Here's How To Tell A Good Samsung Galaxy Note 7 From The Explosive Kind
Three Australian airlines — Qantas, Jetstar, and Virgin Australia — have banned passengers from charging their phones onboard aircraft, and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) "strongly advises" customers to refrain from turning on or charging their Galaxy Note7 devices on domestic flights.
All of the confusion surrounding the Galaxy Note7 drama comes from the fact that Samsung didn’t go through official channels to initiate its recall. The company instead decided to go it alone and create its own program, much to the ire of consumer protection agencies like the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
With that being said, Samsung is at least trying to make it easier for future Galaxy Note7 customers to know for sure if they are buying a completely safe device that doesn’t pose a fire hazard. The barcode label on the new retail boxes will feature a black square in the lower right hand side and a blue “S” imprinted in a circle beside the barcode.
While this might be beneficial to customers that are purchasing their devices at a brick and mortar electronics stores, it will mean very little for customers that attempt to purchase a “new” Galaxy Note7 online from an unscrupulous retailer or eBay seller that has held on to “old” stock. This is where it would have been beneficial for the CPSC to step in, banning the resale of such devices.
The South Korean electronics giant is already working overtime to produce replacement devices for customers. When it comes to Galaxy Note7 owners residing in Australia, those replacements will start as early as September 21st. Samsung will restart sales of new stock to retail channels in Australia beginning in October.
“We would like to thank our loyal customers for their patience, and apologize for the inconvenience. We have been working hard to get the amazing Galaxy Note7 back in the hands of our customers to continue to enjoy,” said Richard Fink, Samsung Electronics Australia VP for IT & Mobile.
