Samsung pulls the plug on Note7, will work out 'remedy' for Singapore customers

SINGAPORE - It is official. The Samsung Galaxy Note7 is dead.

A Samsung spokesman has confirmed that the world's largest smartphone maker has "permanently discontinued" the production of its latest flagship device only two months after its launch.

"For the benefit of consumers' safety, we stopped sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note7 and have consequently decided to stop production," said the Singapore spokesman.

The production halt follows several reports of the phone smoking and catching fire, mainly in the United States, Korea and Australia.

"We are in talks with our telecommunication operator and retail partners to work out a resolution for our Galaxy Note7 customers," she added. "Details of the remedy will be shared very soon."

In the meantime, Note7 customers in Singapore, including those who own the replacement phone, may ask for a loan device from its service centre at Westgate, subject to stock availability.

Earlier on Tuesday (Oct 11), Samsung and the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission had asked consumers to stop using the phone over fire concerns even among the supposedly safe replacement handsets issued after a global recall in September.

There was a handful of reports of overheating and smoking in the replacement devices, including one which caused a Southwest Airlines flight at Louisville International Airport to be evacuated on Oct 5.

Samsung had also asked all global carriers to stop sales of the Note7 while it worked with regulators to investigate the problem.

"Consumers with either an original Galaxy Note7 or replacement Galaxy Note7 device should power down and stop using the device," Samsung had said in a statement. It noted that consumers could ask for a refund at their place of purchase.

The Note7, launched in August, was meant to rival the new Apple iPhone 7 released last month. The product, which sports a new iris scanner, S Pen stylus and water and dust resistant features, received rave reviews.

Some tens of thousands of customers in Singapore had exchanged their faulty Note7 for a replacement set last month as part of the global recall of 2.5 million handsets.

A small number of Singapore consumers even had to exchange the phones twice - after replacements were found to overheat and rapidly drain power while being charged.

So far, Samsung has not offered a refund to Singapore consumers.

This article was first published on October 11, 2016.
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