Samsung plans to limit the capacity of existing Galaxy Note 7 batteries in the hope of preventing more fires and explosions.
Although the company hopes to have most of the defective smartphones back in its possession through a mass recall, a software update could safeguard those handsets remaining in the wild.
Following a software update on September 19, the battery will no longer charge beyond 60 per cent, which the company says should prevent instances of overheating.
While not sustainable as a solution for holding onto original devices, it is a prudent stop-gap measure from the under-fire Korean giant.
“It is a measure to put consumer safety first but we apologize for causing inconvenience,” an advertisement in a South Korean newspaper reads (via AP).
The company is currently producing new battery packs with the hope of commencing an exchange program in multiple territories within the next week.
A whopping $26 billion has been wiped off the company’s stock price since the recall of an estimate 2.5 million devices.
There have been multiple damaging reports of explosions and fires occurring while the device is being charged, leading some airlines to ban its use on flights.
A report on Tuesday said the “initial conclusions” of a Samsung investigation had revealed a manufacturing fault the placed pressure on the plates within the battery cells.
It is said this pressure bought positive and negative poles into contact, triggering the excessive heat that caused the batteries to flare up.
Brits will be able to exchange their phones from September 19.
Video: It may be time to look ahead to the Galaxy S8
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.