The Samsung Note 7 battery charge is to be restricted to 60% of standard. This comes after a recall of around 2.5 million of the Note 7 smartphones after battery and charging issues. Batteries were overheating and exploding during charging or shortly after it, resulting in serious damage to the phones and risk to owners.
The South Korean company has decided to limit charging to 60% of the capacity of Note 7 batteries. This is believed to be a safe state of charge which also operates the device effectively although with a lower charge life. In other words, the Note 7 will operate as it should, but will need to be recharged more frequently.
This will be achieved by means of a software update, and rollout will begin in Korea on September 20. Adverts announcing this have been published in some South Korean newspapers. Confirmation has yet to be received regarding any rollout outside of South Korea. Handsets will be replaced in the UK from September 19, and owners have been requested to contact the stores from which they purchased their phone.
This seems like turning into a disaster for Samsung, particularly in view of the recent launch of Apple’s iPhone 7. It is likely that many users will claim a refund on their devices and switch to something else – possibly the new iPhone. Most people are unlikely to find a reduction of the Note 7 battery life by 60% to be an unacceptable solution.
Samsung has stated that it is now confident of having solved the problem. Replacement versions of the Note 7 will shortly be available in Europe. However, what level of confidence will people have in Samsung after this episode which recently injured a six year old child in Boston? The Samsung Note 7 battery issue is far from over. Consumers have long memories and its effects may linger with the company for much longer than it might hope.