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posted by takyon on Wednesday June 28 2017, @07:02PM   Printer-friendly
from the firefandom-edition dept.

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Samsung Recalls Galaxy Note 7 due to ‘Exploding’ Batteries 4 comments

Two Soylentils wanted to fill us in on Samsung's Note 7.

Every shipped Galaxy Note 7 is subject to a battery-related recall:

Looks like Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 can give you some bang for your buck after all—Samsung will be issuing a global recall for all 2.5 million of the phones it has shipped so far, says Reuters. Some of the phones shipped with faulty batteries that could catch on fire. Details of the recall program will be available as soon as Samsung works out the details with different carriers in different countries, and customers will be able to exchange their phones for models with non-faulty batteries or get their money back entirely.

Samsung provided the following statement to Ars and other publications:

"In response to recently reported cases of the new Galaxy Note 7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue. To date (as of September 1) there have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market. However, because our customers' safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have stopped sales of the Galaxy Note 7. For customers who already have Galaxy Note 7 devices, we will voluntarily replace their current device with a new one over the coming weeks."

As reported by CNN Samsung has decided to pull a Dell and ship batteries in the latest addtion to their flagship lineup - The Note 7. (A shame - I was going to buy two). Samsung has issued this statement, which could have been shortened to "We're sorry we set some shit on fire. Here, have a new one on the house". All prompted by this video.


Original Submission #1
Original Submission #2

Florida Man Sues Samsung Over Galaxy Note 7 that Exploded in His Pants 37 comments

Samsung is facing a lawsuit from a Galaxy Note 7 owner who endured an exploding phone in his pants just hours before Samsung began to cooperate with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission on an official recall:

After news emerged that Samsung had received 92 reports in the US about the battery in its Galaxy Note 7 phone overheating -- including 26 cases involving burns -- it seemed only time before someone would contact a lawyer.

Now, Reuters reports, 28-year-old Jonathan Strobel of Boca Raton, Florida, has filed what may be the first lawsuit in the US involving the Note 7's combustible battery. Strobel's suit, filed Friday, says his Note 7 exploded in his front pants pocket on September 9. This allegedly happened in a Costco in Palm Beach Gardens, where Strobel works. "His right thigh has a deep second-degree burn the size of the phone," Keith Pierro, Strobel's lawyer, told me, adding that Strobel's left hand was also burnt. (He apparently reached for his overheating phone with his opposite hand.)

The Palm Beach Post reported that Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue described the phone as having melted inside Strobel's pants.

The complaint says that Strobel suffered "sustained serious and permanent bodily injuries resulting in pain and suffering, permanent impairment, disability, mental anguish, inconvenience, loss of the enjoyment of life, expense of medical care and treatment, expense of hospitalization, lost wages, and ability to earn wages in the past and to be experienced in the future."


Original Submission

Samsung Faces the Prospect of a Second Galaxy Note 7 Recall 6 comments

Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 troubles may not be over, following another incendiary incident aboard an aircraft:

Samsung Electronics Co. could face an unusual second recall of its Note 7 smartphones if one that caught fire aboard an airliner this week is a replacement device as its owner says, two former U.S. safety officials said.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission are investigating Wednesday's incident, when a passenger's phone emitted smoke on a Southwest Airlines Co. plane readying for departure from Louisville, Kentucky. A flight attendant doused it with a fire extinguisher, and the plane was evacuated without injury. "If it's the fixed phone and it started to smoke in his pocket, I'm going to guess there'll be another recall," said Pamela Gilbert, a former executive director of the consumer agency. "That just doesn't sound right."

Samsung has been engulfed in crisis since the Note 7 smartphones began to burst into flames just days after hitting the market in August. The Suwon, South Korea-based company announced last month that it would replace all 2.5 million phones sold globally at that point. Samsung said it had uncovered the cause of the battery fires and that it was certain new phones wouldn't have the same flaws. [...] Samsung and U.S. officials announced the [first] recall after 92 reports of batteries overheating in the U.S., with 26 cases involving burns.

Previously:

Samsung Recalls Galaxy Note 7 due to 'Exploding' Batteries
Florida Man Sues Samsung Over Galaxy Note 7 that Exploded in His Pants


Original Submission

UPDATE: Samsung Halts Galaxy Note 7 Production 36 comments

"We are temporarily adjusting the Galaxy Note7 production schedule in order to take further steps to ensure quality and safety matters," a company spokesperson said. Production of the phone has been temporarily suspended, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Monday.

The development is the latest in a string of embarrassing setbacks for Samsung over the Note 7, one of its flagship smartphones. It comes aftercell phone carriers in the United States and Australia said they would stop offering replacement Note 7s following concerns that the new versions are no safer from fire risk than the originals.

Soon after the Galaxy Note 7 hit stores in August, some users reported that their phones were catching fire. Samsung (SSNLF) recalled about 2.5 million of the devices worldwide last month, blaming faulty batteries for overheating the phones and causing them to ignite.

Replacement phones were supposed to solve the issue, and users started trading in their old devices. But some customers have been reporting the same dangerous problems with their new phones.

In the past week, an American user reported his replacement phone caught fire, even though it wasn't plugged in. And on Wednesday, smoke started billowing from a replacement Galaxy Note 7 aboard a Southwest Airline plane before it departed, prompting the flight's cancellation.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has said it is investigating the incident on the plane.

TuanAnh Nguyen, a research analyst at Canalys, said the production halt would cost Samsung billions of dollars in lost sales over the next six to nine months. It should now abandon the product entirely, he said. "Samsung needs to quickly put an end to the Note 7 line so as not to get deeper into trouble with recalls and faulty devices which will tarnish its brand," Nguyen said.

UPDATE:

Official: Samsung Halts All Sales of Galaxy Note 7, Recommends Powering Down and Getting a Refund |

Submitted via IRC for exec

Moments ago, Samsung confirmed that they are halting all sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note 7 across the globe. Not only that, but they are recommending that owners of the phone turn them off and “take advantage of the remedies available.” Those remedies are returning the phone at the place of purchase for a refund …

Source: http://www.droid-life.com/2016/10/10/official-samsung-halts-sales-galaxy-note-7-recommends-powering-getting-refund/

All sales and production of the Galaxy Note 7 have now been halted.


Previously:

Samsung Recalls Galaxy Note 7 due to 'Exploding' Batteries
Florida Man Sues Samsung Over Galaxy Note 7 that Exploded in His Pants
Samsung Faces the Prospect of a Second Galaxy Note 7 Recall


Original Submission

Samsung 'Blocks' Exploding Note 7 Parody Videos 22 comments

Samsung 'Blocks' Exploding Note 7 Parody Videos

Samsung appears to have filed copyright claims against YouTube videos mocking its recalled Galaxy Note 7 handset. Many gamers have showcased a modification to video game Grand Theft Auto V, in which sticky bombs were switched with exploding Samsung phones.

But some have reported that their videos have been blocked on YouTube following a copyright complaint.

Samsung has not yet responded to repeated BBC requests for comment.

Critics have warned that trying to remove gamers' videos will only draw more attention to them.

One US gamer - known as DoctorGTA - said restrictions had been put on his YouTube account as a result of Samsung's complaint. "It's going to take three months to get the strike removed from my channel... I got my live stream taken away," he said in a video.

Game Modification Ridicules Samsung Galaxy Note 7

The gamer HitmanNiko (non-Cloudflare link), and perhaps others, modified the sticky bomb weapon in Grand Theft Auto V , giving it the appearance of the trouble-prone Samsung Galaxy Note 7 mobile phone. Reportedly, Samsung sent a DMCA notice to YouTube, requesting that one of the videos showing the mod in use be taken offline, and YouTube, initially, complied. The video (N.B. shows violence) is currently available; according to the uploader, "YouTube finally put it back up."

coverage:

related:
Samsung Recalls Galaxy Note 7 due to 'Exploding' Batteries

Samsung Faces the Prospect of a Second Galaxy Note 7 Recall

UPDATE: Samsung Halts Galaxy Note 7 Production


Original Submission #1Original Submission #2

Samsung Posts 30 Percent Profit Plunge on Note 7 Crisis 7 comments

Samsung Electronics on Thursday reported an expected 30 percent profit plunge on the back of a highly damaging recall crisis that hammered the reputation of the world's largest smartphone maker. The third quarter earnings were announced just hours before the start of an annual shareholder meeting which was set to approve the latest step in a complex generational change of leadership at the family-run South Korean conglomerate.

Samsung said its operating profit for the July-September period stood at 5.2 trillion won ($4.6 billion), compared with 7.3 trillion won a year ago. The profit slump was in line with a revised earning estimate issued by Samsung two weeks earlier after it killed off its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone due to devices overheating and bursting into flames.

The decision to discontinue production of a model aimed at competing with arch-rival Apple's iPhone was a devastating move for a company that prides itself on the quality production of cutting-edge technology.

Live by the smartphone, die by the smartphone.


Original Submission

Samsung Takes Out Full-Page Ads to Apologise for the Note 7 41 comments

In a full-page ad taken out in major US newspapers on Monday, tech manufacturer Samsung has offered an apology for the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, which was fitted with a faulty battery, leading to an unprecedented number of the devices exploding. In September of this year, Samsung issued a full recall; now it's promising to fully investigate the phone, Korea Herald reports.

"An important tenet of our mission is to offer best-in-class safety and quality. Recently, we fell short on this promise. For this we are truly sorry," the ad reads."A careful Note 7 investigation is underway and the findings will be shared when the process is complete...We will re-examine every aspect of the device, including all hardware, software, manufacturing and the overall battery structure. We will move as quickly as possible, but will take the time needed to get the right answers."

Is it too late? The devices have been exploding for months.


Original Submission

Samsung Software Update Will Brick Few Note 7s Left in the Wild 34 comments

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

Starting December 19, Samsung will begin distributing a software update that prevents the phones from charging and "will eliminate their ability to work as mobile devices." The software update will be rolled out over 30 days.

[...] Samsung is encouraging anyone who has not yet returned their device to power it down and contact their carrier to obtain a refund or exchange, or visit its Note 7 recall website for more information. The company recalled the device earlier this year because the battery on some units overheated and caught fire. Samsung also permanently stopped production of the phone.

But leading US mobile carrier Verizon has decided not to push out the update, citing safety issues. Here's the statement it released:

"Verizon will not be taking part in this update because of the added risk this could pose to Galaxy Note 7 users that do not have another device to switch to," the statement read. "We will not push a software upgrade that will eliminate the ability for the Note 7 to work as a mobile device in the heart of the holiday travel season. We do not want to make it impossible to contact family, first responders or medical professionals in an emergency situation."

Original Submission

"Galaxy Note 7" Wi-Fi SSID Delays U.S. Flight 36 comments

An American flight was delayed due to a passenger changing the SSID of a device to "Samsung Galaxy Note 7_1097":

Lucas Wojciechowski was on Virgin America flight 358 from San Francisco to Boston and told BBC News he photographed the hotspot after noticing it when he opened his laptop. A call went out for any passenger with a Note 7 to press their call button. Mr. Wojciechowski subsequently tweeted the crew's announcements from the late night flight after the pilot warned passengers they would have to make an emergency landing.

"This isn't a joke. We're going to turn on the lights (it's 11pm) and search everyone's bag until we find it. "This is the captain speaking. Apparently the plane is going to have to get diverted and searched if nobody fesses up soon." The owner came forward confessing there was no Samsung Galaxy Note 7 on board, but they had changed the name of their SSID wireless device to 'Samsung Galaxy Note 7_1097.'

The real world is funnier than any joke.


Original Submission

Source of Samsung Note 7 Fires Announced 12 comments

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/22/511134871/samsung-pins-blame-on-batteries-for-galaxy-note-7-meltdowns

In a packed press conference at its offices in southern Seoul Monday, the world's biggest smartphone maker again apologized to customers around the world for the bungling of its product release. Phones were initially recalled and replaced, but the replacement devices also began to catch fire.

Presentations at the announcement by outside investigators backed up Samsung's findings, which indicate batteries from supplier A were shorting because of a design flaw or in some cases a lack of insulation tape. And batteries from supplier B — which were issued in the replacement phones following the initial recall — were catching fire because of a separate manufacturing defect.

A story at Ars Technica provides additional information:

[Continues...]

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  • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday June 28 2017, @07:33PM (11 children)

    by bob_super (1357) on Wednesday June 28 2017, @07:33PM (#532589)

    I don't know if they'll sell many, but at least they have displaced the "exploding" results from basic searches about the galaxy note.

    • (Score: 3, Funny) by wonkey_monkey on Wednesday June 28 2017, @07:45PM (10 children)

      by wonkey_monkey (279) on Wednesday June 28 2017, @07:45PM (#532597) Homepage

      I'm not sure using the first letter of the word "exploding" in the suffix was a clever idea.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:11PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:11PM (#532604)

        But it also includes the first letter of "fixed"!

      • (Score: 4, Funny) by Absolutely.Geek on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:12PM (1 child)

        by Absolutely.Geek (5328) on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:12PM (#532605)

        Galaxy Note 7 F(ire)E(xploding) edition pick one up today :)

        --
        Don't trust the police or the government - Shihad: My mind's sedate.
      • (Score: 3, Funny) by RamiK on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:16PM (4 children)

        by RamiK (1813) on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:16PM (#532607)

        Flammable & Explosive \ Flammable Edition \ Fiery Edition \ Flammability Enhanced \ Fully Explosive \ Functionally Explosive... And those are just the straightforwards ones off the top of one's head.

        --
        compiling...
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:42PM (1 child)

          by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:42PM (#532625)

          Fire Element / Final Embers / Friction Event... I'm reading an LN right now.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 28 2017, @09:04PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 28 2017, @09:04PM (#532642)

            need some litrpg and wuxia experts to keep this one going...

        • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:42PM (1 child)

          by bob_super (1357) on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:42PM (#532627)

          Finally Extinguished, maybe?

          • (Score: 1) by Farmer Tim on Wednesday June 28 2017, @10:28PM

            by Farmer Tim (6490) on Wednesday June 28 2017, @10:28PM (#532668)
            I'd say that's a Futile Expectation.
            --
            Came for the news, stayed for the soap opera.
      • (Score: 2) by richtopia on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:38PM

        by richtopia (3160) on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:38PM (#532624) Homepage Journal

        It is actually called the Fandom Edition.

        I strongly prefer something along the lines of Fiery Explosion. It sounds less stupid.

      • (Score: 3, Funny) by tekk on Wednesday June 28 2017, @09:26PM

        by tekk (5704) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday June 28 2017, @09:26PM (#532650)

        The FE stands for Fractically never Explodes. There was a typo somewhere along the line.

  • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:56PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 28 2017, @08:56PM (#532637)

    They should've dropped the "7".

    Try explaining to the airlines/security/customs that the "7 FE" should be allowed and that it was only the "7" that should be excluded from flights. I'm sure that they will act in a perfectly reasonable way and not cause you any problems.

  • (Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Wednesday June 28 2017, @09:28PM (5 children)

    by MichaelDavidCrawford (2339) Subscriber Badge <mdcrawford@gmail.com> on Wednesday June 28 2017, @09:28PM (#532652) Homepage Journal

    "Fire Engine"?

    --
    Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
  • (Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday June 28 2017, @10:47PM

    by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Wednesday June 28 2017, @10:47PM (#532675) Journal

    I forgot or never knew that <del>Text</del> would work in the dept. line. Neato.

    As for the phone, I was a little surprised at first, then I realized that Samsung must have millions of relevant parts and built phones just laying around. We don't know the extent of what they've done to make it "safe", but most of the problems should be related to the battery. Swap in a lower capacity one known not to explode, and you're golden.

    They are asking for ~$600 for this thing and will likely sell the Galaxy Note 8 for $900-1000. Also, the rumor mill says that the Galaxy Note 9 will have a 7nm Exynos chip.

    --
    [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
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