Samsung Learned From The Note 7 Battery Incident, Commits To Safety More Than Ever

In a press conference on Monday morning, Dong-jin Koh, the mobile business chief of Samsung has finally revealed what went wrong with the Galaxy Note 7. The company also expressed their sincere apology and gratitude to Galaxy Note7 customers, mobile operators, retail and distribution partners and business partners for their patience and continued support.   

The Note 7

In case you missed it, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall was one of the worst technology recalls of 2.5 million units in recent times due to its flaming or even exploding batteries. Samsung said that there two separate instances of battery malfunctions to blame.

The Galaxy Note 7 handsets were packed in a 3 later form: positive, negative, and a separator. When the positive and negative layers touch it could sometimes lead to short circuits on the battery cells. The first set of batteries has an issue with the upper right hand corner of the battery cell. 

"Our analysis showed the main cause for the incidents was deflections in the negative electrodes," he said. Koh added that incorrect positioning of the negative electrode tip also led to a higher likelihood of incidents.

The second set of batteries from a different manufacturer found on replacement units has melted copper on the negative electrode area. There were welding issues that lead to contact between positive and negative layers.

To verify those issues, Samsung hired 700 engineers to test out 200,000 Note 7 devices and 30,000 batteries. They also engaged with external investigators from UL, Exponent and TUV Rheinland to probe the issue.

Based on what the company learned from the investigation, Samsung implemented a broad range of internal quality and safety processes to further enhance product safety including additional protocols such as the multi-layer safety measures and 8-Point Battery Safety Check. Samsung also formed a Battery Advisory Group of external advisers, academic and research experts to ensure it maintains a clear and objective perspective on battery safety and innovation.

I'm sure that Samsung learned a lot from those mistakes and let's expect better and safer devices from them moving forward.

“For the last several months, together with independent industry expert organizations, we conducted thorough investigation to find cause to the Galaxy Note7 incidents.” Koh said, “Today, more than ever, we are committed to earning the trust of our customers through innovation that redefines what is possible in safety, and as a gateway to unlimited possibilities and incredible new experiences.”

Source: Cnbc