14 DAY TRIAL // It has been weeks since Samsung announced the discontinuation of its flawed Galaxy Note 7 flagship and the second global recall of the smartphone. Samsung is now hoping that the upcoming Galaxy S8 will help restore consumer trust in the smartphone brand, but first, the company must determine the cause that led to the units catching fire.
The global recall of the Galaxy Note 7 is still underway, but the South Korean company has yet to find the exact cause that determined the incidents in which the phones started emitting smoke and caught fire.
During the first recall, Samsung officials stated that a battery development flaw had caused the units to overheat and catch fire while charging. The phone maker then said the issue was resolved and replacement units would be absolutely safe, especially since the battery manufacturer was replaced.
However, soon after consumers started receiving their replacement units, reports began surfacing that these "safe" devices were flawed as well. The initial diagnosis of the battery flaw was obviously incorrect, and units still caught fire even if they weren’t connected to a power outlet.
Several investigations on the Note 7 are currently underway
A couple of weeks ago, Samsung’s mobile chief D.J. Koh claimed that the company was determined to find the cause of the Galaxy Note 7 fires at any cost.
Investigations are currently underway, with the CPSC, Samsung and South Korean government agencies collaborating and working together on uncovering the issue at the root of this fiasco. There are many theories saying that the batteries in replacement units are flawed as well or that the actual design of the phone is making it prone to catching fire.
But until the results of the investigation are made official, nothing is for sure. Meanwhile, a Samsung representative stated for the Wall Street Journal that development for Galaxy S8 was delayed by two weeks, until Samsung finds the exact reason that led to the Galaxy Note 7’s demise.
Clearly, the South Korean device maker doesn’t want to make the same mistakes with the Galaxy S8, especially since it wishes to make a proper comeback with this model. The Galaxy S8 is said to launch in February, during MWC 2017, but the launch date might be pushed back too if the reason for the Note 7’s fiasco isn’t found soon.