Consumer Reports: Samsung has not officially recalled the Galaxy Note 7

Many industry observers have given Samsung high marks for quickly responding to the battery defect found in the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. The manufacturer has stopped selling the device, put a halt to shipping the phone, and offered to exchange any purchased units for another model. But Consumer Reports says that Samsung has not gone far enough. 

The response by Samsung to 35 defective Galaxy Note 7 units is going to cost Samsung a huge chunk of change, disappointing after demand for the phone was so strong. Some reports say that the company will have to take a $1.5 billion charge against its earnings. But Consumer Reports wants Samsung to go through the motions required to make an official recall of the phablet. By making the recall official, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) gets involved, and selling the Galaxy Note 7 would become illegal. Instead, Consumer Reports checked numerous retailers on Friday morning and found that many of them were still selling the device.

Despite numerous headlines that said Samsung had recalled the phone, no official recall has been filed. Maria Rerecich, Consumer Reports director of electronics testing, called the problem "serious" and said, "We are particularly concerned that phones continue to be available for sale today." The consumer advocacy organization recommends that those using the Galaxy Note 7 unplug the phone if it gets too hot while charging. It also suggests that those with the phablet return it to the store it was purchased from.

About a week and a half ago, we passed along the first report of an exploding Galaxy Note 7. Days later, a second unit exploded. Since both incidents took place while the phone was in the process of being charged, Samsung zeroed in on the battery and found it to be defective (except in China where a different cell is used).

source: ConsumerReports via CNET