Samsung’s quick fix for Note 7 is no full recharge

Several major Indonesian airlines have banned the problematic Galaxy Note 7 on board their flights following reports of the phone’s faulty and potentially flammable battery.

As reports of more airlines and the company itself urging Galaxy Note 7 users to switch off and return their devices came in, investor confidence was hit hard and Samsung’s shares slumped almost 7 per cent on Monday.

The issue, reported The Associated Press at the time, is with a battery cell produced by one of Samsung’s two battery suppliers.

The company said it is also working with national regulators across the globe to remove those units from circulation, but it will likely take a while to recall all of the estimated 2.5 million units.

This new update for the Galaxy Note 7 temporarily fixing the devices will be pushed only as an obligatory solution.

It was not clear when the update may be issued overseas. Samsung Electronics, the firm responsible for the mobile side of things, said that “It is a measure to put consumer safety first but we apologize for causing inconvenience”.

Both Samsung and the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission have urged owners to power down the devices and stop using or charging them. We, however, don’t think it will have any effect on the phone’s hardware as the battery defect is at fault and no software update could change that. The main hope is that it would cause more people to turn their Galaxy Note 7 in for a replacement, instead of leaving them exploding out in the wild.

For those who are getting the phone without the box, Samsung is also going to be release an IMEI database tool that will single out risky handsets that needs to be recalled.

In light of the recent battery recall issue of the Galaxy Note 7, Samsung will reportedly deactivate unreturned units for exchange after September 30.

An official recall will make it illegal to sell the phone, lead to government oversight of the replacement program and provide clear guidance to consumers, said Consumer Reports, a consumer advocacy group.