The Galaxy Note 7 is dead

Update 12.10.2016:

Following the withdrawal from sale of Samsung's Note 7 flagship, the company is offering US customers up to $100 in credit to return their devices, as some unhappy owners don't want to give up their devices or swap them for a different model. $100 is being given to customers that exchange their Note 7 for another Samsung model phone or $25 for choosing any other phone at all. 

With the true fallout and cost of the Note 7 debacle still unknown, the jury is out on whether Samsung will take this opportunity to retire the Note range entirely or carry on with a Note 8.

Update 11.10.2016:

Samsung reports that it will ask retailers to discontinue selling the Galaxy Note 7 and the South Korean smartphone giant is taking the phablet off the market, for good. This is in light of problems with the replacement Note 7s reported by AndroidPIT yesterday. Given this new set of concerns, Samsung posted on its own website that sales should discontinue "while further investigation takes place".

The statement says that the company will "ask all carrier and retail partners globally to stop sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note7 while the investigation takes place". The Samsung press release also states that if you own a Galaxy Note 7 you should stop using it and "take advantage of the remedies available".

We can only assume that this means taking the phone in for a replacement. If you own a Note 7, check out our dedicated page on how to return your Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

Update 10.10.2016:

Samsung decided to suspend production of the Galaxy Note 7 until further notice. This comes amid growing concerns that the replacement models of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 are faulty. The story was originally broke by Yonhap News Agency out of South Korea.

According to their sources, Samsung decided to halt production in cooperation with safety regulators from South Korea, the United States and China. The Samsung official also said: "This measure includes a Samsung plant in Vietnam that is responsible for global shipments (of the Galaxy Note 7)".

Over the weekend, media sources in the US reported five new cases of Note 7s catching on fire. Following this development, T-Mobile stopped selling the device. If you bought one through them you are entitled to a $25 in-store credit of offset any cost incurred by the recall.

Update 07.10.2016:

Carriers took action to ensure their customers don't blame them for Samsung's problems with the Note 7. T-Mobile lets its customers replace their Note 7s within 14 days of purchase. Sprint allowed it customers to exchange their Note 7s for any other device in the store.

Recode spoke to a Sprint representative who claimed "If a Sprint customer with a replacement Note 7 has any concerns regarding their device, we will exchange it for any other device at any Sprint retail store during the investigation window".

Update 29.09.2016:

The Galaxy Note 7 nightmare continues for the South Korean smartphone giant. It's well into the exchange program that is supposed to end in October but now there are several reports of replacement devices overheating in the United States.

Samsung is aware of these problems and released the following statement today:

"There have been a few reports about the battery charging levels and we would like to reassure everyone that the issue does not pose a safety concern". The company added that "In normal conditions, all smartphones may experience temperature fluctuations."

If owners have issues with their replacements, they can get a second Note 7 replacement.

Update 26.09.2016: 

South Korean owners have already started receiving their replacements for the phablet but complaints have marred the re-release. According to the Wall Street Journal, the replacement Note 7s have been overheating and even losing battery power when they're being charged. A Samsung spokesperson claimed that the incidents are "isolated" and "completely unrelated to batteries".

About half of the 500,000 US replacement phones have already been sent out. We'll see if there are further complaints as American owners continue to receive their new, hopefully normal phones.

Update 02.09.2016: 

Samsung has released an official statement regarding the Galaxy Note 7 shipments: 

"Samsung is committed to producing the highest quality products and we take every incident report from our valued customers very seriously. 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.

We acknowledge the inconvenience this may cause in the market but this is to ensure that Samsung continues to deliver the highest quality products to our customers. We are working closely with our partners to ensure the replacement experience is as convenient and efficient as possible."

We will update this page when we learn more about Samsung's release plans. Read the original story below.

Update, 01.09.2016:

According to Samsung Germany, the launch of the Galaxy Note 7 will not take place on September 2 but will instead come at a later time. Here's the official tweet (translated): "[1/2] The launch of the Note 7 in Germany will not go as planned on September 2. [2/2] We ask our customers for patience in date of the new launch." 

Several users from around the world have shared images and stories of Note 7s that have seemingly gone up in flames, leaving a hideous, charred carcass behind. This rather serious-seeming problem is said, by Samsung, to affect less than 0.1 percent of devices already sold, but the images are eye-catching and the potential for physical harm real, so Samsung is said to be about to announce a Galaxy Note 7 recall as early as this weekend.

The Yonhap News Agency reported the news, citing a "Samsung official". The source stated that Samsung is also "expected to announce the result of its investigation... this weekend or early next week".

It is not entirely clear yet whether the recall will be localized or global, but Samsung is reported to be in contact with US carrier Verizon, suggesting a wide-reaching recall to be in the works.

Although this turn of events may read like bad news for Samsung, it could be turned Samsung's advantage, improving company's public image by making visible the extent to which it values the quality of its products and the safety of its customers.

What are your thoughts on the current situation? Let us know in the comments.