Owner of new, 'safe' Galaxy Note 7 claims his device exploded (UPDATE: images)

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Samsung's much-publicised Galaxy Note 7 recall was announced earlier this month just as the phablet was due to hit the Chinese market. Since the China-bound models employed Amperex Technology Ltd (ATL) batteries rather than problematic Samsung SDI components, this variant was deemed as 'safe'. Indeed, ATL has since assumed responsibility for most if not all batteries found inside replacement Note 7 handsets worldwide. The whole recall could be in major doubt if one of these newer Note 7 devices was found to be a fire hazard, and now, one China-based owner says his just-purchased handset has exploded. 

Chinese Note 7 owner Hui Renjie says he purchased his note over at JD.com this weekend and it arrived Monday morning. Details of what happened next are scant, but we've heard enough of these stories to have a rough idea. The episode has apparently left him with two burned fingers and a damaged MacBook to go with his presumably totaled Note 7.

He was then visited by a Samsung rep who offered to take the handset away, to which Hui declined. According to Bloomberg, the customer says he doesn't trust Samsung to disclose the cause of the fire, and wishes to publicize the problem. Samsung is said to be still in contact with the customer, though it's unclear if a resolution has yet been reached. 

A previous incident of an exploding Note 7 in China was found to have been caused by external heat. But trust in Samsung throughout China, as with most of the world right now, is not particularly high.

Until the full details of this new situation are brought light, there should be no reason for owners of safe Galaxy Note 7 devices to worry. With that said, if there is found to be an issue with these new devices, a second recall would be on the cards, and Samsung's depleted reputation could be in line for an even bigger hit. 

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Update: Courtesy of CNN, a couple of images of Hui's Note 7 and injured MacBook can be seen in the gallery below. Incidentally, the device's packing includes the little black box that would suggest a safe device. Additionally, when we typed the depicted IMEI into Samsung's recall checker, the subsequent message identified Hui's device as a safe one:


source: Bloomberg, CNN

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