Don’t get me wrong, the Samsung Galaxy Note7 is a great phone, only when its not exploding or catching on fire. Reportedly there are between 1 million and 2.5 million devices out there and Samsung has recalled these Note7 to be replaced with a unit that is deemed safe by the company. Like most of you, we expected the “battery exploding” issue to be resolved, but the safe units have started exploding too.
There have been multiple reports of fires involving replacement unit of the Galaxy Note 7s from the US, Taiwan and Korea suggest the high probability of a continuing battery safety issue with the phone.
A man in Kentucky (US) said he was “scared to death” when he woke to a bedroom full of smoke, according to reports. Michael Klering of Nicholasville, Kentucky said the phone (picture below) wasn’t even plugged in and charging at the time it combusted. “The phone is supposed to be the replacement, so you would have thought it would be safe,” Klering said. “It wasn’t plugged in. It wasn’t anything, it was just sitting there.”
Samsung representatives asked the man if they could take possession of the phone in order to conduct an investigation and he refused, though he did let Samsung pay to have the damaged phone x-rayed for analysis. Klering says he felt Samsung was helping him, until he got a text message from a Samsung representative that was not intended for his eyes.
That message read: Just now got this. I can try and slow him down if we think it will matter, or we just let him do what he keeps threatening to do and see if he does it
“It made me think you know they’re not taking this serious enough and it’s time to move on,” Klering said.
On Wednesday a replacement Note7 caught fire on a Southwest Airlines plane in the US, due to fly from Louisville, Kentucky, to Baltimore, Maryland. The plane was evacuated before take-off and Samsung has said it was investigating the incident.
Yesterday, a 13-year old girl Farmington (US) says her replacement Samsung smartphone melted in her hand, raising more questions about a massive worldwide recall that was supposed to address fire hazards and safety concerns. Abby Zuis says she felt a “weird, burning sensation” in her thumb while holding her Galaxy Note 7. The phone, which has significant smoke damage and burn marks, melted the protective cover.
Last Friday in Taiwan, a 26-year-old woman, identified only by her surname Lai, allegedly heard a loud bang and felt something burning in her back pocket. She pulled her Note 7 out and found it was starting to emit smoke furiously. At that point, she quickly threw the device on the ground and waited some time for the smoke to clear before picking it up again. She was using a replacement unit, received on September 27.
In Korea, Galaxy Note 7 phones were spotted bursting into flames in public places, one in a Burger King fast-food restaurant and another one in Daejon Hanwha Life Eagles Park. Information on these cases are limited for the time being. Videos below:
In light with these reports, consumers should stop buying the Note7. For safety reasons, Malaysians and users around the world should return their Galaxy Note 7 and insist for a refund. Doubts over the safety of the phone will never disappear and you may never be able to use it on a plane or easily sell/trade it away (when you want to upgrade a phone).
The Note7 was a great phone but the damage is done and Samsung will undoubtedly suffer in the long term, and it could affect the sales of future devices, such as the Galaxy S8. This is, of course bad for Samsung but it is great news for other Android smartphone makers out there.
If you are looking for a great Android phone, go get the Google Pixel (may not be available in Malaysia through official channels), OnePlus 3, Moto Z, Huawei P9 Plus or the Xiaomi Mi 5s.
Unless you still love the Samsung brand despite the recent fiasco, the Galaxy S7 edge is a great phone (I have one myself) and the Galaxy Note 5 may be a little outdated but it is still a fantastic phone.
Samsung Malaysia can be contacted at via email at myenquiries@samsung.com or call the Samsung Malaysia Careline at 1800-88-7799.
P.s: In the video below, the game, Grand Theft Auto 5’s sticky explosives have been replaced with Samsung Galaxy Note 7s. The real Galaxy Note 7’s battery ran the risk of exploding. The virtual Galaxy Note 7 is far more extreme. Check out the video.
