Just like the hoverboard was the hottest trend of the year 2015, Samsung’s latest flagship phablet became a hot attraction of 2016. However, both the devices soon turned the hot trend into flames, literally.
Remember hoverboards? They were the hottest trend in 2015. Despite being very expensive, they were widely popular, and their popularity continued to spread like wildfire. Speaking of wildfire, the hoverboards had also gained wide attention due to rising incidents of them catching fire. In a similar fashion, Samsung’s latest flagship phablet, the Galaxy Note 7, had an impressive start with mostly positive response to the device. But soon Samsung and its Galaxy Note 7 met with backlash after numerous incidents of battery explosions and catching fire.
Soon after incidents of fire were reported, Samsung not only had to halt the sales of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, but it also had to recall all purchased units till now. Samsung said that it has found problems with the Galaxy Note 7′s battery, which have been exploding during charging. Samsung says it will replace all the Galaxy Note 7 units, regardless of when it was purchased. Samsung is recalling and replacing about 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 phablets across the globe, reported The Australian. The move will reportedly cost the Korean smartphone manufacturer over $1 billion. Naturally, the Note 7 explosions have created quite a menace across the world. Recently, Reuters reported that three airlines have banned passengers from carrying the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 on flight.
The Galaxy Note 7 debar is quite a deja vu of last year’s ban by many prominent airlines on carrying hoverboards on flights after their batteries were found to be igniting spontaneously. Like many cases with hoverboards last year, wherein the goofy devices caught fire and resulted in near-death experience for their users, the Galaxy Note 7 has had some similar instances this year. Also read: After Galaxy Note 7 battery fiasco, Samsung India is offering free Gear VR to those who pre-booked
Just brought my 30lb hoverboard from home to my dorm and now they say it’s a fire hazard and I have to take it back…SMH
— drew (@amazing_suineg) August 21, 2016
thinking about that one vaporwave video where the guy is on a hoverboard that catches on fire
— Choja Hiragawa ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (@chojahiragawa) August 21, 2016
They just told me I can’t have my hoverboard in the dorm because it’s a fire hazard, this place is a prison mom come pick me up
— Matt Gardner (@MattJGardner7) August 20, 2016
Yesterday, a Reddit user, who goes by the name brodesto posted an image of a burnt up Galaxy Note 7 unit. He said that the unit caught fire while the person was using the handset. He urged people to get their Galaxy Note 7 handsets replaced immediately, before any mishap occurs. He “was over the table while using it. He burned his hand then dropped in on table as it finished burning. I don’t think he was using it while charging though…I’m not sure I gotta ask. The burns are not too intense, but he did get harmed,” the post read.
Another similar incident recently took place in Australia, where a Galaxy Note 7 phablet exploded and caught fire while charging, and caused some serious damages in a hotel. Reportedly, the explosion caused damages worth $1,380 to the hotel room.
While at the time of the release of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 last month, critics and fans across the world were sure that the smartphone will give a tough competition to the then upcoming Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus smartphones. However, the major battery-related quality issue has turned the tables around.
Image credit: Imgur