Smartphones

Samsung may deactivate unreturned Note 7 smartphones

Samsung looks to be taking a hard-line on recalling its Galaxy Note 7, with plans to remotely deactivate any handsets not returned by 30 September.

The Note 7 has been recalled because of a faulty battery that makes the phone a potential fire hazard.

According to a post on Reddit from user LimboJr, every owner of the Galaxy Note 7 in France is being called by Samsung, warning their phone may be deactivated if it is not returned by the end of September.

“We were told that every recalled phone will be remotely deactivated after 30 September. It means that we practically have no other choice than following the procedure,” LimboJr said. “Some of us requested a commercial gesture for the inconvenience, which will be looked at.

Galaxy Note 7 Recall

While not every Galaxy Note 7 is probably at risk of spontaneous combustion, there have been numerous reported incidents of Samsung’s latest smartphone catching fire. The most recent case saw a six-year-old boy burned.

And the risk the Galaxy Note 7 could pose has resulted in several airlines banning its use on their planes.

The battery fault in the Galaxy Note 7 has prompted Samsung to recall every one of the smartphones it has sold worldwide, some 2.5 million units. This has involved the creation of a dedicated exchange programme in the UK.

As a result of this mass recall, Samsung has seen around £10.8 billion wiped off its market value thanks to plummeting share prices, while the recall itself is reportedly costing the Korean technology giant around $1 billion.

The recall came just before arch rival Apple unveiled the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, with pre-orders for the new models currently live.

Antony Savvas

York, UK-based Antony Savvas has been a technology journalist for 25 years and has expertise in all major areas of enterprise and consumer IT. He has worked for a number of leading technology magazines and websites and his work is syndicated across the internet. He also undertakes corporate work for some of the world's leading technology companies.

Share
Published by
Antony Savvas
Tags: AppleSamsung

Recent Posts

Flashpoint enters new chapter with global partner programme

Security vendor Flashpoint debuts partner programme following $28m funding

7 years ago

Channel partner “disconnect” hindering growth

Complex buying journeys and sprawling partner networks hampering customer experience, says Accenture

7 years ago

Cyxtera launches global channel partner programme

Datacentre provider Cyxtera says launch is “milestone in our go-to-market strategy”

7 years ago

US IT provider brings mainframe services to UK

Ensono highlights importance of mainframes still to major industries

7 years ago

VASCO and Nuvias expand distribution across EMEA

Security vendor VASCO looks to replicate UK and German set up across EMEA

7 years ago

Splunk says channel investments driving growth

Splunk details investment in Partner+ programme at .conf2017

7 years ago