The Sad Truth

Samsung has stopped production of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone after a series of explosions in the original and replacement models surfaced. Samsung’s Note 7 Launch went horribly wrong and therefore has stopped production of this smartphone. This comes a month after the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall. On August 19, several reports of charred Galaxy Note 7’s surfaced online.

Samsung released a statement on September 2, saying the explosions were due to a battery issue. While the reason for the explosions is unknown, experts have a theory. The materials that make the lithium ion battery lighter, rechargeable and longer-lasting might be part of the issue. Experts believe the phone is charging its battery too quickly, which causes the battery chemicals to destabilize and eventually explode. However, this theory has not been confirmed. After 35 reported explosions, Samsung began a voluntary recall of 2.5 million Note 7 phones on September 2nd.

Samsung also sent replacement phones. Problems compounded for Samsung after airlines banned usage of its phone a week later. Shortly after the ban, images surfaced of the replacement phones also exploding. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile have since stopped replacing Note 7’s. The halt in production is a devastating blow for Samsung. Despite the initial great reviews for the phone, Samsung has not stated whether the Note 7 will ever return. Marketing experts now believe the door is wide open for Google’s new Pixel phone.