The exploding Samsung Galaxy Note 7 batteries are proving more disastrous every day. Samsung has already recalled the Note 7 devices. The company has been forced to issue warnings all over too. Still, new cases of battery combustion just keep coming up. The latest victim of the disastrous smartphone is a six-year-old boy from Brooklyn, New York.
According to the New York Post, the six-year boy had been using the device at his family home when it ‘suddenly burst into flames’. The kid was immediately rushed to the hospital and sustained burns to his body. The kid’s grandmother, Linda Lewis, told the press that the fire caused by the phone was strong enough to ‘set off alarms in my house.’ “He is home now. He doesn’t want to see or go near any phones. He’s been crying to his mother,” she added.
Almost 2.5 million Samsung Galaxy Note 7 device were officially recalled by the company on September 2. The South Korean company had claimed that only a fraction of its batteries are at risk. In the recall announcement, it said that only 24 units in a million were affected. The latest flagship smartphone launched last month only. Since then, it has received more than 40 reports of lithium batteries exploding during charging.
This has been a disaster for Samsung and its unlucky customers. There have been reports of the house fire, hotel fires too. The American aviation regulator and various Australian airlines have also requested customers not to charge or turn on their Galaxy Note 7 devices while in the air. Samsung’s shares have also dropped sharply on Monday, hitting a two-month low and wiping 15.9 trillion won (£10.7 billion) off its market value.
On Saturday, DJ Koh, President of mobile communications, Samsung issued this statement:
Our number one priority is the safety of our customers. We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note 7s and exchange them as soon as possible. We are expediting replacement devices so that they can be provided through the exchange program as conveniently as possible and in compliance with related regulations. We sincerely thank our customers for their understanding and patience.
Update (14th September): The responsible device has been found out to be the Samsung Core Prime, not the Galaxy Note 7. While the Galaxy Note 7 has been recalled, the Core Prime is still freely available for sale.