If you’ve just gone out and bought a shiny new phone that costs over $1000, being told you have to return it isn’t fun. That’s especially if there’s a chance the phone might literally explode, which is the problem Galaxy Note7 owners have been facing.
So over the last week, that’s what people have been doing. But for those who ignore all of Samsung’s warnings, there’s an extra special present: a patch that cripples the battery to a maximum charge of 60%.
The software update will crimp the Note7 so it only uses 2,100 mAh of its 3,500 mAh, according to a report from the Associated Press. The update was announced via an ad placed in the Seoul Shinum newspaper, targeting users who either missed or ignored earlier recall notices.
But why crimp the battery? It’s supposedly a measure to reduce the potential risk of overheating, although it’ll undoubtedly function as an annoyance to encourage owners to get a phone that won’t explode. Besides, your Note7 shouldn’t be turned on anyway.
We don’t know when Samsung will push the patch out to Australians, although given the circumstances I can’t imagine it would take them too long. And for those who do still own a Note7 in Australia, remember that your dealer or Samsung themselves will get in touch from September 21.
Until then: just turn off your Note7.
Comments
5 responses to “Samsung Is Deliberately Crippling The Galaxy Note7’s Battery”
Oof. What a disaster.
Not necessarily. It’s still so far only a limited amount of devices that will likely cause issues. But samsung is making sure to do everything they can to make that small number zero. This could have happened to any company as something like this can often not pop up until after mas production, and I’m actually impressed with how samsung is responding.
Any recall is a disaster, but the bigger disaster is news about fires and injuries occurring over a period of years. This is the smarter move.
Nobody remembers product recalls after the fact.
If they’re nerfing the batteries to avoid exploding phones, you’d think people would be happy, wouldn’t you?
Wait, aren’t the phones exploding when they’re plugged in?
So they’re forcing everyone to have them plugged in MORE?
I mean, I get the point of this, and the intentions are good, but…
So i am a samsung phone fan, had one since year 2000 and loved them had s4,note3 s5 and then note 7. The first note 7 i bought was playing up kept rebooting had to wipe and return for another now this battery thing WTF, samsung must think i have all the time in the world to muck about wiping and changing phones so no i am not powering down my device if it explodes samsung can compensate me, i haven’t the time to run around and be inconvenienced. Should have stuck with what consumers loved about the phones and that was ability to increase memory and change batteries that was what made me like samsung over all other phone manufacturers for 30 buck i could charge and carry a spare battery with me, would have been an easier recall if they stuck to what they did best instead of trying to emulate APPLE karma’s a bitch!