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Samsung blocks video of 'GTA V' Galaxy Note 7 bomb mod (updated)
Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 has been the butt of its fair share of internet jokes since it started exploding in September, but it's hard to surpass what one Grand Theft Auto V modder did when he turned the phone into an in-game grenade. Apparently, Samsung doesn't think it's very funny, though -- the company appears to have filed a totally bogus copyright infringement claim on the YouTube video showing this mod.
Samsung is setting up Galaxy Note 7 exchange stations in airports
Sasmung has officially cancelled the Galaxy Note 7 following its exploding battery scandal, but there are still plenty of people out there who need to exchange their phones. If you're planning to fly soon, that need got stronger a few days ago, when the US banned the phone from all flights. To help air travelers get a phone that they're actually allowed to have on a plane, Samsung is setting up exchange stations in airports to give customers refunds or a new phone.
Samsung tested its Galaxy Note 7 batteries in-house
The batteries that power Samsung's smartphones (including that Galaxy Note 7), are tested in a lab that's owned by the company. While it tests to ensure its phone batteries are certified by US wireless industry group the CTIA, Samsung's certified lab is housed inside its own testing facilities, unlike the likes of Apple and Lenovo, which get their tests done at third-party sites. (Update: We reached out to more smartphone makers: LG says it tests its batteries overseas, while Huawei tests both internally and externally.) The CTIA audits these labs to ensure personnel are qualified, that testing complies with standards, as well as checking that there is no undue influence from manufacturers.
Samsung gives the Galaxy S7 a taste of the Note 7's software
Like it or not, the Galaxy Note 7 is gone for good. However, you're getting a small treat if you switched from the Note 7 to another Samsung phone. Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge owners report that they're receiving an update which brings many of the Note's always-on display features to the slightly older devices, such as its customization. It's not a wholesale port of the discontinued phone's software (you'd need pen support for that), and some users are reporting broken features in the initial release. Notifications from Samsung's own email app may not work, for instance.
US bans Samsung Galaxy Note 7 on all flights
In the wake of Samsung's global recall of the Galaxy Note 7, the US has now banned the device on all aircraft, even if it's turned off. Previously, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) only issued a warning to have passengers keep the phones powered down during flights. But now, Bloomberg reports, you can't bring it on the plane at all. This follows recent news that Samsung has ended the production and sales of the Note 7 entirely due to smoke and fire incidents, which happened even to replacement handsets. It's not entirely clear when the phone would be taken away from you -- whether it'd be during the security screening or when you're onboard the plane -- but if you haven't already returned it, you should at least do so before your next flight.
Samsung offers Note 7 owners $100 off another Galaxy phone
In an attempt to keep users, Samsung is issuing a $100 credit to exchange the defective Galaxy Note 7 for a Galaxy S7 Edge or other Samsung device. By comparison, it'll give you just $25 if you switch to Apple, HTC or any other brand. It has also expanded the recall to include all Galaxy Note 7 devices, including those issued as replacements for the original defective phones. That move was expected, since both have proved to have defective batteries that can cause fires and explosions.
US couriers issue strict guidelines for returning your Galaxy Note 7
If you can't walk into your carrier's store to turn in a Galaxy Note 7 in person, you'll have to ask them for Samsung's fire-proof box and wait for it to come in. FedEx and UPS have announced that they won't ship out the phone unless it's inside one of the special containers Samsung has prepared for it. This container is actually comprised of several boxes you'll have to stack like a Russian doll, though the outermost one is lined with ceramic fiber designed to keep potential fires under control. Meanwhile, the US Postal Service will accept your shipment, so long as it's inside hard cardboard or plastic boxes.
The Galaxy Note 7's death creates an environmental mess
Samsung's decision to discontinue the Galaxy Note 7 and recover remaining units isn't just a blow to smartphone fans... it's not so hot for the environment, either. Experts speaking to Motherboard point out that phone recycling is still a very young field, and that many of the rare earth elements (such as cobalt and indium) won't be recycled at all. There's going to be a significant amount of e-waste when all is said and done, in other words. And while the waste from about 2.5 million barely-used Note 7s isn't going to trigger an ecological disaster, it's considerably worse than refurbishing those phones.
NYT: Samsung engineers can't replicate Galaxy Note 7 problems
Even though Galaxy Note 7 production has shut down and the phones should be on their way back to Samsung in fireproof boxes, the question of how everything went so wrong has yet to be answered. When it initiated a recall on September 2nd, the company said that "we conducted a thorough investigation and found a battery cell issue." However, today when it announced a permanent end to manufacturing, there was no word on the problem. A report by the New York Times indicates that despite assigning "hundreds" of employees, they have not been able to reproduce the spontaneously smoky, blazing hot phones too many customers have experienced.
Samsung ships fire-proof boxes and gloves to recover Note 7s
If you purchased a Galaxy Note 7 from a US carrier or retailer, you can (and should) return it to a store immediately. If you bought the phone straight from Samsung, though, the process was a little trickier -- some customers complained early on about FedEx and UPS refusing to handle return units out of fears they would blow up. That's why Samsung has adopted an elaborate recall box that allows affected phones to be returned to the company via UPS Ground. It's... sort of a doozy.
Samsung ends production of the Galaxy Note 7 for good
Samsung has "permanently discontinued" production of the Galaxy Note 7, the company told Engadget in a short statement. Sales of the flagship phone were halted yesterday because replacements for the original, recalled model were still catching fire and exploding. Shortly after it started doing exchanges, the updated models were involved in several serious fires, causing the evacuation of a Southwest Airlines flight and a fire that sent a Kentucky owner to hospital with smoke inhalation.
Oculus disables Gear VR app on Samsung's Galaxy Note 7
Oculus has pushed an update to the Galaxy Note 7 that disables the Gear VR app on the device, according to several sources. Instead of loading the app, it shows a message (above) stating that "until further notice, Note 7 devices will not be compatible with the Gear VR." The move is a prudent one, given the device's tendency to catch fire or even explode, and the fact that the Gear VR puts the smartphone in close proximity to your face and eyes.
Samsung's Note 7 catches fire, but the damage isn't done
When Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 launched earlier in the fall, we loved it. So did a lot of others, critics and consumers alike. Then the reports of battery-related fires started rolling in. Just weeks later, Samsung was forced to kick off a massive recall of Note 7s, a complicated, crucially important process that should have signaled the end of this disaster. It didn't. Now we're left with reports of replacement units going up in smoke -- one of them started smoldering on a Southwest flight, and another put a Kentucky man in the hospital for smoke inhalation. Then, during the writing of this very sentence, Samsung told all of its carrier and retail partners around the world to stop sales and exchanges of Galaxy Note 7s. It's the move Samsung dreaded, and the move Samsung needed. As dramatic as this seems, though, it's just another step in its fight to piece its reputation back together, bit by agonizing bit.
Samsung stops Galaxy Note 7 sales, owners should 'power down'
That's it for the Galaxy Note 7 -- Samsung just issued a statement saying it's asking "all global partners to stop sales and exchanges of Galaxy Note 7 while further investigation takes place." That includes both original and devices issued as replacements, matching a rumor from last night that Samsung had, in conjunction with consumer safety organizations from several countries, decided to stop manufacturing the phone.
Samsung reportedly halts Galaxy Note 7 production (update: confirmed)
After more reports of replacement Galaxy Note 7 phones catching fire, Yonhap News reports that Samsung has temporarily suspended production. The Korean paper cited an anonymous source working at one of Samsung's suppliers, and the company has not yet commented. Already, AT&T and T-Mobile have said they will stop Galaxy Note 7 sales and replacements while investigations into the incidents continue.
Two more Galaxy Note 7 replacements caught fire (update: carrier responses)
Unfortunately, that replacement Galaxy Note 7 which caught fire wasn't just a one-off. There are now two more incidents of the ostensibly safer smartphone igniting and threatening the health of its users. To start, a teen in Farmington, Minnesota reports that her replacement Note 7 started burning up while it was in her hand on October 7th. She 'only' suffered a minor burn to her thumb, but tells KSTP that it could have been worse if it was in her pocket. Both Samsung and the Consumer Product Safety Commission say they're investigating the issue.
Bloomberg: AT&T considering a halt on Galaxy Note 7 sales
Reports that a Galaxy Note 7 issued as a replacement caught fire on an airplane may be too much for at least one carrier. Bloomberg cites a single unnamed source claiming that AT&T is "considering" stopping sales of the troubled phone based on that incident. Although AT&T (along with Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon) have already issued statements indicating that customers can return or exchange their replacement phones, this would go a step further. The rumored deadline for the decision is Friday, which would put pressure on Samsung to figure out what's going here.
US carriers exchange replacement Note 7s after airplane incident (updated)
A replacement Samsung Galaxy Note 7 started smoking and burned through the carpet on board a Southwest flight this week. Following the incident, one US carrier is allowing owners to exchange those replacement devices even though the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) hasn't issued a formal warning or recall yet. Sprint confirmed to Engadget it will allow customers to return their replacement Note 7 for another device at its retail stores "during the investigation window." The carrier says that it's working with Samsung "to better understand the most recent concerns" with the handset.
Replacement Note 7 starts smoking on Southwest flight (updated)
A Southwest flight was evacuated in Lousiville, Kentucky when a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 overheated and began smoking on board. Louisville Metro Arson investigators confirmed to WAVE News 3 that a Samsung device was the cause of the incident. All passengers and crew members exited the plane safely via the main cabin door and no injuries were reported. To make matters worse, the device was a replacement following the company's global recall of the handset over the last few weeks.
The Pixel XL vs. the competition: The bigger flagships face off
Once more, Google is giving us two flagship phone sizes to choose from. But this time, the company's releasing them under its own brand, Pixel. There are great features like Google Assistant and a new camera to check out, but how does the new XL's hardware compare to its competition? We've sized up the specs of the larger Pixel versus premiere handsets like the iPhone 7 Plus, Moto Z and even the recalled Galaxy Note 7 (we hope you've exchanged yours by now) for a better look.
