If you are located in the U.S. and still own a Galaxy Note 7, then be prepared for a dead phone. Samsung is about to disable all Galaxy Note 7 units with an update.
A message from US Cellular on Thursday stated “Samsung will modify the software to prevent the Galaxy Note 7 from charging”. The Verge first reported of the message that ended with a warning that “the phone will no longer work”.
Samsung had been sending several reminders urging Note 7 owners to power down and return the faulty device. There is also a reminder pop-up message each time the phone’s screen is turned on. A recent update even limited the Note 7’s ability to charge beyond 60 percent.
In some countries, Samsung has already made the Note 7 unusable, for instance Canada and New Zealand.
Samsung announced a global recall of the Note 7 in early September after it found a flaw in the battery. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on Sept. 15 announced a recall in the U.S. of about 1 million Note 7 phones.
Interestingly, even the initial replacement phones did not see a resolve. Some customers reported fixed phones overheating, leading to a final recall. A recent report suggested that the phone’s design could be the culprit, with much pressure added on the battery.
The Note 7 was expected to be one of the biggest selling handsets of the year. Samsung started selling Note 7 in the U.S. on August 19.