Confirmed: In an Unprecedented Move, Samsung Recalls All Galaxy Note 7 (yna.co.kr)

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Confirmed: In an Unprecedented Move, Samsung Recalls All Galaxy Note 7 (yna.co.kr)

Posted by msmash on Friday September 2, 2016 @01:20AM from the unprecedented-moves dept.

After delaying shipment of its flagship smartphone Galaxy Note 7 over quality control testing earlier this week, Samsung is all set to recall all of the Note 7 it has shipped in its home nation and abroad, according to rather reliable Yonhap News Agency, which is citing a Samsung official. It would be an unprecedented move from the company. From the report: The Samsung official told Yonhap News Agency that the cause of the reported explosions has been traced to the battery of the new phablet. "The most important thing is the safety of our customers and we don't want to disappoint our loyal customers," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. He said Samsung is expected to announce the result of its investigation into the cause of the reported explosions, as well as comprehensive countermeasures either this weekend or early next week at the latest. "Products installed with the problematic battery account for less than 0.1 percent of the entire volume sold. The problem can be simply resolved by changing the battery, but we'll come up with convincing measures for our consumers," said the official.Samsung confirmed on Friday that it is indeed recalling the Note 7.

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battery? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-01 05:33 · Score: 5, Insightful

just think how easy it would have been if the phone had a user replaceable battery?
1. Re:battery? by Anonymous Coward · 2016-09-01 05:36 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  That's assuming it's the battery and not battery control hardware or software.
2. Re:battery? by tripleevenfall · 2016-09-01 05:47 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  It can't be the battery, they're using the same battery to power the Facebook satellite.
3. Re:battery? by Overzeetop · 2016-09-01 05:53 · Score: 2
  
  And, lucky for us, the Slashdot submitters and editors always ensure that summaries are 100% accurate before posting.
  
  --
  Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
4. Re: battery? by Qzukk · 2016-09-01 06:45 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  The article I read says that the battery cells are all made by Samsung, but the pack (and controller) was made by another company. The Note 7s in China all have their battery packs made from the same Samsung cells by a different company, and those haven't exploded yet.
  
  --
  If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
5. Re:battery? by ChunderDownunder · 2016-09-01 07:36 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Another website claims that phones burst into flames *while charging*.
  So its the phone trying to feed in too much juice rather than the battery otherwise spontaneously combusting during normal operation.
  So a battery with higher tolerance may solve the issue. Bad batteries vs flawed charging procedure?
6. Re:battery? by Opportunist · 2016-09-01 22:32 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  And who wants them to be as thin as possible? I'm honestly asking, please, if there is ANYONE here who actually consider this a feature they're looking for in a phone, I would be genuinely interested in the reason! I do not know a single person who ever said that they'd really want their phone to be thinner.
  
  --
  We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
7. Re:battery? by jellomizer · 2016-09-02 00:42 · Score: 2
  
  Because that is what is popular now.
  Lets look at PC's
  The 1980's the goal were to make smaller Desktops You see things like the Commodore 64 the Apple ][... All really trying to be as small as they can make it and still be functional.
  Then during the 1990's the trend went toward big towers with ports and slots for massive expansions... That nearly no one actually filled up.
  The 2000's The mini-Tower was popular. However it still had a bunch of empty space. Where it was trendy to have a PC Window with Neon Lights and Liquid cooling with clear pipes just to make it look impressive.
  People want thin devices because thin devices look cool now. Mostly due the the fact that Thin devices were normally lighter, and were able to fit in bags/pockets much easier. However I think we are getting to a point of diminishing returns.
  
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  If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
8. Re:battery? by Opportunist · 2016-09-02 00:57 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  But doesn't that display a wrong image of cell phones? Not all cell phones are slim, but they are all equally valid. By portraying slim cell phones as popular and preferable we subject fatter, sorry, plus-sized phones into a shame spiral that may lead to them trying to get rid of their battery pack or worse, solder it in, in a false sense of this being what we want from them.
  Cell phones, please listen! I love you just the way you are, it's not how slim you are, it's how easy your battery can be changed! That's what men really want!
  
  --
  We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
9. Re: battery? by ColdWetDog · 2016-09-02 03:18 · Score: 2
  
  They disapointed this loyal customer when they stopped including secondary sd card slots... dissapointed me even further when they sealed the case. What's left?
  Burning down your house seems like the logical next step, yes?
  
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  Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
10. Re:battery? by PatientZero · 2016-09-02 03:53 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Do you really think they just decide to use fixed batteries just to piss you off?
  Don't be silly. They do it to force you to buy a new phone every year or two.
  "Oh, is your battery holding less charge? Just buy a new phone and you'll get a new battery for FREE!"
  
  --
  Freedom to fear. Freedom from thought. Freedom to kill.
  I guess the War on Terror really is about freedom!
Baloney by 110010001000 · 2016-09-01 05:40 · Score: 5, Funny

I'm not sending mine back. I am using it right now to type this and it works just fi
1. Re:Baloney by ranton · 2016-09-01 06:05 · Score: 2
  
  Looks like Slashdot is tracking our posts as we type them, and submitting them for us if our session ends abruptly. I am not happy about this.
  
  --
  -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
2. Re:Baloney by 110010001000 · 2016-09-01 06:15 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Sorry about that. The battery ran out. I'm recharging now and everything is back to nor
Have to lie down in the bed you make by Solandri · 2016-09-01 06:05 · Score: 4, Insightful

The problem can be simply resolved by changing the battery
So... do they think the decision to be more Apple-like and eliminate the user-swappable battery is still a good one?
1. Re: Have to lie down in the bed you make by Opportunist · 2016-09-01 23:09 · Score: 3
  
  So I buy the thinnest phone in existence because for some odd reason thin is the new usable, then complete it with a fucking huge brick that I need a carry case for because I cannot fit it in any pocket.
  Yeah. Great idea.
  
  --
  We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Software problem by hackertourist · 2016-09-01 08:38 · Score: 5, Funny

Some developer snuck in a HCF instruction...
Built-in-batteries... that'll cost 'em by phorm · 2016-09-01 09:47 · Score: 2

If the batteries weren't embedded, then they wouldn't need a recall of the whole phone (assuming the issue is the battery itself and not some part of the charging system).
All they would need to do is recall the battery and have users bring them in to swap for a good battery. As a bonus that's a *lot* less of a pain-in-the-a** for users who will now need to migrate all their data to a new device, or be out a phone in the interum.
Not ettLing Go of My Galaxy Note 3 by BrendaEM · 2016-09-01 09:47 · Score: 2

There's not compelling reason to upgrade--especially if they forgot how to make phones.
Let's see, pen sticks in barrel, no Micro-SD, and now: burning phones.
I want a larger phone/tablet with a pen, but the F'n marketing people won't let us have one.

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https://www.youtube.com/c/BrendaEM
Re:Better safe than blown up I suppose. by 93+Escort+Wagon · 2016-09-01 10:38 · Score: 3, Funny

but at the very least at least Samsung is making sure that they don't earn the reputation for their phone being faulty or explosive.

That's little-picture thinking - they need to think about the BIG PICTURE. This was a HUGE advertising possibility that they've now completely lost...
"The New Samsung Galaxy Note 7 - EXPLOSIVELY Great!"
"The New Samsung Galaxy Note 7 - So Great, It Will BLOW YOUR MIND!"

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#DeleteChrome
Re: Better safe than blown up I suppose. by valdezjuan · 2016-09-01 21:39 · Score: 2

"The New Samsung Galaxy Note 7 - So Great, It Will BLOW OFF YOUR BALLS!!"
Re:Better safe than blown up I suppose. by Opportunist · 2016-09-01 22:33 · Score: 2

You know it's Samsung when that burning sensation in your dick cannot be solved by antibiotics.

--
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Replacements shipping by Chris453 · 2016-09-02 00:26 · Score: 4, Interesting

I wonder how they are going to handle the replacement process. Typically you return the defective product when you get the fixed version, but in this case is Fedex/UPS going to be OK shipping a defective device that might burst into flame? The announcement didn't specify if the battery issue was only triggered when recharging the device.
1. Re:Replacements shipping by ausekilis · 2016-09-02 00:53 · Score: 2
  
  Be sure to make a video and post to facebook when it does catch fire. Just whip out your phone and.. oh... wait...