Samsung’s new Galaxy Note 7 was the most impressive smartphone the world had ever seen when it was first released over the summer. The phone featured a sleek design, a stunning display and more power than we had ever seen before in an Android smartphone. When we reviewed the Galaxy Note 7 back in mid-August, we called it the best phablet the world had ever seen, hands down, iPhones included.
Then, phones began to explode.
BGR was among the first to cover news that a Note 7 handset had combusted while a user was charging the phone, and at the time, some people dismissed the incident as a fluke. When reports of similar explosions began popping up, however, Samsung had no choice but to issue a global recall. Now, in an update, Samsung has reported that the recall is progressing but there are still hundreds of thousands of potentially explosive Galaxy Note 7 handsets in the hands of users.
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In an update published on Tuesday, Samsung shared some key notes about the progress it’s making in the global Galaxy Note 7 recall that was issued earlier this month on September 2nd.
“Just over three weeks ago, Samsung committed to a global replacement program for the Galaxy Note7. Last week, that program began for the majority of markets and the progress is encouraging” said Samsung’s mobile boss DJ Koh. “Our focus now is to make sure that all affected devices are replaced as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
In its update, Samsung shared the following three data points:
- Around 90 percent of Galaxy Note7 users have been choosing a new Galaxy Note7 since products became widely available.
- More than 60 percent of all recalled Galaxy Note7 phones sold in the U.S. and Korea have been exchanged through the program.
- In Singapore, more than 80 percent of customers have participated in the exchange program, which started on September 17.
Those numbers indeed show impressive progress in the three weeks since the Note 7 was formally recalled, but they also highlight a potentially serious problem: Either people aren’t moving fast enough, or Samsung isn’t doing a good enough job of informing users of the recall.
For example, Samsung said that 60% of the recalled Galaxy Note 7 handsets sold in the US and South Korea have been returned or exchanged so far. Considering 1 million Galaxy Note 7 phones were sold in the US alone, that means there are still hundreds of thousands of recalled Galaxy Note 7 devices being used by consumers.
Exploding Note 7 phones have destroyed cars and even burned down one family’s house, so it’s of the utmost importance that you return your recalled Note 7 if it’s still in your possession. You’ll find everything you need to know about how to trade in your Galaxy Note 7 for an update model or a refund in this post.
