In a warning issued today, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission warned owners of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices to “power them down and stop charging or using” the devices.
Samsung has already issued a recall of sorts, “advising” customers to take their Galaxy Note 7 devices to a store and exchange them for a temporary phone, and eventually a non-exploding device.
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Numerous reports have emerged in the past weeks of Galaxy Note 7s exploding, including a dramatic fire that incinerated one Florida couple’s Jeep. But Samsung has not gone the conventional route for issuing a product recall, which would involve working with the CPSC to recall all affected devices. It appears that is now in the works.
“CPSC is working quickly to determine whether a replacement Galaxy Note7 is an acceptable remedy for Samsung or their phone carriers to provide to consumers,” the agency told ABC.
“These incidents have occurred while charging and during normal use, which has led us to call for consumers to power down their Note 7s.”
Currently, Samsung is “asking owners to take advantage of the Product Exchange Program” it has put in place. That program lets owners exchange their phones for a non-combustible Note 7, and in some cases have a loaner phone for the weeks until a new Note 7 can be issued.
Some airlines have already banned passengers from using or charging their Note 7s while in flight. Those bans are on Australian airlines, but the FAA is reportedly looking into issuing a ban on the carriage or use of Note 7s.
Update 1900 ET: Samsung has issued a statement confirming its collaboration with the CPSC on a US recall:
We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note7s and exchange them now.” says Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America. “New Note7 replacement devices will be issued to exchange program participants upon completion of the CPSC process. In the interim, consumers can return their Note7 for another device.”
Although there have been only a small number of reported incidents, Samsung is taking great care to provide customers with the support they need. Samsung has identified the affected inventory and stopped sales and shipments of those devices. Customers who have Galaxy Note7 devices can replace their current device with a new device under the terms of the US Note7 Exchange Program.
The US Note7 Exchange Program offers consumers the following choices:
- Exchange current Galaxy Note7 device with a new Galaxy Note7 (pending CPSC approval).
- Exchange current Galaxy Note7 for a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge and replacement of any Note7 specific accessories with a refund of the price difference between devices.
Select carrier and retail outlets will also provide customers, who prefer a replacement Note7, with a Samsung loaner phone to use until new Note7s are available.
Additionally, participants in the US exchange program will receive a $25 gift card or bill credit from select carrier or retail outlets.
