taken a $7 billion hit. The decision to halt shipments of the Note7 follows reports that two users in South Korea have seen their handsets catch fire or explode while charging. It’s unclear, however, if the two incidents are linked at this time.
Reports that Samsung’s considering a recall
Now there are unconfirmed reports that that Samsung is considering issuing a recall of certain versions of the Note7 that may be affected by the potential battery issue. Both ZDNet and the Korea Herald are reporting about the possibility of a recall, though the Korea Herald doesn’t cite any specific sources. ZDNet says it spoke to people familiar with the matter. We reached out to Samsung for comment on the company’s decision to hold shipments of the smartphone, but did not receive a response before publication.
It’s not clear whether the individuals who complained about the handsets were using Samsung’s official device chargers, though if they were using knock-offs, the fires would seem to make sense. Similar issues have been reported with a number of different smartphones in the past.
A delay in Note7 shipments could prove problematic for Samsung, as the device is seen as the company’s second most important device behind its flagship Galaxy S7. The company already saw success in S7 sales and was hoping to see that continue following overwhelmingly positive reviews of the Note7.
Delays could especially spell trouble as consumers unable to buy the Note7 may simply decide to purchase Apple’s upcoming iPhone, which is expected to be announced during a major press event on Sept. 7. If the Note7 is unavailable or consumers fear the prospect of their phone catching fire or being recalled, they may simply avoid the handset altogether in favor of Apple’s offerings.
via: ZDNet, Korea Herald
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Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
