OTA will mitigate the danger of explosions by limiting battery cost. In the meantime a preliminary report back to Korean regulators blames manufacturing error which “positioned strain on plates” in battery cells.
Whereas Samsung won’t be remotely disabling recalled Galaxy Note 7s anytime quickly, it appears the corporate has a plan to mitigate the danger of additional battery explosions — at the least in its residence market of Korea.
The Related Press studies that Samsung will issue a software update to recalled Korean Note 7s nonetheless in use to cease them charging previous 60% capability. In response to the report, Samsung took out a front-page advert within the Seoul Shinmun newspaper to tell clients.
We do not but know if or when Word 7s outdoors of Korea will get the battery-limiting replace.
The over-the-air replace will start at 2 a.m. KST on September 20 for any recalled Observe 7 handsets nonetheless within the wild; there isn’t any suggestion that the OTA will have an effect on protected alternative models. We have reached out to Samsung for particulars on whether or not recalled Notes in different areas will get an analogous OTA.
Whereas limiting battery cost ranges might scale back the probability of additional fires or explosions in unsafe Notice 7s, it is unclear what the uncomfortable side effects of truly making use of the OTA can be. Android 6.zero telephones just like the Observe 7 should recompile (or “optimize”) put in apps after most software program updates — a CPU-intensive course of which produces a good quantity of warmth. Introducing additional warmth to a probably faulty battery might trigger its personal issues.
In the meantime Bloomberg has information of a beforehand unpublished preliminary report back to Korean regulators on the reason for the Notice 7’s battery points. The report back to the Korea Company for Know-how and Requirements (KATS) physique attracts some early conclusions, however says extra time is required to pinpoint precisely what is going on on.
Preliminary conclusions point out an error in manufacturing that positioned strain on plates contained inside battery cells. That in flip introduced destructive and constructive poles into contact, triggering extreme warmth. Samsung nevertheless harassed that it wanted to hold out a extra thorough evaluation to find out “the precise trigger” of battery injury.
Samsung has publicly said that a “battery cell concern” was chargeable for incidents of fires and explosions — of which 70 have now been reported in the U.S. alone — nevertheless that is the primary we’re listening to on the precise fault. Bloomberg echoes earlier reviews that Samsung SDI, the group’s power and battery firm, was liable for making a lot of the affected cells.
Samsung just lately launched an online tool that lets Notice 7 house owners verify if their handset is affected. The agency’s recommendation stays that if your Note 7 is affected, it is best to change it off and return it beneath the recall program.