Samsung Recalls Galaxy Note 7 After Battery Explosions

Samsung launched the Note 7 on August 19 in some markets, including South Korea and the U.S. Shipments were delayed in South Korea this week for extra quality control testing after reports that batteries of some of the jumbo smartphones exploded while they were being charged.

While details surrounding the recall are still trickling out, we rounded up everything you need to know about the incident and how Samsung is responding.

The Note 7 has only been on the market for two weeks, but according to reports, it’s already sold 1 million devices. It’s unclear if models sold in China would consequently be recalled. Company officials did not reply to questions about how Samsung determined which phones are deemed safe and which require further testing. Samsung did not say when the Note 7 will be available for general purchase. The manufacturer also plans to extend refund periods for affected customers and even offer exchanges for other Samsung phones. Each carrier is offering either a loaner device until the issue is fixed or offering a full refund for the Note 7. Amazon and Best Buy have also said they are no longer selling the Note 7. The exchange program allows owners to have either of two choices given – if some owners want to stick to the same device, the first choice is to exchange their current Galaxy Note 7 with a new Galaxy Note 7 unit that will arrive next week. It is estimated that 24 out of every 1 million phones are affected by the faulty battery, but Samsung is taking no chances because of potential that every single phone could be affected (except those distributed in China, because they came from a different supplier).

Samsung has stated that as of September 1, there have been 35 cases reported worldwide of the smartphone exploding when charging. This comes just a week before Apple is set to reveal the next iPhone.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which handles recalls, typically tells consumers to stop using a product immediately when it puts out a warning involving a fire hazard. “Samsung is fully committed to providing the highest quality products to our consumers”, the company said in a statement.