The U.S. government on Thursday moved to recall Samsung's highest-end smartphone — an unprecedented move for the smartphone industry and one that delivers a severe blow to Samsung in its pursuit to become the world's premium smartphone maker.
Samsung and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission have issued an official recall for the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung's large-screen smartphone that has been known to burst into flames. This is the latest in a series of high-profile recalls involving lithium-ion batteries, which can be found in many different technologies. In recent years, the battery has been blamed for exploding hoverboards, dangerously overheating laptops, and the grounding of airplanes. But the Samsung incident may draw more attention due to the ubiquity of smartphones.
A formal recall allows the U.S. government to do several things, including making it illegal to sell the devices or use them on airplanes. Absent that formal process, several airlines have been announcing at the gate or before takeoff that the Note 7 cannot be charged or used on flights, citing the explosion risk.
This recall involved the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone sold before Sept. 15. U.S. officials said that 97 percent of the Note 7 phones sold in the United States have the type of batteries that have caused the fires.
Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls Galaxy Note 7 because of fire risk
Samsung and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission have issued an official recall for the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung's large-screen smartphone that has been known to burst into flames. This is the latest in a series of high-profile recalls involving lithium-ion batteries, which can be found in many different technologies. In recent years, the battery has been blamed for exploding hoverboards, dangerously overheating laptops, and the grounding of airplanes. But the Samsung incident may draw more attention due to the ubiquity of smartphones.
A formal recall allows the U.S. government to do several things, including making it illegal to sell the devices or use them on airplanes. Absent that formal process, several airlines have been announcing at the gate or before takeoff that the Note 7 cannot be charged or used on flights, citing the explosion risk.
This recall involved the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone sold before Sept. 15. U.S. officials said that 97 percent of the Note 7 phones sold in the United States have the type of batteries that have caused the fires.
Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls Galaxy Note 7 because of fire risk
