Exploding battery: South Korean consumers snub Samsung’s phone swap deal
Samsung’s offer to exchange its Note 7 model for another until it solves a hazardous battery issue has not been accepted by many owners in Seoul
The world’s largest maker of mobile phones recalled 2.5-million units of its top-of-the-range model more than two weeks ago, after batteries began catching fire while charging.
But users snubbed the South Korean electronics giant’s offer of a temporary replacement until new Note 7s became available, and there seemed to be little urgency among consumers for the permanent fix offered on Monday.
The success of the recall is seen as crucial to Samsung retaining brand loyalty and preventing customers defecting to arch-rival Apple’s new iPhone 7 or cheaper Chinese-made models.
Late on Sunday, Chinese online financial magazine Caixin cited an internet user’s report that their Note 7 phone, bought from JD.com, had caught fire in what appeared to be the first report in China of a fire involving the handset.