Report: Samsung to issue a recall for the Galaxy Note 7; defective battery is to blame?

How quickly has the sky fallen on Samsung? Two weeks ago, the company was basking in the success of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 launch, which was reflected a few days later by the company's stock making an all-time high. Demand for the phone was crushing supply, and it appeared that Samsung was about to continue the momentum it earned earlier this year with the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Samsung Galaxy S7 edge.

But then came word that a Galaxy Note 7 had exploded while being charged. A few days later, it happened again. Responding quickly, Samsung halted shipments of the phone, explaining that additional tests needed to be run before more units could be delivered. The company's shares have lost $7 billion in value since the announcement of the shipping halt.

This morning, an electrifying report was published by South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. Apparently, Samsung has discovered that the battery in the Galaxy Note 7 is defective. As a result, it will issue a recall possibly for all units as early as this weekend, or at the beginning of next week at the latest. The manufacturer is reportedly in talks with the largest U.S. carrier, Verizon, over the logistics of a recall. There isn't a standard procedure for Samsung and the carriers to follow since the Galaxy Note 7 would be the first smartphone to actually be recalled.

This couldn't have happened at a worse time for Samsung with its top rival Apple about to introduce the 2016 iPhone models on September 7th. Speaking of Apple, it was the iPhone 4 that could have been the first smartphone to be recalled. Problems with the antenna design caused the phone to lose signal strength when held a certain way with the left hand. While there was talk of a recall, Apple issued free rubber bumpers (or a $15 refund) that prevented a user's hand from coming into contact with the antenna. This flaw spawned the Antennagate controversy of 2010. The difference between the iPhone 4 and the Galaxy Note 7 is that the latter's problem could be life threatening.


If you currently own the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, keep checking in. As soon as Samsung makes any sort of announcement, we'll let you know.


source: YonhapNewsAgency