Samsung will recall Galaxy Note 7 because of exploding batteries [Updated]

Recall affects all 2.5 million units that have shipped so far.

Andrew Cunningham

This Galaxy Note 7 is too hot, send it back.

Ron Amadeo

Looks like Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 can give you some bang for your buck after all—Samsung will be issuing a global recall for all 2.5 million of the phones it has shipped so far, says Reuters. Some of the phones shipped with faulty batteries that could catch on fire. Details of the recall program will be available as soon as Samsung works out the details with different carriers in different countries, and customers will be able to exchange their phones for models with non-faulty batteries or get their money back entirely.

Samsung provided the following statement to Ars and other publications:

"In response to recently reported cases of the new Galaxy Note 7, we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue. To date (as of September 1) there have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market. However, because our customers’ safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have stopped sales of the Galaxy Note 7. For customers who already have Galaxy Note 7 devices, we will voluntarily replace their current device with a new one over the coming weeks."

The percentage of affected phones is small—estimated at 24 out of every 1,000,000 phones—but Samsung only has one battery supplier in each of the countries in which the phone has shipped. All units could potentially be affected, though the models sold in China apparently include batteries that are unaffected by the flaw.

The success of the Galaxy S7 earlier this year helped lead Samsung to its biggest profit in two years after a couple cycles of sagging sales, and the Note 7 was expected to help it keep that momentum.

Koh Dong-jin, leader of Samsung's smartphone division, could not provide an estimated cost for the recall, but said that "it pains my heart that it will be such a big number."

Update: US carriers have released recall information for consumers. Most carriers are accepting returns now and waiving any fees. If you need more information, official Twitter feeds are usually the best place to go for the most up-to-date information.

• Verizon: "Verizon has stopped selling the Galaxy Note 7. Additionally, through September 30, 2016, Verizon is waiving the restocking fee for any customers who purchased a Galaxy Note 7 and wish to return or exchange it."
• AT&T: " We are in the process of determining the exchange process for our customers and how they can replace their current Note 7 as quickly as possible. We will have more information later today. "
• T-Mobile: "Starting immediately, customers who are concerned about using the Note 7 can return the device to T-Mobile for a full, complete refund. They’ll get a full refund of anything paid for the device and any Note 7 accessories. We’ll waive any restocking charges and shipping fees, and customers can keep the free Netflix subscription they received with purchase during pre-order. "
• Sprint: "For those customers that previously purchased the Note 7 we will offer them a similar device until the issue is resolved. Customers should go to a nearby Sprint store to exchange their Note 7 device."
• US Celluar: "Sales of the Note 7 have been paused until further notice. We understand potential concerns & are working on a solution with Samsung."
• Best Buy: The company has a recall portal here. There is no statement on the Galaxy Note 7 as of publish time, but Best Buy support says to keep an eye on that page.

Update 2: Samsung now has information on its own recall program, offering a device exchange or a full refund of the purchase price. If you do the exchange, Samsung will give you a $25 gift card or carrier bill credit. The page says "owners can contact or visit the retail outlet where they purchased their device or call 1-800-SAMSUNG to initiate a product exchange."