Koh Dong Jin, head of Samsung’s (OTC:SSNLF) mobile division, apologized to customers as the company recalled some 2.5 million defective Galaxy Note 7 smartphones.
The total recall was issued by the company after reports confirmed at least 35 phones had their batteries explode while charging. It appears there was no further damage or injuries as a result of these explosions.
This recall comes at a poor time for the Korean giant, whose shares recently hit record highs on strong profits, driven by sales of new smartphone models.
Samsung has done a nice job throughout 2016, taking advantage in the gap between new versions of the iPhone. Users and reviewers were particularly excited for the Galaxy Note 7, which debuted just a few weeks ago to rave reviews.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is widely expected to announce its new iPhone to the world on September 7.
One analyst predicted sales of Samsung’s new Galaxy Note 7 model would be down considerably on this news, shrinking from 14 million units to 12 million over the next year. The same analyst envisioned the company having to replace approximately one million models because of the battery issue.
Samsung is replacing everyone's devices for no charge. All customers have to do is take their phones back to their carrier’s store and they will be issued a replacement model.
