Samsung seems to have finally suspended operations of Galaxy Note 7. Last week, close to four explosions were reported in the replacement units.
Samsung’s earlier recall of Note 7 devices had cost the electronics giant billions of dollars
South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency on Monday cited an official informing the halt of Note 7 production. The unnamed official said the temporary halt was in cooperation with consumer safety regulators from South Korea, the United States and China.
A Samsung plant in Vietnam responsible for the shipments of the Galaxy Note 7 has reportedly suspended all operations. The latest development comes just a day after two U.S. carriers stopped exchanging or selling the premium devices.
Both AT&T and T-Mobile expressed concern over the replacement devices that continued to indicate faulty batteries resulting in explosion. T-Mobile is asking users to stop using their devices and power them down. It further have advised Note 7 buyers to exchange their phones for a different device or a full refund. The carrier also said that customers could expect a $25 credit on their monthly T-Mobile bill.
The latest reports of explosion has put Samsung in a tight spot. It all began in August several Note 7 devices burst into flames due to battery overheating.
“Samsung is committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident report from our valued customers very seriously. In response to recently reported cases of the new Galaxy Note 7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue,” a press note had earlier stated. As of September 1, Samsung said there were 35 cases reported globally and inspection was carried to identify affected batteries in the market.
The statement was followed by another on September 10 which announced a global replacement program for the Galaxy Note 7 as a precautionary measure. Users were urged to power down their Galaxy Note 7s and exchange them for a new device. Samsung had recalled more than 2.7 million of the phones. The replacement devices did not take much time to arrive. By the end of last month, Note 7 owners in South Korea and the United States started receiving their replacement units.
While the bad press considerably reduced, fresh explosions of Note 7 has now complicated the issue. Last week, three separate incidents of batteries exploding were reported. Airlines and airport authorities are now urging passengers to stop using their Note 7 devices on board.