Samsung Galaxy Note 7. File photo
Tech giant Samsung is reportedly delaying shipments of its latest Galaxy Note 7 phones after reports of overheating batteries, causing some devices to catch fire and explode.
The setback has gone so bad that the South Korean company is mulling a global recall of the affected products, The Telegraph reported.
Samsung’s probe on the matter revealed that some faulty batteries were indeed culprit, and the firm could issue the recall as early as this weekend.
Officials also claimed that the “problematic battery account for less than 0.1% of the entire volume sold” and that the “problem can be resolved by changing the battery.”
“We will share the findings as soon as possible. Samsung is fully committed to providing the highest quality products to our consumers,” the company said in a statement.
The move comes after several owners of the £750 (P46,497) device reported that it had spontaneously burst into flames while charging.
Samsung has already halted multiple shipments to three operators in South Korea, but they did not reveal whether other markets were affected as well.
The company also promised to remain transparent with the results of its pending investigation regarding the matter.
The malfunctions of Note 7, which is one of the most sought after products in Samsung’s lineup, could deal a major blow to the tech giant, which was expecting to maintain its strong mobile momentum against its direct competitor Apple.
The new iPhones are expected to be unveiled next week. Khristian Ibarrola