Samsung Could Remotely Deactivate Unreturned Galaxy Note 7 Smartphones

Samsung looks to be taking a hard-line on recalling its Galaxy Note 7, with plans to remotely deactivate any handsets not returned by 30 September.

According to a post on Reddit from user LimboJr, every owner of the Galaxy Note 7 in France is being called by Samsung which warned if the smartphone it is recalling, due to a faulty battery putting it at risk of busting into flames, is not returned by the end of September it will be deactivated.

“We were also told that every recalled phone will be remotely deactivated after Sept. 30th. It means that we practically have no other choice than following the procedure,” LimboJr said. “Some of us requested a commercial gesture for the inconvenience, which will be looked at.

Galaxy Note 7 recall

While not every Galaxy Note 7 is at risk of spontaneous combustion, there have been numerous reported incidents of Samsung’s latest smartphone catching fire, in the more recent case burning a six-year-old boy. The risk the Galaxy Note 7 could pose has even resulted in several airlines banning its use on their planes.

The battery fault in the Galaxy Note 7 has prompted Samsung to recall every one of the smartphones it has sold worldwide, some 2.5 million units. This has involved the creation of a dedicated exchange programme in the UK.

As a result of this mass recall, Samsung has seen around £10.8 billion wiped off its market value thanks to plummeting share prices, while the recall itself is reported to cost the Korean technology giant around a $1 billion.

This will comes as a blow to Samsung in more than just the financial sense, as the Galaxy Note 7 has been critically acclaimed on most aspects other than its explosive battery. Furthermore, the recall comes at a time when its arch rival Apple has unveiled the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus with pre-orders for the new models currently live, thereby posing a risk of disgruntled Galaxy Note 7 owners jumping from Samsung’s smartphones over to Apple’s handsets.

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