Samsung is offering a free sanitising service for smartphones, with Galaxy owners concerned about the germs their handsets may be harbouring.
Announced earlier this month, the Galaxy Sanitising Service will enable users to bring their device to their nearest Samsung Service Centre for a deep clean.
The company says the process involves UV-C light, rather than harsh chemicals, and will kill 99.9% of germs living on the device.
It is currently being offered to Galaxy phone, Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Buds owners in 19 countries, according to a SamMobile report.
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Currently, the UK isn’t on that list, but is featured among an expanded list of nations where Samsung is planning to offer the service soon.
The list of current countries offering the service are as follows, according to SamMobile: Argentina, Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, United States, Ukraine, and Vietnam.
The firm plans to follow up by expanding the service to: Australia, Austria, Canada, Czechia, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Panama, the Philippines, Romania, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
The word comes as Apple issued its own advisory when it comes to disinfecting iPhone handsets, by updating a support page, as people begin to panic over the coronavirus outbreak.
Apple writes: “Using a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, you may gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces of your Apple product, such as the display, keyboard, or other exterior surfaces. Don’t use bleach.
“Avoid getting moisture in any opening, and don’t submerge your Apple product in any cleaning agents. Don’t use on fabric or leather surfaces.”
Apple had previously advised that cleaning products might diminish a fingerprint resistant coating on the iPhone screen, but the updated text seems to reflect that some things might be a little more important than protecting the iPhone’s ability to withstand fingerprints.
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Editorial independence
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.
