Written by Bryce Ethridge, Staff Writer
With the government’s recent recall of the Galaxy Note 7, the internet has been filled with memes of people enjoying the new iPhone and others worried about the Galaxy Note 7 exploding.
Much like most other technology products these days, the Galaxy Note 7 is powered using a lithium-ion battery, which is rechargeable by storing energy being released and controlled chemical reactions. In a regular lithium-ion battery the separator stops the anode and cathode from touching. This is due to the fact it can cause explosions much like the one seen in the Jeep Grand Cherokee that went up in flames in St. Petersburg, Florida.
As reported by Reuters, there has also been a case where the phone has gone up in flames inside of a man’s pocket and resulted in a severe burn on his right thigh. The victim in this incident, Jonathan Strobel, filed a case in one of the state courts inside of Palm City Beach County and is asking for compensation from Samsung for his medical fees, missed days at work and his pain and suffering.
“The recall came too late” stated by Keith Pierro, Jonathan’s lawyer.
According to cnet.com, there have been over 35 reported incidents worldwide involving the Galaxy Note 7 and there are said to have been 1 million to 2.5 million manufactured. The site also mentioned that the number of explosive phones has quadrupled since the recall was announced, but Samsung is working with government agencies and cellular carriers worldwide to make sure all customers that bought the phone are being provided exchanges as well as refunds.
While this is going on, Samsung is working on fixing the issue with the lithium-ion battery. The main problem with the battery is that the liquid flowing inside of the device gets heated up when the charger is placed through the puncture point or charging port. That point then becomes a place where it has the least resistance for electricity to flow. The liquid electrolyte inside of the device is then heated up by the electricity to the point where it can catch aflame or explode.
In accordance to CNN Money, Samsung is beginning its Galaxy Note 7 exchange program in South Korea and the UK which gives smartphone owners the ability to exchange their phone for something safer.
Those who activated their phones first have priority over those who either didn’t activate it or those who activated it late. The exchange program has started off slowly due to only a handful of people coming in to exchange the phone.
People who decided to buy the phone online or from another location were turned away and told to return it to the original retailer. Overall, this appears to be a huge loss for Samsung especially due to the fact Apple just started selling the iPhone 7.
I’m so happy I went with the iPhone 7 now. its strange because I have been with Samsung now for a number of years. The one year I decide to change and Samsung phones start blowing up!